The River Resort on the north end of Champasak, gateway to the Wat Phu ruins, is an upscale respite. If you are looking for a quiet spot next to the Mekong this place is lovely. Many of their rooms have outstanding river views.
Our upstairs room in the last building to the south, #2203, had wide open views with few obstructions. In early November it was the perfect sunrise spot.
The rooms are arranged around the view with the king bed facing the sliding glass doors. When you lie in bed you have a clear view over the river. Almost feels like you are on a ship.
The room is spacious and well appointed. The bamboo style furniture has a tropical flare. The bathroom, equally spacious, is the back half of the room behind the bed. There is both an indoor and outdoor shower, splendid in this hot humid climate.
The property also includes garden rooms surrounding a small rice paddy, but if you are planning a stay at the resort, splurge for the river view rooms. They are worth it.
There are also outside lounging areas at the two pools and in the garden in front of the restaurant.
If you are looking for an upscale location from which to explore the region the River Resort may work for you. They offer plenty of excursions to all the tourist sites in the area, including Wat Phu, 4000 Islands, the Bolaven Plateau and the wet market in Pakse.
Dinner
A delight dining on the resort’s open air terrace. With the fans going it is the perfect al fresco dining temperature. No problem with mosquitos.
Come early and reserve a table along the garden with views to the river.
The menu has a good selection of Asian and Western faire. We started with the Lao fish cakes. A very different texture from the Western version, more like a fish sausage patty than a cake, good flavor though.
For mains the steamed whole tilapia with Lao sauce, lime and chili, was well executed. I ordered the Lao pork neck which I was expecting to be a succulent dish. It was actually lean and rather tough and dry in places. Served with a flavorful sauce and raw vegetables – cabbage, green beans and cucumber.
For dessert we tried the chocolate fondant served with ice cream. Although it had the classic liquid center, the cake was barely warm.
The generic Bordeaux wine was surprisingly good.
Breakfast Buffet
The breakfast buffet was OK but should have been better at this price point. The cold buffet offers a selection of cereals, yogurt, bread and homemade jam. They have problems with the humidity and the cereals are soft and the baguettes limp. An à la cart menu is available for cooked breakfast items. Overall, perfectly serviceable with friendly staff, but not wonderful.
November 8-9, 2018
For links to all the posts in this series see the Laos/Cambodia page.
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