4 Nights at Lao Plaza Hotel, Vientiane — Waking Up at 7 Every Morning for That Breakfast Noodle Bowl

Somewhere in the heart of downtown Vientiane, between the Chief Market (Talat Sao) and the Nampou Fountain, stands the Lao Plaza Hotel. Every time I've come to Laos, I've switched…

Vientiane Capital · Loa Plaza Hotel

Somewhere in the heart of downtown Vientiane, between the Chief Market (Talat Sao) and the Nampou Fountain, stands the Lao Plaza Hotel. Every time I've come to Laos, I've switched accommodations — riverside guesthouses, newly opened Chinese hotels, business hotels near the airport — but this time, I came back here. There's one reason: the khao piyak noodle soup at the breakfast buffet. I'll talk about this at length below.

White building entrance canopy with 'LAO PLAZA HOTEL' silver sign and yucca palms under blue sky — Front entrance photographed at noon. Red lanterns were hanging under the canopy — it was Chinese New Year season.

To be honest, it's not the latest hotel. It's a white box-shaped building built in the 90s, and the canopy pillars are gleaming stainless steel like mirrors. If you're expecting a trendy minimalist lobby, you'll be disappointed. Instead, a downtown hotel of this scale in Vientiane is still rare. This hotel holds a certain standing among Lao people — weddings, corporate banquets, government events all happen here. Just from watching the guests passing through the lobby during check-in, you can get a sense of it. Half tourists, half Lao in formal attire.

Breakfast — 80% of Why I Come Here

It starts around 6:30 a.m. at the restaurant on the 2nd floor (the exact time changes by season, so I recommend confirming at check-in). On the first day, I mindlessly went for the Western line first. Fried rice, creamed mushrooms, toast topped with a soft-boiled egg, sausage, papaya and croissants. Not bad. The croissants had proper layers, and the orange juice didn't taste like concentrate.

White plate with fried rice, sautéed mushrooms, toast topped with poached egg, sausage, croissant, and glass of orange juice beside it — First morning. This is just 'hotel breakfast.' The problem is I filled my stomach loading this up.

But then I noticed a Lao man at the next table sitting with just one bowl of noodles. Only then did I spot the noodle station at the end of the buffet. They make it fresh to order for you. You choose the noodle type (rice noodle thickness) and pick between pork or chicken. From the second day on, I completely skipped the Western line and went straight there.

Bowl of Lao rice noodle soup with clear broth, rice noodles, sliced pork, bean sprouts, fried garlic, scallions and cilantro — That's the noodle soup. A spoonful of fried garlic completely changes the aroma of the broth.

The broth is clear but not bland. It's the kind of clarity that comes from simmering pork bones for a long time, with a thin layer of fat floating on top. The key is the fried garlic sprinkled on top. The moment it hits the broth, a savory aroma rises. The bean sprouts come raw, not blanched, so they stay crisp, and the cilantro and scallions are generous. You adjust the flavor yourself with lime juice and chili from the condiment tray at your table. Personally, squeezing half a lime and a pinch of dried chili was the perfect balance.

If you're staying at Lao Plaza, the breakfast rule is always: noodles first. Bread and eggs come after. I did the opposite and wasted my first morning.

Good to eat alongside the noodles is fried bread (something like youtiao). Dipped in the broth, you won't even touch the fried rice underneath.

What Comes Instead of Welcome Drinks

If you were expecting a cool glass of juice at check-in, you might be briefly taken aback. Here, they give fruit instead of welcome drinks. When I went up to the room, there was a plate on top of the dresser — one orange, two bananas, wrapped in plastic. Then the next evening, two bunches of washed grapes arrived on the plate.

Two bunches of red grapes with water droplets on white plate, napkins and water bottle visible behind on room table — Grapes that came on the second evening. They arrived washed with water droplets still clinging to them.

To be honest, I initially thought, 'They should just give juice,' but after sweating all day outside and coming back to chill grapes from the fridge, this is actually much better. Especially during the dry season when Laos's daytime temperature easily exceeds 30°C. Drinks get consumed right there, but fruit stays with you through the evening.

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The Room — Aged but Spacious

Hotel room with green carpeting, white bed with linens, silver curtains, black sofa, wooden desk with TV and fruit plate on dresser — The room just before heading out in the morning. You can see the orange and banana from the first day on the plate next to the TV.

