Opening
I stayed at Maison Souvannaphoum during the first half of a five-day trip to Luang Prabang in January 2008. Part of the reason behind my choice of the hotel was to try and sample what was billed as one of the top properties in the city, but also because it was one of the few well-reviewed hotels that had rooms to book online when I assembled my trip. That being said, Maison was somewhat of a default choice, and expensive, to boot, but I have few regrets from my visit. As mentioned in my review of 3 Nagas (the other hotel I used in Luang Prabang), I will make some comparisons between each property which I hope people will find useful.

Booking
I booked my hotel online and got a slightly better rate and room availability directly through the hotel’s website. Their communication was excellent and all of my emails were responded to politely and quickly. Most of my dealings were with Chanmala whom I believe is the head receptionist. They confirmed my earlier arrival a couple of days before I flew in—excellent communication skills.

Location
The location on the southern edge of town is ideal for easing oneself into Luang Prabang. It is on the very edge of the developed city, and much quieter, but new and harried construction and guest-house conversions are cropping up in its immediate vicinity. In terms of 3 Nagas, it is farther to the official center of town where the touristy restaurants and shops are located, but closer to tourist attractions, and infrastructure-related sites like the post office, produce market, and night market. Being on the southern edge of town means that there is a bit more foliage in the area, which harbors insects, an issue that I will mention in a moment.

Check-in
No issues. I received a cool towel and herb tea upon check-in. I arrived 2 hours before the 2pm check-in and had to wait about 10 minutes for them to get my room ready. Considering that the property has only 19 rooms and a high turnover rate, I looked at this brief delay as minor. I’ve waited hours at other properties that were better-equipped.

Rooms

Overall: Maison Souvannaphoum is the converted colonial residence of Prince Souvannaphouma. The main building (La Residence) housed three suites, one of which was his old room. The Garden Wing is where the other 16 rooms are located, and where I stayed. I actually got to inspect the Maison Room which is the best room in the hotel. It was quite a step above the standard Garden Room and I recommend that any travelers on a romantic holiday take any one of the three rooms in the La Residence area. Its cleanliness, space, and amenities put the Garden Rooms to shame. Garden Wing rooms had two twin beds and a private terrace, but flirted with Hong Kong dimensions in terms of space.

Cleanliness: Average. This is perhaps the Maison’s weakest point, but it is a major one. Given the somewhat peripheral location of the hotel, it did tend to be prone to heavy infestation by mosquitoes—so much so that each room included a can of insecticide. Upon first entering my room, I was forced to exterminate about a dozen bugs. I should mention that all other aspects of the room were above average, with the bathroom as the main exception, which I will touch on in a moment.

Beds: Above Average. The Garden Wing rooms have twin beds which are fairly standard in quality. Linens were clean (no bed sheets, just a duvet), and pillows were firm and ample. There were no signs of bed-bugs, although the twin beds were a bit narrow. There were no dips or odd smells, although the mattress sat in a rather crude wooden frame that wasn’t as comfortable as would expect. Overall, the linens were quite good, but lacked the scent of the chemically impregnated sheets of 3 Nagas.

Bathroom: Average. The Maison’s bathrooms got an A for design effort, but a failing grade for practicality. They were beautiful from an aesthetic viewpoint, but poorly thought out, otherwise. The shower was a walk-in stall, with a floor that was composed of two large square stone tiles centrally placed in a drainage area and surrounded by a bed of small river rocks. It looked cool, but also drained poorly and was a moisture trap, attracting mosquitoes and mildew to the towels. The stall area was also only partially segregated from the rest of the bathroom by a Plexiglas wall that also had a huge circular window cut into it that allows shower spray to soak the toilet alcove. There was no tub. I did not get a chance to see the full suite bathrooms, but they were much better lit, included a tub, and in better overall shape. Toiletries are limited, as with most hotels in Luang Prabang and the shampoo and conditioner were in pump-bottles. As I mentioned, the bathroom design drew moisture to towels making them mildew if not properly aired out.

