I don’t often get the chance to try out a brand‑new hotel, but late last year I got the chance. On a visit to Laos, I ended up staying at the freshly opened Holiday Inn & Suites Vientiane. In fact, it was so new that parts of it were still under construction.
The best part? I paid for the stay with points. And let’s face it, any time you can use points to shave down the cost of a holiday, it’s a win.
Location
The Holiday Inn sits right in the heart of the city, just a few steps from its IHG sibling, the Crowne Plaza. From there, it’s an easy 15–20-minute wander to both the night market and the night food market. You’re not in the thick of the action, but it’s close enough that you can stroll over.
Arrival and Checking In
Getting to Vientiane was a bit of an adventure in itself. I started with an overnight train from Bangkok to Nong Khai, crossed the border in the morning, and then grabbed a taxi straight to the hotel. In other words, I rolled up well before the official check‑in time.
Stepping inside, it became apparent that the lobby was quite open and spacious. Reception sits off to the right toward the back, while the lobby bar takes centre stage up front.
The bar, fittingly called Hub, serves a mix of drinks and light bites. From the displays and menus, it looked like they had a nice spread of both sweet and savoury treats, the kind of place you could yourself while waiting for your room or winding down after a day out exploring.
Since we’d shown up at the hotel far earlier than any reasonable check‑in time, it wasn’t a surprise that our room wasn’t ready. No drama though, the staff happily stored our bags, leaving us free to head out and explore the neighbourhood for a bit.
By the time we wandered back, check‑in was sorted. Keys in hand, we made our way upstairs, ready to finally settle in.
Opening the door, I was greeted by a thoughtful little welcome amenity: a selection of local snacks, including a couple of festive, Christmas‑themed treats. A small touch, but a tasty one.
The Room
As this was a points booking, the room was a Standard room – in this case a King Standard. Overall, it was largely a standard fit-out that you get at a Holiday Inn. Like most hotels at this level, it is designed to be functional rather than fancy.
On feature I did appreciate though was the block-out curtains. I can’t count the number of hotels I have been in when there was light sneaking in somewhere. The good news is that the curtains here actually worked well. On the other hand, you can open the curtains and fill the room with natural light.
The bathroom consisted of a walk-in shower, wash basin, and so on. From amenities points of view, there are the expected items. The shower had shower gel, shampoo and conditioner in the pump packs that most hotels have moved to these days.
Dining
At the time of my stay, The Rosella Restaurant was the main restaurant at the hotel. Rosella is the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant and features a range of local and international fares.
This is where I started my days having breakfast. Breakfast was a buffet affair, offering a good array of options. I always like my eggs made to order, and this was an option for me here.
There was a label in the lift indicating a Chinese Restaurant, but it was nowhere in sight. I guess it’s behind some of the hoardings where work is still underway.
Hotel Facilities
Level 2 of the hotel features the Pool area and the Rise Fitness Centre.
Pool
When you feel the need to relax, the hotel has a couple of pools. The main one is an infinity pool. While it does have views across the city, it is actually undercover.
Gym
The Rise Fitness Centre is the name of the hotel’s gym. The spacious area set aside for the gym had a good variety of equipment. The area consists of a dedicated cardio zone and a weight training area,
While I did not partake, I was told that there is also a Yoga Room available in the centre.
IHG One Rewards
The Holiday Inn & Suites Vientiane participates in the IHG One Rewards program. In fact, this particular stay was paid for by points. The cost for the room in this case was 15,000 points per night. Given the case price for the room was just over $US100 per night, this seemed a reasonable
Final Words
This was a two-night stay. It cost a total of 30,000 IHG One Reward points, or 15,000 points a night. All in all, it was a good stay at a new hotel. I will strongly reconsider staying there again if I find myself in Vientiane again.
