Lao Plaza Hotel

Rooms and decor

Picture a cream-coloured five-star block standing on Samsenthai Road in central Vientiane since 1998 — that's Lao Plaza Hotel, the first hotel to earn an official five-star rating in Laos, running continuously for over 25 years. Step into the lobby and you get a tall, airy hall in cream-and-gold marble with a big chandelier overhead, still carrying that late-90s grand-hotel charm. All 142 rooms run a classic Lao theme: cream walls, warm teak furniture, soft floral curtains, a plush king bed, and a solid wood writing desk that business guests call genuinely comfortable to work at. Bathrooms are marble-clad, with the shower and toilet clearly separated. High-floor rooms facing the garden courtyard are much quieter and look out onto mature trees and the pool; rooms facing Samsenthai get the busy city buzz instead. The look isn't sharp modern boutique, but it reads as a warm, reliable classic five-star — the kind your parents would feel at ease in, which is exactly why diplomats and business travellers have used it for decades.

Food and amenities

If one thing keeps Lao Plaza in the central five-star slot, it's the 6 restaurants under one roof — Lao-Thai, Cantonese, Japanese, international, plus a bakery cafe for easy meals. So on a day when you've walked yourself out and don't want to head back out, you can eat every meal in-building. The most-mentioned highlight is the breakfast buffet, varied enough to pull an 8.7/10 on Booking: Lao rice porridge, sticky rice with Lao sausage, fresh-baked bread, eggs to order, local fruit, and an Arabica coffee corner you can smell from the lift. What sets it apart from other Vientiane five-stars is the pool in the garden courtyard at the centre of the building, ringed by big trees and green lawn — it feels like a quiet resort despite the downtown address. Late afternoon, when the sun softens, you'll see guests cooling off after a full day out. There's also a full gym, a spa offering Lao massage, free parking, Wi-Fi throughout, and a concierge team that can book a riverside cycling tour or a trip out to Vang Vieng.

Location and getting there

Location is this hotel's strongest card — guests rate it 9.1/10, which is high for Vientiane, because it sits on Samsenthai Road right across from Vientiane Centre, the spot where the city's core comes together. Walk out the door and it's about 5 minutes to Talat Sao (the Morning Market), the place for souvenirs and local woven textiles, with a big mall and air-conditioned food court just beyond. The Patuxai monument, Vientiane's icon, is a 15-minute walk or a quick tuk-tuk away. In the evening, cut through the garden for a 10-minute walk to the Mekong, catch the sun setting over the Thai bank, then carry on to the riverside night market that runs every night — an easy stroll-and-eat scene without big-city chaos. From Wattay Airport (VTE) it's a 10-minute drive, handy for both meeting-bound business travellers and tourists who want to save time. If your Vientiane plan is mostly walking and tuk-tuks, this address means you barely have to think about getting around.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide — the thing reviewers raise most is the late-90s classic design. The hotel had a major renovation in 2015, but the overall feel is still patterned carpet, floral curtains and classic wood furniture, which can read as a touch dated if you're hoping for the modern boutique look of a new opening in Chiang Mai or Hanoi. Some rooms show their age in small ways: carpet marked near the walkways, ordinary shower pressure, taps that look older than current designs. Ask for a recently refreshed room at check-in to be safe. The other common note is Wi-Fi — the in-room network runs slow at busy times, and several reviewers suggest using the lobby instead, where the signal is much stronger. Finally, on the 6 restaurants: as varied as they are, some open only for dinner or have a closed day, so check times with the concierge before planning a meal. And if you're a backpacker, the $80-plus rate may feel high — this place suits travellers who want a well-priced classic five-star, not a hostel.

Our take

After reading through real reviews on Agoda (8.5/10), Booking (8.7/10) and Tripadvisor (4.5/5), Lao Plaza Hotel is a hotel that sells a central Vientiane address, genuinely warm Lao service that diplomats and business travellers have chosen for 25-plus years, and five-star value that's hard to find in other ASEAN capitals. If your trip looks like walking back from Talat Sao to soak in the garden pool, dinner in-building, then a breezy evening along the Mekong before a soft bed in a five-star room from about $80 a night, this is the neat answer. But if you're after a sharp modern boutique like a brand-new opening, Lao Plaza may feel a little too classic — take a look at Settha Palace, in a French colonial building, instead. Overall we give it 8.5/10, best for families, business travellers and anyone who values a central location, dependable service and strong value over fully modern design.