The floor is dark green carpet with yellow stripes — it perfectly shows the hotel's age. Wood headboard and wooden desk, black leather sofa. Definitely not current aesthetic. But it's spacious. The desk is genuinely work-sized, so it was great for spreading out my laptop and working, and with a separate sofa and side table, there's plenty of room to lay out luggage. The bedding is all white and well-maintained. The air conditioner is a bit noisy, but the windows are thick enough that you barely hear the city noise.

The Pool — People Are There Even When It Rains

Blue outdoor swimming pool with swimmers viewed through rain-spotted glass window — The pool seen from the room window on a rainy afternoon. It looks hazy because of water droplets on the glass.

The outdoor pool is rectangular with fairly uniform depth. The photo was taken from the room looking down during a squall, so it came out hazy from water droplets on the window, but even in that rain there were over ten people in the water. Laotian rain is cool, so the pool actually gets crowded. Most of the kids have floats, so if you want to do quiet lap swimming, mornings are better. The water temperature is lukewarm, and towels are available poolside.

Location and Accessibility

The hotel is on Lane Xang Avenue, within the downtown commercial district. The real advantage of this hotel is the wide range of things you can walk to. Standing in front of the main entrance and looking across the street, you see a line of local shops, massage parlors, and jewelry stores. You don't need to catch a tuk-tuk just to go out for dinner.

Red-brick parking area in front of hotel with 3-4 story commercial buildings across street and parked black KIA vehicle under clear sky — The opposite side viewed from the hotel forecourt. 3-4 story commercial buildings and guesthouses are lined up.

It's less than 20 minutes by taxi from the airport (Wattay International Airport). For walking around town, the midday sun is intense, so it's better to plan your route indoors between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

You Know What This Hotel Is When You See the Cars Coming and Going

Purple Rolls-Royce Phantom parked under hotel canopy with uniformed security guard standing beside it, Laotian flag visible behind — A scene I encountered coming out of the lobby in the morning. A purple Rolls-Royce Phantom was parked under the canopy.

I'd heard before that this is the hotel used by Laos's upper class, but I really felt it in this moment. A purple Rolls-Royce Phantom was parked under the canopy with a security guard standing beside it. Next to it, a white SUV, and behind hung the Lao flag and Vietnamese flag side by side. When there are state events or foreign delegations, the flags in front change. Tourists don't need to worry about it, but it's good to know that on those days the lobby gets crowded and parking at the main entrance is restricted.

What Disappointed Me — Cigarette Butts in the Planters

Green foliage plant in decorative pot on wooden stand with cigarette butts and ash scattered on soil — Hallway planter. Cigarette butts were left sitting right on the soil.

This is more of a guest behavior issue than a hotel problem, but I should mention it. Some people just dump cigarette butts in the hallway planters. I saw filters lying on the soil several times, like in the photo. The planter base is wood with carved patterns — it's clearly something the hotel cared about — but having it become an ashtray doesn't look good. There is a designated smoking area. The lobby and room hallways are non-smoking; if you want to smoke, you have to go outside. For a high-end hotel, I couldn't shake the impression that management is lax in this area. If you're sensitive to smells, it's worth mentioning when you get your room assignment.

The Forecourt at Night

Illuminated hotel grounds at night with palm tree-shaped light decorations across lawn and lit pavilion, curved glass building visible on left — Around 9 p.m. Palm tree-shaped light decorations cover the entire lawn.

The forecourt, which looked plain during the day, transforms completely after sunset. Iron frames bent into palm tree shapes with lights wrapped around them are lined up all over the lawn, and there's a lit pavilion in the middle. Those silver structures from the daytime photos — now you know what they are. The curved-glass building on the left is toward the hotel's banquet hall, and I could see people sitting inside every evening. After dinner, if you sit on a bench here, the city noise feels pleasantly distant. It's good to bring mosquito spray.

In Summary

Start breakfast with the noodles. Clear broth rice noodles topped with fried garlic are this hotel's greatest strength. Bread comes after.
There's no welcome drink, just fruit. It's much better chilled in the fridge and eaten at night.
The rooms are spacious but show their age. If you want a trendy interior design hotel, this isn't it. If you want a large desk and a quiet room, this is the place.
The pool is quiet in the morning. Lots of kids in the afternoon.
The hallway planter smoking habits are disappointing. If you're sensitive to smells, mention it ahead of time.

Prices and operating hours vary by season and booking channel, so I won't note them here. It's most accurate to check directly before booking. But if I come to Vientiane again, I think I'll stay here again. That 15 minutes sitting in front of a bowl of noodles at 7 a.m. — that was everything about this hotel for me.