Crowne Plaza Vientiane, Laos Master Thread
Dec 3, 2019, 6:41 am
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: HH Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Gold, Hyatt something
Posts: 33,539
I was here recently — beautiful property and friendly staff, but no lounge access for Spires on points stays and the $40 upsell attempt for breakfast (in Laos!) sort of put me off.
A Holiday Inn is now in the very early stages of being built next door. Hard to believe there's demand in Vientiane for two IHG properties next door to each other, especially when the CP can be found for as low as $60/night. I wonder if the CP is going to be re-flagged when the H.I. opens in 2021 (or later).
A Holiday Inn is now in the very early stages of being built next door. Hard to believe there's demand in Vientiane for two IHG properties next door to each other, especially when the CP can be found for as low as $60/night. I wonder if the CP is going to be re-flagged when the H.I. opens in 2021 (or later).
Dec 3, 2019, 8:08 am
#32
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Miami, Florida
Programs: AA ExPlat, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Spire, Hilton Gold
Posts: 4,009
I don't know what the reimbursement rate is for points, but it's hard to believe there's anywhere near a $40 spread between the property's reimbursement for my 20,000-point stay and the $60/night rate that's common at this property, which presumably yields the lounge access for Spires reported previously in this thread. (I was planning to pay cash, but the rate spiked on me when I arrived a day earlier than expected.) Beautiful property, though.
Dec 15, 2023, 8:28 am
#34
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 939
I'm at the property now and it's awesome. Paid 14K per night for points redemption and as a Diamond they upgraded me to a club room proactively and rather inexplicably. The lounge is quite decent. They have a proper afternoon tea and evening spread with mixed drinks, beer and wine. The sweets were all very good and there are no major hot food entrees in the evening as you might get in other Aisan lounges- but the small dishes they do have are tasty and they made me some killer vegetarian summer rolls. The room I got is modern and spacious enough and I agree with the others that this is definitely on the upper end of what you might expect at a CP and particularly in Laos. Needless to say it's a great value on points.
Dec 15, 2023, 11:04 am
#35
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: London, Bordeaux, Scottish Highlands
Programs: BAEC, Krisflyer
Posts: 107
I'm at the property now and it's awesome. Paid 14K per night for points redemption and as a Diamond they upgraded me to a club room proactively and rather inexplicably. The lounge is quite decent. They have a proper afternoon tea and evening spread with mixed drinks, beer and wine. The sweets were all very good and there are no major hot food entrees in the evening as you might get in other Aisan lounges- but the small dishes they do have are tasty and they made me some killer vegetarian summer rolls. The room I got is modern and spacious enough and I agree with the others that this is definitely on the upper end of what you might expect at a CP and particularly in Laos. Needless to say it's a great value on points.
Dec 16, 2023, 1:36 am
#36
Join Date: Sep 2008
Programs: A3 *G, AA exePlat, AS MVP 75k Gold, JL sapphire, UA silver
Posts: 4,035
Agree. Very good hotel. We stayed in October and got upgraded from lowest grade room to suite. We had lounge access and were often the only people in the Lounge. Enjoyed the 4 different cocktails on offer as well as the canapés. Used the free electric tuk tuk a couple of times to go to centre of town. Breakfast was excellent and staff very helpful.
Dec 16, 2023, 11:20 pm
#37
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 939
No mention of any free electric tuk-tuk so if they still have it, they are not advertising it. Although to be honest I probably wouldn't use it unless it was early enough in the morning to be cooler and less fumes to breathe in. I downloaded and used the Loca app and it worked great for everything except the train station (and to answer the post about how to get here from the airport, Loca should be no more than 80-100,000 kip for that short trip). All my rides had AC and most were nice newer cars and many EVs. Arriving from the train station, there were no Loca cars available but I paid 200,000 kip (negotiated down from 300k) for a taxi-- contrasted with another guest I met at the train station who had prebooked hotel pickup for $50 USD!
Dec 18, 2023, 8:39 pm
#38
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 21
I'm at the property now and it's awesome. Paid 14K per night for points redemption and as a Diamond they upgraded me to a club room proactively and rather inexplicably. The lounge is quite decent. They have a proper afternoon tea and evening spread with mixed drinks, beer and wine. The sweets were all very good and there are no major hot food entrees in the evening as you might get in other Aisan lounges- but the small dishes they do have are tasty and they made me some killer vegetarian summer rolls. The room I got is modern and spacious enough and I agree with the others that this is definitely on the upper end of what you might expect at a CP and particularly in Laos. Needless to say it's a great value on points.
Dec 19, 2023, 12:28 am
#39
Join Date: Sep 2008
Programs: A3 *G, AA exePlat, AS MVP 75k Gold, JL sapphire, UA silver
Posts: 4,035
Dec 25, 2023, 7:52 am
#40
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 939
I did not pay for lounge access and was booked with points. I was offered it upon checkin. I've gotten preupgraded to "Club Room with Lounge Access" room type in ICs before but then they always tell me that does not include lounge access when I check in. This is the first time an IHG property has given me that room type and comped me the lounge with it.