Amenities: Average. The room included two free bottles of water (pretty standard). The mini-bar and refrigerator were stocked with US-priced goods which I avoided. The television was a standard 25-inch CRT with new channels in multiple languages and even HBO. There was a writing desk and private terrace which I never really used. I noticed that some guests were spending a lot of time with their terrace doors open, and just lounging about on the terrace which I found puzzling given the mosquito factor. The turn-down service was very good and included an incense-burner which they put on the terrace at dusk to drive off insects (there is also one in the room at all times). The room also included slippers, a robe, hair dryer, and an in-room safe.

Room Issue: Aside from mosquitoes, the other major problem I encountered was that my air-conditioner’s drip pan began leaking. These units are mounted above the entryway and near the storage closet, and if I had not been in the room to notice, my luggage would have gotten soaked. It was a simple fix, but just a good example of how things in this rustic city don’t function as planned 100% of the time.

Security Issues: I must admit that I was a bit hesitant to book at Maison after reading one horror story about a room break-in on tripadvisor.com. The review was a few years old, but let me assure you that all of the standard measures were in place to reasonably protect your room from a break-in. Suites are a non-issue as they were in the always-occupied main building. Garden Rooms were situated behind a high hedge and high iron fence. At any rate, there is an in-room safe for the non-replaceables, and security guards on-site.

Hotel Features
The hotel had a spa which was located on the very well-kept grounds. In my tireless efforts to fairly evaluate the hotel, I booked a 90-minute massage. It is very easy to get an hour-long massage for about $5USD in town, by the way. The spa was located on the grounds and consisted of treatment “tents.” While this was scenic, it wasn’t exactly practical because they spa is on the edge of the property and beyond that is the main road into town. Overall, the treatment was satisfactory, but a bit pricey for Luang Prabang. Spa-regulars will probably not be happy with the limited facilities and I recommend that you refrain until getting back to a major city. The hotel had a very nice pool with ample seating for all guests. The pool was a bit small and can’t accommodate anymore than one lap-swimmer, but it’s not really meant for exercise. The restaurant and breakfast area opened directly onto the pool area and was a very nice place to relax with a BeerLao which at $2USD was twice as expensive as in town.

The hotel breakfast was probably the best you can find in Luang Prabang and an excellent opportunity to protein-load on endless bacon, ham, eggs, the manned omelet station, and on other goodies. The hotel also has an excellent restaurant that was only populated by the few wealthy guests at the hotel that didn’t walk into town. It’s a very romantic and intimate set-up and perfect for those who like privacy when dining.

My room included a complimentary 3-hour mountain-bike rental. The bike was in good operating condition and I went over the 3-hour period, but wasn’t penalized. I mention my bicycle adventures in my review of Luang Prabang, but just let me say that while it’s an easier way to see the city and outer areas, it is not hazard free.

They really like their little gifts at Maison, and at turn-down each night, I received a small token. These turned out to be pretty nice souvenirs: one was a book made with local mulberry-tree paper, and the other was a good luck talisman that is hung near the door.

Staff
Excellent. They were respectful and called me by name the instant I checked in. They aren’t as deft and subtle, in terms of their ability to be as unobtrusive as true five-star properties, but they made up for it with a great attitude. The manager, Mario, was on-site from breakfast to dark and I noticed that he made it a point to talk to all of the guests during their stay. The security staff at the front gate will become familiar with your face and salute you on the way in and out.

Check-out
No issues. At check-out, I found out that there was a suite cancellation and could have stayed the remainder of my trip at Maison, but I was meeting friends at 3 Nagas and opted out.

Intangibles
The Garden Wing rooms are laid out into two wings. While there were no issues with my upstairs neighbors in terms of noise, you may want to request a room in the wing that is on the inner edge of the central entry hallway. The street noise is pretty much unavoidable, however.



Recommended: Yes