Shellbelle

Hi-
looking for advice on choosing a hotel in Luang Prabang. Going on March 27th (beginning of Hot season) and will stay 3 days then onto Siem Reap.

Should we go maison souvannaphoum or 3 Nagas? they are both the same amount. Is seems good to have a pool at your hotel during the hot season and 3 nagas does not have one.

Thank you!!
Shellbelle

Hanuman

I've walked around or tour both hotels and IMO I would say that the Maison Souvannaphoum will be a better deal especially for the regualr rooms. The pool is definately a plus in the hotter months!

Shellbelle

Thank you! I am glad you confirmed what I was leaning towards.

We are thinking of doing the elephant safari through Xieng Lom Elephant Camp.
Any thoughts?

Hanuman

Shellbelle,

We didn't go to the elephant camp but I'm sure someone else here have been and will give their opinion.

Apart from exploring the Wats around town we went to Pak Ou cave, Kuang Si waterfall and the villages around the outskirt of LP.

If you want to see our photos here's the link(click on the Luang Prabang gallery) - http://khun-pook.smugmug.com/

rhkkmk

MS, imo...

MaryW

I've stayed at the 3 nagas twice and have had a tour of the Maison rooms. I stayed back when 3 nagas was a lot cheaper and the Maison just open a month but I think my ideas are still valid.

I really liked the 3 nagas but we stayed in the old original building - upstairs in a large room with a huge balcony that had a couple of loungers table, chairs etc and still plenty of room. We stayed 8 nights the first time and 11 the next. The room itself was nice and very large, bathroom good, aircon etc There was no TV and the bed was fairly hard as most are in Laos. They put out only very little soaps - nice handmade ones but tiny silly things and nice shampoos etc. Breakfast is served either downstairs on the terrace restaurant or up on your balcony (which we did) - simple -juice, fruit, yoghurt, eggs and tea/coffee. I wouldn't like being over in the newer building half as much and I did say to someone on this forum that the hotel was nice but unfortunately they didn't enjoy it much, mainly because they booked the suite in the other building - its behind the lao restaurant and they got all the fumes so I can understand that would be off putting to say the least.

Maison - its got lovely grounds and has the pool - both a big plus in the heat. The rooms were very nice but a good bit smaller. They have a balcony with a couple of chairs but again smaller. Bathrooms also small. Although we obviously didn't try the beds they did seem to be softer. We looked at the special rooms - much nicer and bigger but also very much dearer. Breakfast was served in the restaurant by the pool - I believe they do buffet which suits many people more.

So its a bit hard to weigh up but if I couldn't have my room of choice at the 3 nagas then I'd probably go with the Maison for the pool. The grounds are nice and offer a bit of a retreat from the busy streets. I quite like the nagas end of town and my favourite restaurants are up there (L'elephant and 3 nagas and Cafe Van Sene - all owned by the same lot!) but its not a very long walk from the Maison. I really liked being able to sit on my balcony and watch the monks without disturbing them at all by being on the street.

If the prices are the same and you are going for the ordinary rooms I think I'd go for the Maison and the pool.

crellston

I haven't stayed at the MS but did stay at the 3 Nagas twice. The first time we stayed at the annexe which was nothing special. The second time, returning from our travels in the countryside, we stayed in the 3 Nagas suite (sounds like the same room as MaryW)and loved it very roomy and full of antique furniture the big plus for us was the large balcony which was right on the main street and a great place to sit and watch teh world go by particularly at dawn watching the monks collecting alms. I haven't stayed at the MS and so can't comment except to say that personally, with only three days in LP, I would not see the lack of a pool as a problem. However, one problem you should be aware of is that March is the season for slash and burn and the airquality may not be good. We were there around March/April and it was really bad. Visibility was down to about 30m (think sitting next to a bonfire!). In fact it was so bad we left as soon as we could get flights out. It does vary from year to year in terms of severity and timing and there are one or to websites which publish data on the air quality which may be of interest particularly if any of your party suffer with asthma etc.

Gpanda

We stayed at the MS and enjoyed it. As noted above, the regular rooms are not spacious, but they suffice. The pool is nice. You can have a nice breakfast out by the pool. I got atummy disorder (from drinking the tap water, like a fool) and the staff was unbelievably helpful. They called a pharmacy and when I arrived I was immediately given some potions that cleared things up quickly.

The walk from the MS is a very pleasant stroll.

Shellbelle

Thank you -- all this is VERY helpful.
Did not know about the slash and burn season and am going to check out the sites you mentioned.

I appreciate the restaurant tips also!

crellston

Here is a link to the air quality site - It does provide historical data so you should be able to check out the same date last year

Shellbelle

Sorry Crellston The URL did not come through...

crellston

Oops! here is the link
http://www.pcd.go.th/airquality/regional/default.cfm