Just one block back from the mighty Mekong River you will find a tiny piece of heaven called Lotus Villa Boutique Hotel Luang Prabang. With an old colonial building hiding a gorgeous internal tropical courtyard, your stay here will be both relaxing and absolutely divine.
We were dropped off right out the front of Lotus Villa Boutique Hotel in Luang Prabang Laos after our 2-day cruise down the Mekong and were instantly greeted by Sak who was manning the front desk that day. We had been on the boat down the Mekong so the cool welcome drink we received was a blessing in the Laos heat.
It wasn’t long before our room was ready and we were being shown to the ‘Orchid Suite’ where we would all be spending the next 7 nights. We had to walk through that beautiful courtyard to get to our room and we all decided on a spot for breakfast the next morning which was under the steps that led to our room.
Where is Lotus Villa Boutique Hotel?
The address you will need for Lotus Villas is 18/02 Khem Khong, Luang Prabang, Laos
Lotus Villa Boutique Hotel prides itself on its amazing service and beautiful rooms that cater for singles, couples and families. If you are thinking of staying here and you have any special request or need an extra bed please contact them and they will do their best to help you out.
Facilities Lotus Villa has for guests
One thing that we always try to use as much as we can is all the facilities that a hotel like Lotus Villa has to offer.
- Free bikes
- Day Trip Help
- Afternoon tea
- Baby-sitting service
- Experiences recommended by locals
- Wi-Fi
What is special about Lotus Villa?
Lotus Villa is a boutique hotel in the heart of the UNESCO town of Luang Prabang. It is just back off the main street that leads you to the night market and the Royal Palace but it is in the perfect position for you to get the most out of your time in Luang Prabang
For more information and booking at the amazing Lotus Villa click here
The courtyard is one of the most beautiful places we have had breakfast in and it is a stunningly homemade and prepared with love breakfast at that. Everything is delicious and you just want to keep eating. The traditional option they provide every morning too is a beautiful touch and a great way to have a try on the local cuisine with a backup if you are unsure.
My favourite things about Lotus Villa
There are so many things I loved about Lotus Villa but these are the top ones.
Bedroom: The Orchid Suite
Our bedroom was large and we all had space. Mark had a workstation and we could close a partition each night to separate the girl’s rooms and ours. They both had a single bed and we had a large king-size bed with amazing pillows. After having rock-hard beds in Thailand for over a month this bed was like sleeping on a cloud.
The bathroom was a great size with a shower with river rocks as the base which we all loved, a large bathtub and a separate toilet. There are also free, organic toiletries for you to use as well.
Afternoon Tea
This is the first time I have had the chance to do anything like this in a hotel and they have the absolute best area to do it in…the courtyard. Every day from 3.30-4.30 there is a little drinks trolley that has lemonade, iced coffee and some homemade cakes on it for you to enjoy with your family or with some of the other guests staying at Lotus Villa.
If you don’t want to have the drinks that are on offer you are able to order a cocktail or a soft drink to have as well. All you have to do is ask.
Breakfast
Each morning we had Nitta and Didum serve us breakfast and after a while, we just trusted them to bring us something yummy, especially when it came to the traditional dish that was on offer every morning. After a couple of days, they just knew what we would like
The staff
The best bit about Lotus Villa is the staff…hands down. You can go to some places and the staff are good but these guys are fabulous at what they do. Most are locals and they have some of the best ideas for places to see while you are there.
Recommendations for things to do when you stay at Lotus Villa
There are so many things to do in Luang Prabang and Lotus Villa can help you with a great itinerary for your stay. These are just some of the things we did while we stayed at Lotus Villa.
Watch the Giving of the Alms
This is a tradition that goes back to the 14th century for Buddhist monks in the area. Around 200 leave the temples in the morning and start to walk the main street before heading to the others to collect their daily meals from the residents.
You will see people kneeling silently in the streets waiting for the monks to pass and receive their offering from that person. Sometimes you will see others waiting as well, usually, children who the monks will share some of the offerings with so they can take it home to their families.
Here at Lotus Villa, you can get a more unique look at the monks as most tourists stay on the main street to see the Giving of the Alms ceremony.
Tips for watching the Giving of the Alms:
- If you would like to make offerings please see the staff at Lotus Villa and they will help you organise a traditional way for you to make the offering
- Do not get in the Monks way
- You must have your knees and shoulders covered
- Do not try to take selfies with the monks
- Do not yell or make a lot of noise during the ceremony
- Do not touch or talk to the Monks
You can enjoy the Giving of the Alms ceremony right out the front of Lotus Villa. If you have small children and are worried about leaving them you can also ask for one of the rooms facing the street so you are able to view it from just outside of your door.
Hire a Bike
Many people will tell you to climb to the top of Pusey Hill to get the best sunset in Luang Prabang but as Mark and Willow found out you can get the bikes and ride to a bamboo bridge and get a great sunset there without the crowds.
You can also then just cruise the streets and look at all the UNESCO buildings the town is known for.
Traditional Laos Dinner and Dance
Just around the corner at the 3 Nagas is where you can have a traditional Laos dinner and show. They hold it over in their garden area and it is a great way to spend a couple of hours relaxing with a great show and brilliant food. It is within walking distance so if you like you can have a beverage as well.
Big Brother Mouse
Again this little school is just around the corner from Lotus Villa. Here you can take yourself and your kids and help the students there practice conversational English.
It was a fantastic few hours for us that just flew. Most of them are used to English and American accents but our Aussie one was a little harder to grasp especially when we shorten everything as well. We all had a great laugh and we even learnt some Laos words too
*While you are there you can also buy some books to donate to the local schools in the surrounding areas or if you are able to you can take some to donate as well. They also love pencils and things like that for the children.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Lotus Villa Boutique Hotel Luang Prabang and we can highly recommend it for families, singles and couples.
We hope this article from us here at Wyld Family Travel has you inspired to stay at the Lotus Villas Boutique Hotel when you visit Luang Prabang. For more amazing ideas on where to holiday in Laos once you get there click through to our Laos Destination Guide page for more brilliant inspiration.
Some more travel inspiration for your trip to Laos
How to get to Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang Airport is located 4 kilometres from the city centre. Several international and domestic airlines operate scheduled flights from Luang Prabang Airport, including Bangkok Airways, Lao Airlines and Vietnam Airlines.
Many boats arrive daily down the Mekong from Huay Xai. The trip usually takes 2 days with you spending one night at Pak Beng on the way.
Rental car options are limited in Lao. You will find them readily available at Vientiane and Luang Prabang but scarce in other destinations. You can search below
By bus, the most popular route is from either Hanoi Vietnam or the Laos capital Vientiane via Vang Vieng. The bus also regularly enter from Thailand. We booked our buses with 12go Asia.
At this stage, there is no train but all that will change in the next 2 years when the Loa – Chinese fast rail project finishes that will link Lao and China.
Money in Laos
The official national currency in Laos is the Lao kip. We get 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000, and 100,000 kip banknotes . Be aware you may not be able to change your Lao Kip once outside the country back to your home currency. Try and spend it all while in Lao.