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5.0
#1 of 1 resort in Ban Xieng Lom
Location
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Value
The Resort is located 15 km outside of Luang Prabang city in beautiful jungle area. We offer 5 beautiful styled Bungalows with a large terrace and an appr. size of 45 square meters space. The bungalows are built in a traditional style from local craftsman and artists. Materials of wood, stone and an interior of antique furniture give each bungalow a unique atmosphere. There are no electric appliances like aircon and TV which may disturb the laid back atmosphere of the resort. Bathrooms with tub, open air shower and a big terrace facing the river offer peace and relaxation to the guest.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
We came for 4 nights and stayed 10! A bungalow with terrace overlooking the river, the sound of elephants trumpeting in the morning, an occasional boat chugging by during the day with a wonderful "Chef", Channy, presenting delicious beautifully presented dishes of all sorts! We took the opportunity given us by to simply rest and resource ourselves! It was a superb experience. Luang Prabang (LP) is a car ride away giving us the benefits without the hassle of noise and crowds. The village close by, too was a pleasant walk and the people warm open to smiles and greetings. Go on an interesting boat ride to visit the villages along the river to get a bird's eye view of some facets some of the many Lao minorities that one may not see otherwise. Wieslaw, the proprietor, came to pick us up at the airport. He with Channy his manager and staff were so helpful and thoughtful. Worth taking even a couple of nights to break the travel routine, or even better, come specially to be completely released from today’s stressful world! Wieslaw so visibly caring, the manager, came to pick us up at the airport. He with Channy, his deputy manager, also a wonderful person, and their superb staff were so helpful and thoughtful. Worth taking even a couple of nights to break the travel routine, or even better, come specially to be completely released from today’s stressful world!
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Date of stay: January 2020
Value
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Â We were in bungalow 2, all seemed great.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We were looking for a place to stay for a couple of nights in the countryside to break up our trip to Luang Prabang… we found Lao Spirit by chance and our stay was the highlight of our trip to Laos.
The resort sits on the banks of the Nam Kham river, with well appointed and private traditional villas overlooking rolling hills and mountains. Our villa was comfortable and well equipped for our stay. Including an outdoor shower and a huge balcony, perfect for watching the fisherman, farmers and elephants (from the local sanctuary) going about their daily business.
The staff were so welcoming and catered for all our needs. We enjoyed our meals and friendly service. They also arranged a private trek with a local guide to a local village and nearby waterfall - the staff provided lunch boxes, towels and a boat transfer back.
Would highly recommend as a place to disconnect and chill out.. but some things to consider; the location is 20-30 mins outside of LP. We didn’t intend to leave, or commute in and out of town…and it has a eco-lodge vibe so expect to share the space with some cute creepy crawlies…
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Date of stay: December 2022
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Very cute, very calm, well designed, with super friendly staff and a remarkably tasty menu! Many of the ingredients from their own herb garden, from the neighbors or from the river. Luxurious rooms, very stylish. With river trips, villages, temples, elephant retirement site and more...
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
An amazing start to our Laos trip. Kind and helpful staff. We visited the elephant village, waterfalls. They helped us with renting scooters, buying train tickets, and many other things. The accommodation is outside of civilization in the jungle and here one is in complete harmony with nature
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Date of stay: November 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A beautiful eco-resort in the middle of jungle 20 minutes from Luang Prabang and nearby the new Lao-China railway station. Lao Spirit Resort is a gem in the heart of the jungle, highly recommended for nature lovers. Staff is very kind and helpful and the food at the restaurant really delicious.
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Date of stay: May 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My wife and I stayed in Lao Spirit for two nights in September.
The pluses: Friendly and helpful staff; Large, comfortable bungalows with just the right level of creature comforts: electricity and hot water but no aircon, tv or phone; Perfect setting: on a riverbank about 40 mins from town; Good selection of activities.
The minuses: None
Suggestions: Take the ethnic village trekking tours...very sensitively done. Be prepared for some minor inconveniences, e.g. I had to "take care" of a scorpion in the bathroom on our second night there. Before dusk, walk over to the restaurant and order some BeerLao to go and enjoy on your balcony watching the evening "traffic" on the river.
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Date of stay: September 2006
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Check-in / front desk
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed at the Lao Spirit for 5 days in December 2006, and booked through Trip Advisor. I had told me wife that this was a small property in the jungle, but she was still surprised at the fact that our tuk-tuk had to drive for 10+ minutes on a dirt road to get there. Personally, I loved the fact that we were alone in the Lao forest, next to the river, but it took her a day or two to get used to it.
Our bungalow was perfect as far as location and construction are concerned but - Mike - you need to sort out the hot water thing. The electrical water boiler was inadequately cabled and when turned on the lights in the whole room dimmer. Just use thicker cables. It gets cold at night in the Lao jungle, which is fine if you're in bed early and the cold also kills all the mosquitoes so there were none while we were there. The bed was super comfy and the bedsheets clean and soft.
