Name: Zen Namkhan Boutique Resort
Address: Xiang Lom Village, 082, Luang Prabang, LA

10/10

Exceptional

17 Jan 2020

Verified traveler

The Zen Boutique is a little bit of heaven on earth! The rooms sit up high so when you are on your porch you feel like your in a tree house. In the morning you hear the birds, elephants, and beautiful Lao music playing from across the river. The staff are great! The only thing was that I wish the pool was warmer and cleaner for swimming. Honestly, it was so beautiful we didn’t care.

10/10

Exceptional

25 Mar 2019

Verified traveler

Amazing hideaway in the jungle. Lovely friendly helpful staff. Sure the road is a bit rough but what do you expect it’s in the jungle. Food is beautiful as well

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

10 Feb 2019

Verified traveler

A slice of paradise

The Zen is a bit far from town and after making reservations there we wondered if we had made a mistake. As soon as we arrived we knew we had chosen the right place. After a day in the hubbub of charming Luang Prabang it was wonderful to return to a peaceful, tucked in the mountains gateway. The rooms had nice views, were clean and comfortabe, the staff friendly and accommodating,and the restaurant had good food with a view. I swam in the mountain fed pool which was refreshing. I would recommend water shoes though. The only down side, not for us though since we had our own car, is that getting into town requires paying for a shuttle each time. If we had not had a car I would have split my stay with lodging time with staying in the heart of Luang Prabang and a few nights at the Zen.There is plenty to do right there and still leave you refreshed and rested.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

20 Dec 2018

Matt

Absolutely beautiful!

This hotel is absolutely stunning! The staff is so kind and helpful and the food is fresh and delicious. I only wish we could have stayed longer, will absolutely be back!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jul 2018

Taylor

BREATH TAKING

The view from every location in this resort is absolutely breath taking. I loved sitting in their book room and reading while watching the clouds roll over the mountains. The staff was absolutely incredible. I was the only one staying at the resort when I was there, and the manager invited me to eat dinner with her and her friends. I was blown away by the hospitality, helpfulness, kindness, and beauty of the entire place. If I am ever back in Laos, I will absolutely be coming back.

8/10

Excellent

05 Mar 2018

Verified traveler

Lovely place for a few days chilling

Had a lovely old style room overlooking the river. Great view from room and pool area. Outside of town. But great for a few days relaxing in the hills. Elephant Park and local village within walking distance and local school village festival was great to see. The new bungalow rooms look more modern, but liked the character of those overlooking the river. Staff helpful and even made local food we requested that was not on the menu.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

05 Mar 2018

Karen

A Slice of Paradise

This place is AMAZING. Out of town. Unbelievably quiet - just the noise of the cicadas, birds & geckos to relax to. My bungalow was comfortable with a great view.
If you want a rowdy party scene - don't come. If you want peace, tranquility & rejuvenation - this is the place for you. The were only 5-10 other guests so it was very quiet. Friendly staff, and very helpful. I had an amazing 90 minute massage. Meals were great & great value. Cant find a bad this to say about the place. Highly recommend.

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jan 2017

Suvi

Beautiful and serene place a bit off from Luang Prabang. Good for relaxing, enjoying peace &quiet and exploring the countryside. No services around (shops etc) so bring what you need with you. The resort restaurant is nice, especially the local food. If you want to explore the city, you can do a day trip or stay there for a couple of nights, it's about 30-40 min drive.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

02 Aug 2016

Lunez

Nice eco hotel with view to river and forest

Great hotel for people who wants to enjoy the nature, animals and the jungle with comfort. My husband didn't expect the quality of the hotel facilities.We came with two kids. The breakfast is the best. Also, the lunch is really good. Our experience was even more special thanks to the staff manager, Evelyn. She wasn't just kind and fun. But also, she took the time to make plans for us to enjoy Luam Prabang(the restaurants, the temples, the night market and the National Royal Museum). You feel you are at home and you are being taken care of during your stay. We went to the town one day, and the other day we went to the waterfalls by boat. In the mornings, we were lucky to have one of the suites with best view in the hotel to see the sunrise, the water buffaloes and sometimes to hear in the mornings the sounds of the elephants in the jungle on the other side of the river. The swimming pool is also great for kids. It was a really great experience.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

15 Feb 2016

JEAN MAX

do not hesitate! just book!

I spent 3 awesome days in this resort, without expecting the feeling that just staying there was fully sufficient and just doing nothing. This place would deserve to stay secret but I must share my enthusiastic opinion about this place. Just go! The owners and their team are great people and very helpful.

8/10

Excellent

13 Jan 2016

Adam

Secluded retreat in the hills

Overall, our family of 4 had a lovely time staying at the Zen Namkhan. Our 2 bedroom suite was enormous and beautifully furnished, with a lovely outdoor shower area, and a huge balcony overlooking the Nam Khan River and the mountains beyond. Waking up only to the sounds of birds in the trees and elephants trumpeting from downriver was wonderful, and we really felt the right amount of isolation in nature (though nature was a bit too close once; despite not leaving doors open, we had a big rat sneak into our room at night, and it required the night watchmen's assistance to usher it out... oh well, it's the country!) The food offerings are good, not great. The pool is beautiful, but not large. The cabins are all downhill from the main lodge, and the staff is all women, so be prepared to feel awkward watching them insist on hauling your luggage up and down many winding stairs. I would not say this is a true \"resort\". Though there are some grounds to stroll, and a very small room for massages, it's really just a very nice guesthouse set in a beautiful location. One big caveat is that it definitely removed from town. If you're looking for seclusion and nature, it's perfect; but if you intend to shuttle in and out of town for meals, shopping, activities, etc., it'll be a challenge (or costly), as most in-town tuk-tuks won't want to take you and you'll have to arrange for pricier private cars for transport.

