Slept in Vientiane's Tallest Building — A 3-Night Stay at Mường Thanh Luxury Vientiane

Vientiane, Laos is a low-rise city. It's a neighborhood of 3-4 story commercial buildings and metal-roofed houses spread out wide, so when you ride back in a taxi at night, you spo…

Vientiane Capital · Muong Thanh Luxury Hotel

Vientiane, Laos is a low-rise city. It's a neighborhood of 3-4 story commercial buildings and metal-roofed houses spread out wide, so when you ride back in a taxi at night, you spot a single tower glowing with yellow lights standing alone in the distance. That's Mường Thanh Luxury Vientiane. It's a Vietnamese hotel chain, and with a golden bird-wing ornament attached to the rooftop, it serves as a landmark at night. To the point where even if you get lost, you just need to look toward that building's direction.

Hotel shot from across the street during an evening walk. Since there's no other building of this height nearby, the moon came into the frame too.

The Room Is Spacious. And the Windows Are Enormous

The room assigned was on a high floor, and my first thought upon entering was, "Can you really get this much space for this price?" Among Southeast Asian 4-5 star hotels, it's common to get a large room with windows no bigger than your palm, but this place is the opposite. Floor-to-ceiling glass spans an entire wall. When you open the curtains, the rooftops of downtown Vientiane spread out before you—red metal roofing, orange tile, and blue slate roofs all mixed together look quite beautiful from above. You can even see distant white government buildings and construction cranes in the far distance.

The welcome fruit placed on the window table. One apple, two bananas. Simple, but perfect for eating after checking in and freshening up.

There's a small round table and chair by the window, so it wasn't bad for setting up a laptop and working. The carpet has brown and beige stripes—tastes will vary on that. I found it neutral enough. One thing: the outside of the glass windows gets quite water-stained after rain. If you're planning to take pretty photos, it's better to aim for a clear morning rather than right after the rain clears.

It's the rainy season, so once a day it would pour like this. The city view through rain-beaded glass.

The Pool Is Disappointing, But the Gym Is Great

To be honest, pool maintenance was mediocre. The water wasn't clear and there were days when you couldn't see the bottom clearly. Not a strong chlorine smell, but it didn't look clean either—an ambiguous state. I ended up just dipping my feet in and leaving. My conclusion after three nights is that this isn't a hotel worth booking for the pool alone.

On the other hand, the gym and other facilities exceeded expectations. Treadmills, stationary bikes, and free weights are all available, and the equipment was in good condition. Most importantly, there's hardly anyone there, so you never have to wait for equipment. When I went around 7 a.m., there were just two of us, including me. The air conditioning works properly too—in Laos, this is a surprisingly important factor. Anyone trying to maintain a workout routine while staying at the hotel will be satisfied here.

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Ground Floor Dokchampa Restaurant and Breakfast

Breakfast is served at DOKCHAMPA RESTAURANT (ດອກຈຳປາ, Dokchampa—named after the plumeria flower, Laos's national flower) on the lobby level. The black hanging sign from the ceiling is easy to spot, so you won't get lost. The dining hall is spacious with a garden and outdoor seating visible through the glass.

Dokchampa Restaurant sign at the breakfast entrance. The Lao word for 'plumeria flower' is used as the restaurant's name.

The buffet is a mix of stir-fried noodles, congee, egg dishes, Western bread, and fruit. Not fancy, but no problem for eating several days in a row. What I personally appreciated most was the fresh fruit and vegetable juice station. The photo below shows a light green juice I got on my last morning—it's blended so thick that foam sticks to the inside of the glass. On the first sip, you get a hit of cucumber and melon flavors with an herbal note, and almost no sweetness. It was good for cleansing the palate after greasy fried rice, but if you're expecting something sweet and you get this, your face will fall. I even saw the Western guest next to me take one sip and leave it untouched.

The light green juice from the end of breakfast. Strong herbal flavor with no sweetness. A love-it-or-hate-it taste.

Location — Actually, This Hotel's Real Strength

More than room size or views, the reason I'd book this place again is the location. Vientiane is a city with virtually no public transportation, so normally you'd need to call a tuk-tuk or Loca (LOCA, Laos's ride-hailing app) for anything, but during my stay here, I barely opened the app during the day.

• Mega Mart — It's within walking distance. I went there every day to buy water, beer, fruit, and instant noodles. Stocking up on large bottles of drinking water at the accommodation is much cheaper than convenience stores.

• Korean restaurants — Several within walking distance. By the third day, Lao food starts to feel repetitive, and being able to walk to grab a bowl of kimchi stew is surprisingly comforting.

• Korean massage shops — Also within walking distance. A natural flow to get one before your evening shower and head back.

• Starbucks — It's nearby. Laos is a coffee-producing region so local cafes are excellent, but when you need to work with strong air conditioning and reliable WiFi, you end up here.

In summary, it's a hotel where you can spend the entire day without a car. Not many accommodations in Vientiane satisfy this condition. That said, at night there are sections where sidewalks are broken or streetlights are dim, so I recommend walking with your phone's flashlight on. That street where I took the first photo on the first night looked bright in the photo, but it was actually quite dark.

Good to Know Before Booking

• Request a high floor. This hotel's value comes from the floor-to-ceiling window views. Simply saying "high floor, city view" at check-in can get your room changed. If you get assigned a low floor, you'll just see the neighboring building's rooftop.

• Lower your expectations for the pool. If you're planning a trip centered on water activities with kids, you'd be better off looking at other accommodations.

• It's recommended to confirm rates, breakfast inclusion, and gym hours on-site. These vary by season and booking channel, and I don't want to generalize the conditions from my stay.

• During the rainy season (roughly May to October), factor afternoon downpours into your plans. They pour for an hour or two and then stop. Hitting the gym or watching the view from your room during those hours is actually a good option here.

It rained on the morning I checked out too. Waiting for my ride in the lobby, looking out at the garden through the glass, I realized my impression of this hotel comes down to two things: the feeling of sleeping in the city's tallest building, and the comfort of being able to step outside and simply walk to dinner. For anyone staying a few days in Vientiane while working and resting, this hotel delivers more than enough even setting aside the pool.