Laos forum

stayed 4 nights in late Dec 2006, booked a double with shared bathroom for USD8 through that website, received quick response. peak season, but no change in price unlike certain guesthouses that upped rates by as much as USD15. for USD8 you can get a room with private bathroom at other places, but not the atmosphere that Vanvisa has. only drawback - thin walls. but most guests were the quiet sort. laundry service offered too.

magical thing was stepping out of my room in the wee hours of the morning, looking through the common balcony door, & seeing in the distance the brightly lit chedi on top of Phou Si hill glowing in the silent darkness.

it's a place for those who love peaceful surrounds & traditional crafts. wonderful owner is an expert in textiles & has coauthored a Lao cookbook. first floor has her personal textile collection on display, & you can arrange to try her cooking if she is in town. has many repeat guests who bring her gifts. guesthouse is along same lane as the famous silversmith Thitpeng Maniphone's workshop & showroom, can watch his apperentices at work.

one end of the lane is the Mekong river, & the other end is Nam Phou fountain & Wat Phra Maha That along Chao Fa Ngum Road. neighbourhood felt more 'real' than the old city proper (where every house seems to be catering to tourists in one way or another - restaurant, guesthouse, travel agency, net cafe, souvenirs, it's like a Disneyland). observing the morning alms-giving here is a quieter, more 'dignified' affair than within the old city where the lines of tourists shoving cameras into the monks' faces are longer than the line of monks.

My family of four datyed at the Vanvisa in December. Very comfortable and convenient. Charming owner with much knowledge about Lao foods and textiles. We paid $12 for a nice double with private hot water shower (and we got at least 5 minutes of hat water!!). Recommended.

Are there any AC rooms at the Vanvisa?