La Folie Lodge

La Folie is an amazing hotel on a very peaceful small island on the Mekong river. The staff is wonderful. Food is very good and tasteful. Rooms are great and the swimming-pool with an amazing viewpoint is wonderful. It is so relaxing to stay there.

the lodge offers a boat pick-up from the edge of the river. even though we called the same day to reconfirm pick-up time, they forgot to pick us up. the sun was burning hot on this beach where we carried around our bag, desperately trying to find our boat which only showed up 2 hours late! so when we finally arrived, we asked for the manager. he first denied that we had arranged a pick-up and then spent some time finding the culprit within his team. when he could not deny it anymore, he apologized and offered us a beer as a compensation. we were surprised that this was his only offer and pointed out very friendly that we would have expected a bit more. he got annoyed and asked us what we expected. we suggested a free dinner. then he really lost it and started yelling, accusing us of being in a bad mood and demanding too much. admittedly, we were annoyed, but who wouldn't after being scorched in the Sun? the whole scene got pretty intense and we got into a bad argument - all this in front of other guests and staff. in the end he offered a ten percent reduction (16 dollar) on the room rate but he never apologized for his behavior. we are not upset about the Mistake in the beginning - mistakes can happen - but about the way the manager handled the situation very poorly and unprofessionally. unfortunately, this spoiled our stay there from the beginning. in other tripadvisor reviews we read that we were not the first ones to have troubles with this guy. on the upside, the lodge is in a really good location, the rooms are very clean and well maintained. however, the walls are very thin and you can here every word your neighbors say. the pool has a decent size and was very clean. beds are very comfortable. also, the staff was very helpful and friendly. in the evening, the friendly deputy manager came to apologize for the inconvenience.

This is a incredible place to stay. So calm and peaceful! The views on Mekong and the mountains are beautiful. The bungalows are cosy . The staff is so welcoming and always available. Mr. Sam , duty manager is very professional and polite. You can rely on him for any activities you want to book. A place to go to and enjoy. Some improvements that could benefit the place - mosquito net ( although this was not a problem)

Our most unique experience in Laos. From check-in to departure, the service, the rooms, the gardens, the VIEWS on the Mekong, the food and most importantly, the experience of being completely absorbed in the peaceful purely rural life of the Island, where time seems to have stopped , were among the best we’ve had in all our travels In terms of location, a much better option than Pakse. The experience of living on a tiny island completely cut off from the rest of the world, taking part in the everyday life of fisherman, rural life, enjoying the most beautiful views on the Mekiong and the mountains behind, is very special. The hotel provides for boat trips whenever needed to go to Champasak (10 minutes boat ride and the views are amazing), and from there, you can drive wherever you wish to very easily. The hotel is simply amazing: the people are extremely welcoming, helpful, efficient and very thoughtful. The rooms are ever so comfortable and luxurious without being too much. Simply elegant, just like the gardens and the restaurant. The food is absolutely delicious, all in finesse. They support many inhabitants as well as various projects on the Island.

We spent 8 nights here. It was a welcome place to relax after touring Laos. We chose to enjoy the island - cycling, morning yoga, swimming in the Mekong, ending the day with a beer Lao watching some of the best sunsets we’ve ever seen. The semi detached beach facing huts are comfortable, clean and authentic. At times you can hear the guests next door. Hotel food is good yet we enjoyed cycling to Mr Mee’s a couple of evenings (head torches essential). This is the only other restaurant on the island. As independent travellers, there were days when large touring groups dominated the hotel but the staff coped well and service never suffered. The hotel organised a trip to 4,000 islands for us. Dolphins haven’t been spotted in this area since 2019 and the building of the dam. It was a long drive and we were happy to arrive back to the peace of the hotel and another beer Lao!

What to say about this perfect place? The position is enchanting along the shore of the Mekong river, the bungalows are furnished in a sort of old colonial style providing comfort and great views, the staff is utterly kind and attentive to every request and desire; you can even enjoy yoga group or single lessons. It is a dreamy venue where to regenerate body and soul.