10/10

Exceptional

06 Mar 2015

Allen

Fabulous hotel, staff and location

What an amazing hotel - fabulous staff, beautiful hotel and great location. We can't think of anything negative to say as the staff went out of their way to try to make our time in Hanoi a wonderful experience. They were incredibly friendly, ensured that we got the chance to try some of the food they love to eat (eg che) and suggested wonderful places to visit and eat. The buffet breakfast was fabulous and we so appreciated all the complimentary treats throughout our stay. Great hotel. Thank you to the staff for such a wonderful time in Hanoi.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

21 Feb 2015

Graham

Best quiet retreat ever

Location for quiet get away excellent. Views over looking the river from ones room balcony spectacular. Not for people wanting entertainment at night, very quiet, somewhat difficult to get to as it is away from town. Very attentive staff. Excellent food. One of the best hotels I have ever visited.-- I just loved the place.

6/10

Pleasant

18 Feb 2015

Verified traveler

Mixed review

Mixed review here. The property is set on an absolutely stunning piece of land overlooking the mountains. We wanted a getaway from Luang Prabang for a few days, and this definitely fit the bill. No wifi in the rooms was blissful and very peaceful (the connection pavilion was very weak, just as a note). We had a great conversation with the owner, who is interesting, funny, and nice, and Pablo was wonderful (great dinner music selections and very friendly). We stayed in \"Beautitude,\" which was one of the lower rate cabins, and it was very basic. From what it looked like, though, there were major upgrades to be had for $20 more a night, so I can't comment on the facilities of the other rooms. They offer a kayaking excursion for $40 that was that absolute highlight of our time there. The room was pretty damp and musty, but again, that might have just been our room. The food on the whole was pretty good, but we had one unfortunate meal that we sent back, and they didn't charge us for. Something I had there also gave me an intestinal bug that I had to go on antibiotics for and spent half my time there having just white rice and eggs. Staff was very nice and well-meaning, but unprofessional at times (e.g. we were having dinner and one of the staff was watching full blast cartoons in an otherwise quiet pavilion). Overall, if you go, spend up on a riverview cabin, go kayaking, don't expect too much, and stick to the Thai food! :)

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Feb 2015

Verified traveler

Total relaxation

Feels like a retreat to nature. Crisp fresh air everyday. Feels great

10/10

Exceptional

29 Jan 2015

Charles

Great, no problems.

I was booked to stay for 3 nights, I arrived at 4am and the problem was none of the tuk tuk drivers knew were the hotel was, so had to stay elsewhere for the first night, when I did arrive the owners wife offered me to stay an extra night for the one I missed. I managed to get a lift there the next day. It is a good half hour outside of town so try arrive in the middle of the day. Apart from this the location is great, nestled in the mountains with amazing views all around, really comfy rooms and beds, nice big balcony with a good view. Gets very cools at night especially as it is so high up and remote. Nice restaurant and natural pool. The owner is great I was invited and went out for pizza with him his wife and his whole family, which was great. Can't fault the hospitality at the hotel, also his wife ran me into town as I had problems with my bank card and she sorted it out with the local bank. I stayed there as I needed to relax after a few weeks of hostels and hiking, it is perfect for that if you want to sunbathe in peace, swim and have a comfy room. My only issue is that there wasn't much pressure in the shower. Otherwise would highly recommend for a nice relaxing getaway from traveling.

8/10

Excellent

05 Jan 2014

Tim

Lovely jungle retreat 20 minutes from town

Different than staying in Luang Prabang town. Wake up in the morning to the sounds of elephants trumpeting. Easy access to hiking, boating, and waterfall. Staff is very helpful. Staff will arrange taxi travel into town as available. Taxi can be $20 each way, so planning is key. If you come in winter, prepare for chilly weather in the rooms, which have no heat and are open to the outdoors.

10/10

Exceptional

28 Dec 2013

Verified traveler

Great Getaway for a Couple Nights

This is a charming place to stay with an equally charming and accommodating staff. Beautiful bungalows are set overlooking the river and every detail of the room was just as wonderful. It definetly has some quirks to be worked out (steamy but cold steam room, massages in full view of the restaurant) but besides these things, it is an perfect place to unplug and spend a couple days.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

02 Mar 2013

Don and Carolyn

Excellent getaway

After travelling in Myanmar, Thailand and Laos, we were delighted to stay at Zen Namkhan. Located in the hills, waking to birdsong, with Moon (our hostess) taking yoga in the mornings as dawn breaks over the misty mountains. Half hour tuk tuk ride from Luang Prabang. A very relaxing, untroubled place to recover from travellers fatigue, or just a getaway. Lovely aspect to restaurant and pool. Room was clean and comfortable with a calming atmosphere and pleasant forest or mountain outlook. Simple but adequate menu (Lao/Thai, Western, Italian), drinking water provided free, unobtrusive service, with all the food tasty and well presented. Remote location meant costs for tours etc were higher than in town, but not outrageous.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

14 Feb 2013

Shu

Nice to stay

The best part of this hotel is a friendly driver who took care of me during my stay. Thanks to him, I got to visit most of the major sightseeing points in Luang Prabang. The price for the driver and car was acceptable, considering the experience I got.