Now, the staff are also really very nice. Phu-tan is a marvellous character and he helped us with everything we needed as far as his concierge duties went, while O-eh at the restaurant is all smiles and courtesy and very efficient. The food is good, and I think our best meal in Laos was the lao-experience menu we ate for lunch one day.
Altogether, this is an excellent hotel and since it's only the 2nd year of operation will only improve in the coming years.
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Date of stay: December 2006
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Check-in / front desk
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Business service (e.g., internet access)
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Our stay in Lao Spirit was part of the second leg of our trip around Luang Prabang.
This hotel was book with the intent of being a retreat in the middle of the jungle, wherein we could rest but also do challenging outdoor activities; it complied with our expectation.
The bungalows are as you can see from the pictures, amazing. A big balcony facing the river and a spacious room provide for the perfect resting environment. The bathroom has a gorgeous setting as well, including an outdoor shower.
Please note that the bungalows have been designed and decorated following a Laotian and French tradition, which blends in perfectly.
Notwithstanding the above, two thing should be highlighted of them room. First, you are in the middle of the jungle, thus you will sleep with animals and insects around you. The bungalow has doors but the windows do not have nets, hence the mosquito net of the bed will be your best friend. Furthermore, lizards will be neighbors living inside your room and they do make a lot of noise. If you remind yourself that you are in the middle of the jungle that won't be an issue, but if you are a person that needs a sacred full nigh uninterrupted sleep this might be a problem.
Secondly, at least our bungalow (number 3), did not have hot water capacity to fill the bathtub, which is shame because henceforth we could not use it due to the above. Same situation affected our showers, but only if you wanted to take two long showers. Otherwise, it is enough.
Concerning the activities, we did two: A) an astonishing full day trek around the jungle and nearby villages led by Psy, a wonderful tour guide with a very good English (we paid USD 82 for two person). The trek is hard (for a reference, we are in our late twenties and exercise regularly), and takes about 7 to 8 hours. It is a trek around the jungle, so you will have to go up around step hills but it is no doubt worth it. There is a milder version of this that should last 5 hours but doesn't have the same views; 2) a visit to a waterfall nearby (USD 18 for a boat with capacity for up to 3 people). We were disappointed about this since it is just a sort of amusement park l. Maybe it is good for kids because you can ride an elephant and swim in the pods of water but not much more.
The hotel owner and the manager, Channy, are very helpful, but it is without hesitation the staff of this hotel one of its best assets, exhibiting amazing efforts to perform at their best.
The restaurant is good and drinks can be ordered to your room. Prices are higher than in Luang Prabang but not exorbitant. My only warning is not to waste money on their wine as the selection is not good at all. This might be due to the lack of wine on the country. Should you want good wine, go to Blue Lagoon Restaurant in downtown Luang Prabang (about USD 55 per person).
Massages can be arranged as well and their are indeed heavenly (about USD 15 per person).
Transportation to/from the hotel can be arranged at a fixed price of USD 25 to the airport or Luang Prabang, one way.
Finally, please consider you will not find wifi signal, tv, phone or A/C in your room.
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Date of stay: December 2014Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Delightful, private, peaceful place to stay if you want to be away from it all (especially nice for romantic couples who want a break from the hustle of touring SE Asian cities). You can use this as a base to explore the river, the falls and the Elephant Sanctuary, but this is a get away from it all and be in nature destination.... The gardens are beautiful, filled with butterflies, and even a few birds. The bungalows are large, with private terraces overlooking the river. Delightful, Bali style outdoor shower, with small niches containing Buddhas as well as toiletries. Staff is very friendly, though, other than the manager and owner, do not speak english (universal sign language and a smile go a very long way). In the late afternoon, one visits your bungalow with menu to ask your choices for dinner. As they explain, with only 5 rooms, the staff is small, and should everyone decide to head for dinner at the same time, everyone would wait longer than they'd like. So, with the labor intense pre prep done, whenever you arrive for dinner, meals arrive in a timely fashion, and nothing is "out" despite the remote location. Both dinner and breakfast were excellent. It was pouring rain by dinner time one evening, and the manager arrived with a second umbrella to supplement the one in the room, to ensure we kept dry on the way to the restaurant bungalow. This is a place to go to unplug ; no tv, no phone, no wi fi signal. Large fans, but never even needed to turn them on. There is a village in walking distance, but as it rained almost constantly, didn't make the trek. Most of the staff live on the premises in a separate house; some come from the nearby village. My only issue: though there were lights above each bed (and good mosquito net), the light wasn't enough for reading, so did need to use my headlamp.
