The Best of Cambodia & Laos

Champasak Palace Hotel This hotel was described by one travel guide as an
eyesore. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is gaudy, flamboyant, and absurd.
All these things make it interesting and fun. It was originally constructed in the late ’60s
as a palace for Prince Chao Boun Oum, the last prince of Champasak and Lao premier
between 1960 and 1962. He fled to France in 1974 as a Pathet Lao victory became
imminent and he died soon after. It was renovated in the early ’90s and now provides
unique experience at a wonderfully cheap price. This vast rambling building is characterized
by mosaic pillars, lots of gold-painted motifs, giant potted plants, and dark wooden
floors. Some of the single rooms have small windows, which can make them seem quite
dark although they are appointed in a suitably old-world colonial style. The VIP suites
are huge, sitting on top of the building on a kind of plinth with a shaded veranda on all
four sides. They have great views of the Se Don River (if you’re there in May you will also
be treated to the sight of the orange flowering frangipani). There is an elevator down to
reception running down the outside of the building, but it is glass-sided so is a bit alarming
if you have a problem with heights.
Rd. 13. & 031/212-263. Fax 031/212-781. www.champasak-palace-hotel.com. 115 units. $35 standard;
$45 superior; $60 VIP suite; $100 queen suite; $200 king suite. MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; fitness
room; room service; Wi-Fi (lobby and VIP rooms only). In room: A/C, TV, fridge, minibar.
Pakse Hotel This is a superb midrange hotel. The building used to be a cinema.
Recently renovated, the whole place has an understated class and style demonstrating
perfectly judged taste. Some of the rooms have excellent views and all are well
appointed. Service here is much better than average in Laos. It is a well-run operation.
There is also a very nice (and refreshingly breezy) rooftop restaurant, which provides the
perfect setting to contemplate a Mekong sunset.
Rd. 5. & 031/212-131. Fax 031/212-719. www.paksehotel.com. 63 units. $25 economy; $28 standard;
$38 superior; $45 deluxe; $53 panorama; $71 minisuite; $96 VIP suite. AE, MC, V. Amenities: 4 restaurants;
Internet room service. In room: A/C, TV, fridge, minibar.
Sabaidy 2 This very cheap and basic option is for the full-on backpacker niche market.
If you are not into the international ethos of bongos, banana pancakes, and loosely
fitting pajamas then you might want to steer clear. Sabaidy 2 receives excellent reviews
from the market it serves and if you are on a supertight budget then it’s definitely the one
for you. This guesthouse is very popular and often full. There is a little restaurantcourtyard
at the front where the initiated can swap yarns of the road.
Rd. 24. & 031/212-992. $2.95 dormitory; $4.70 single with shared bathroom; $6.90 double with shared
bathroom; $10 triple with shared bathroom; $8 double with shower. No credit cards. Amenities: Restaurant.
Sala Champa This is a slightly rambling affair in one of Pakse’s few old French colonial
villas. Although the reception area has an incongruous air of decay the hotel itself is
atmospheric, with polished wooden floors, old-world furniture, Lao silk furnishings, and
pleasant leafy balconies. The rooms increase in price the higher up the house you go.
There is one suite that is beautifully appointed, very much with an eye to the colonial
Indochina aesthetic. Rooms in separate chalets lining the courtyard are considerably
cheaper than those in the main house, because they are also considerably smaller. There
is a pleasant sitting area between reception and the courtyard, and a restaurant and beer
garden are attached.
Rd. 14. & 031/212-273. Fax 031/212-646. 17 units. $14–$26 double; $38 suite. No credit cards. Amenities:
Restaurant; bar. In room: A/C, TV, fridge, minibar.
311
SOUTHERN LAOS 15
PAKSE