Advice re hotels, restaurants & bars in Vientienne

[Chriss]

Got to get myself a new visa in Vientienne and have been looking at places to stay overnight. Saw some recommendations in another thread but they all seem a bit far from the Consulate, maybe it's because there's a new Consulate now. Anyhow, does anyone have any recommendations for a decent cheapish place to stay near to the Consulate.
A guy in the next village here says he stays in the Aroon Residence, but I think thats just as far away as the others. Anyone stayed here before?

[aznyron]

do a google search that what I did and found a nice hotel not far from both Thai & US embassies the room was nice the price was 800 baht a night food was good and I was cross the street from the day market
and I went back to same hotel the next time I had to go on a visa run in Lao I do not remember the name of the hotel just take a taxi to the embassy and look around for a hotel that suits your fancy

[Roy]

I am afraid no recommendations for anything near the Consulate Chriss but can I ask why being close to it is so important?
A taxi from the bridge will take you there, wait and then take you into town all for the very reasonable cost of 300/400 baht. Stay in town, much more fun.

[arjay]

I know of a couple of people who stay at the Khamkhoun Hotel, Lane Xang Avenue, near the Morning Market bus station and shopping mall, and not far from the new Thai Embassy. It's modestly priced at between 500-800 baht depending on room type and size.

Tel: (856-21)223475

[douglas]

Hi,
Where is the new Thai Embassy. Been years but have to go there in November.
Cheers Doug.

[arjay]

Where is the new Thai Embassy. Been years but have to go there in November.

http://www.udonmap.com/udonthaniforum/t ... 11768.html

http://teakdoor.com/thai-visas-and-visa ... moved.html

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Thai-Cons ... 31879.html

http://www.thaiembassy.org/vientiane/co ... es_en.html

...and not far from the Morning Market (Talad Saow) bus station, about 40 baht by tuk tuk. All the tuk tuk drivers will know where it is..

[SanukJoe]

Stay in town, much more fun.

I totally agree, make it a nice stay in town and the embassy does not fit in that.

I always stay in a guesthouse along the Mekong river, near favorite places of mine, like the pizza restaurant run by a Belgian guy (better than anywhere in Udon ) and the TexMex restaurant/bar (meeting place of many farang, wonderful terrace outside with view of Lao delicacies passing by :-" ). There are an Indian, a Middle-East and not to forget plenty of food places along the riverside, with fresh fish, seafood etc. Under the Intercity hotel is a nice cocktail bar and next to the hotel is a disco frequented by the locals. Internet cafe and supermarket, and: it's all on WALKING DISTANCE!!! No need for a tuktuk in the evening...

Tuktuk to the embassy 40.000 kip, tell the driver you will come back, he will wait and you pay something like 70.000 kip (280 baht).

These are my experiences, many more things to do and see, Vientiane is very much alive!

Joe

[SanukJoe]

In all my enthusiasm I forgot to answer the OP's original question about a place to stay.

I tried several hotels in the area I mentioned, the last couple of times I stayed in the Orchid Guesthouse, on the Mekong bank and near to the places I like.

Joe

[polehawk]

I liked the Lane Xang Hotel on the river the first time I stayed there back in 1974 and still liked it my last trip to Vientiane in 2007. Place is showing a little wear but the restaurant is good and close to a lot of other attractions.

http://www.lane-xang.com/

[fatbas***d]

Tuktuk to the embassy 40.000 kip, tell the driver you will come back, he will wait and you pay something like 70.000 kip (280 baht).

These are my experiences, many more things to do and see, Vientiane is very much alive!

Joe

I bet he will wait for you if you pay him 40,000 Kip one way, I got one from the river to friendship bridge yesterday for 25,000 Kip about 100 Bt.

[SanukJoe]

Tuktuk to the embassy 40.000 kip, tell the driver you will come back, he will wait and you pay something like 70.000 kip (280 baht).

These are my experiences, many more things to do and see, Vientiane is very much alive!

Joe

I bet he will wait for you if you pay him 40,000 Kip one way, I got one from the river to friendship bridge yesterday for 25,000 Kip about 100 Bt.

Better read before you quote! I wrote 70K both ways, not 40K one way.
BTW I always take the bus to Udon for 80 baht
To explain your bargain: drivers earn their money from the bridge to Vientiane, they go there empty most of the times so if they find a farang paying them 25.000 kip they are happy

[Chriss]

OK advice taken, had a look online at a few hotels in town and have sent out emails for availability.
Next question, where are the decent bars/restuarants in Vientianne, have a decent map of Vientianne so bar and street names are good enough. Not looking for a girlie bar or disco, have enough trouble with 'er indoors and my boogie days are well and truely over, lol. Would just like to meet other falangs (is that what we're called in Laos) and have a few beers.-

[Roy]

Tex Mex is a decent place, you will find other falangs to have a beer with for sure. The food is pretty good to. Its on the main road running alongside the Meekong.

[laphanphon]

the pizza restaurant run by a Belgian guy

that is excellent, if thinking same place, exiting orchid, go left with river on your right. hard to miss, nice building. also right there on the corner, same area, someone used to do a bbq pig and extras. i would stay away from the food served directly riverside, looks like a giant flea market of food vendors. if still there, i thought it a bit of a tourist trap, scam, overpriced, will show you large kuung, then serve you small. the buffet on the corner just off nam phu heading toward river on right hand side at intersection was also decent, inexpensive and beer lao on tap, seeming to have taste better.

enjoy.

[arjay]

Chris, I've adjusted the topic title to reflect your revised/evolving interest.

[Aardvark]

No matter how hard you try, you can't keep food out of these threads for long

[SanukJoe]

On my latest visit this month I discovered a Turkish restaurant called "Istanbul".

Turkish owner, real Turkish dishes like kebabs, falafel, humus (excellent), pita bread, wraps but also pizza.
Exists one year now, nice place to eat, affordable. I had Humus with two pita bread and a large Beerlao, paid 60.000 kip (about 150 baht).

It's located in a side street of the Mekong road, opposite the Taipan hotel.

Cheers
Joe

[SanukJoe]

Correction: 60,000 kip is about 240 baht

[jorg]

Like most people reacting I prefer to stay near the Mekong (Fa Ngum Rd, also because the Thai phone works there), normally at the Riverside Hotel, however it had no rooms available, so went to the Orchid Guest House. Must say that for the same price I prefer the Riverside Hotel.

Opposite to the Riverside Hotel is Via Via, where you can eat the excellent pizza's. Also like Chokdee Cafe which, same like Via Via, is run by a Belgian, they have good Belgium fries.

Nice (bigger) bars are Alexia Tex Mex and Khop Chai Deu, and if you want to drink late you can go to the Samlaw bar. And, that's really nice, Vientiane has a Tawang Daeng (at the side of the Lane Xang hotel, near the fountain)! Been there a few nights ago, not (yet?) as busy as the one in Udon, but the music was good. Strange to notice that the most people were drinking beer Lao there, instead of the whiskey with coke and/or soda.

[cryptic]

Opposite to the Riverside Hotel is Via Via, where you can eat the excellent pizza's. Also like Chokdee Cafe which, same like Via Via, is run by a Belgian, they have good Belgium fries.

.

DONT GO TO THAT PIZZA PLACE, if you can call them pizzas. Soft flowery uncooked dough, runny sauce, limited and I mean limited cheese and filling. All that sums up to be is a CRAP PIZZA. Belgians, Thais and Laos cannot cook pizza, go to the Texmex around the corner.