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Date of stay: November 2012
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Let me start by saying that the rooms are perfect and the location is quiet and it is a very peaceful place to stay.. But We arrived after a long day travel to no hot water ( not turned on) in an outdoor shower. The people that now run the resort, told us nothing about anything. Just walked us to our room. We also found that there is nothing to drink in the rooms, so we had trek off to find something. We enjoyed some very nice food on all of the nights we stayed but had to suffer through the couple next to us who thought cancer would go well with a meal. I found the WESTERN staff to be hopeless in everything they did, they seemed to think that a nice view will make up for a lack of organisation. We took the shuttle for the 10 minute drive into town and was charged $20USD or 170000 kip. this wouldn't be an issue if it wasnt for the fact the poor driver only gets a very small fraction of this and the money hungry owners keep the rest. We also found that on check out we are only able to pay in cash or by credit card ( if you pay via card you pay 3% to them and 5% to your bank ) Not knowing what the bill is you need to have a huge amount of cash and even then they dont have change.. hard to know what to take out of the bank when they dont even know what the amount is?? This "resort" does very little for the local community.. it is another case of someone exploting locals for very little money. This was the only let down in our trip through Laos. This was the only place that left me feeling guilty for the explotation of the place i decided to stay at. PLEASE STAY IN A LOCAL HOTEL THAT SUPPORTS AND PAYS A FAIR WAGES TO LOCAL STAFF.
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Date of stay: March 2010
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from laospirit, Manager at Lao Spirit Resort
Responded 6 May 2010
I’m sorry we didn’t meet your expectations. With that said… I must say that most of what you write in your review I strongly disagree with. We don’t know what made you write such an unfair review and on top of that based on obviously no fundamental information. This became a long reply but please read on... Lao... There is no question about that we are located outside of town and the whole idea with coming here is to stay in the large surroundings of the resort , listen to the silence and enjoy close to nature experiences. To get to the historic peninsula in Luang Prabang takes 30 minutes+ (17 km and most of the way on a dirt road). Over charging?? On the contrary we try to keep the cost as low as possible to assist our guests with an almost non profit service. Actually it’s in our own interest to keep these costs down so our guests can stay in our unique location and still get to the city of Luang Prabang. I don’t understand why you are upset about this? Miss information? For two of your transfers to town for city sightseeing we only charged you US$ 10 (our rate is US$ 20 and most drivers in town charge US$ 30!) per transfer as we could combine your transfer with a pick-up service from town. As a policy of our resort we always try to share transfers to avoid extra drives. Transports are more expensive up here (compared to for example Thailand) because of high prices on gasoline. It’s not easy for the suppliers to get fuel up to this remote place in north Laos. ...Spirit... What really made me sad in this review were the comments that imply that we are a bad working place and do nothing for the community. Our whole existence is based on the idea to make a difference for the future of our surroundings in a good way. How can you know about our activities in the local communities and villages around us? There was no communication between you and any member of the management regarding this issue nor did you approach any of our staff. In fact we do a lot for the local communities and that’s the one of the many reasons why we are here and not in town. We are very much concerned about the local communities around us and we are supporting them in many different ways. All our staffs are coming from villages around us or around Luang Prabang. We are training people from the villages to give them the opportunity to be educated in the hospitality industry and to support their families. We do pay wages that are far above any wages paid from local hotels, owned by locals. We have social programs for all our staff and give 100 % medical support (financially and emotionally). Our staff works less than 40 hours per week with paid holidays. This is not standard in Laos! We all feel like a big family and our staff even calls the resort Ban Lao Spirit (which means the Village of Lao Spirit). Apart from this we are running a waste separation project, support the local school in Ban Xieng Lom and Ban Hue Fei, buying as much as possible locally such as fruit, vegetables, spices and fish to support local farmers and fishermen and more... We are on top of this giving some material for free to all our staff to improve their houses and living conditions, giving them small loans with no interest and help the people here wherever we can. This was the main idea of the Lao Spirit Resort project and this will still be the focus of our work now and in the future. ...Resort Further…all our bungalows/rooms are equipped with continuous-flow water heaters which do not need to be turned on before use. They do not have a storage water tank that requires pre-heating. All our rooms are provided with bottled drinking water. The policy of our resort is to not have a minibar in the room, this to prevent over consumption and the following noise. All drinks listed on our menu can be served in your room. We try to treat our guests as individuals and if a guest clearly points out that you are tired and would like to check in immediately we do so. The information we usually provide to our guests on check in regarding tours, elephant camp, etc. will then be postponed to the following day. In this case we provided you with this information the next day. We also have a booklet in the room with all the information. We are offering payment in cash in a variety of currencies and we accept Visa-, Mastercard and Amex. The general fee for all credit card payments in all of the Lao PDR is 3 % charged from the local Banks. There was never a problem with returning your change. From the three night/two full days you stayed in our resort you have spent two days in town. Could it be that you have chosen the wrong hotel for your stay, maybe not realizing the distance to town ? We are happy to give any information about our resort, work and activities in Laos, please get in touch with us. The Director of the Lao Spirit Resort
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