Mandala Ou Resort

Really relaxed atmosphere. Stayed there for 2 nights. This is a small family owned hotel with the entire family ( European/Lao) engaged in the running of the hotel. High standards and excellent Lao/Thai food with International options . The pool is small but very welcome and they do great cocktails !!! Not based in the absolute centre of the town , which is a good thing as the centre can be a bit noisy , about a 15 to 20 minute walk to the bridge and the river, a visit to the former cave complexes is very easy from there . Tuk Tuks are also easily rented if you don't fancy the walk .There are also all kinds of river expeditions and village visits available from tourist offices . You get the sense that the family would happily help you to arrange anything you wanted to do . Good wifi . We stayed at some higher end places in our trip but this is one that we enjoyed most .

We had a two night stay here while touring Lao. It was one of the simpler hotels on this tour. Our expectations were not great. However, it turned out to be a very pleasant surprise. The room was basic, to be sure, but adequate. We had a really nice terrace. The bar area was nice and Sebastian was welcoming and helpful. Food was really good in the evenings, we ate there both nights, but breakfast was a little disappointing. We had a good time there.

Comfortable resort in a beautiful location overlooking the river. Our welcome could not have been warmer and our hosts went out of their way to help us throughout our stay. Lovely terrace restaurant and bar, serving excellent food. Free bike hire and the guidance on which of the view points to tackle (and when) were greatly appreciated.

A smallish but comfortable and homely resort. It is set on the banks of the river, the rooms are ok, but the management and staff are quite welcoming. The dinner menu was limited but the experience was quite enjoyable. Would like to visit again.

My husband and I stayed 2 nights in December 2023. The grounds are very inviting and the main area with the bar, pool and dining has lovely views of the river. We enjoyed spending a few hours hanging out there. We are vegetarian and appreciated that they made vegetarian fried rice for us each morning at breakfast. The staff at dinner and breakfast were really nice - especially the young man working at dinner last night. The room was nice - it had a luxury-rustic feel. There was shampoo and body wash and other amenities such as a comb, q tips, and dental kits. The next items I talk about are fyi’s NOT criticisms as one should remember this is a relatively remote town - it’s so beautiful and relaxing that these creature comforts are easily overlooked: no door on the bathroom - only a curtain. The water in the shower never got more than lukewarm and no conditioner - only shampoo. The one criticism I do have and why I removed one star, is there was a Buddha painting/image…in the bathroom. Anyone who knows anything about Eastern religions knows this is not done. I sincerely hope the management will make some changes.

My wife and I had an unforgettable experience in Nong Khiaw, enabled by the comfortable stay at Mandala Ou and especially our amazing boat trip with Mr. Wan. Mandala Ou is a peaceful and incredibly scenic retreat with friendly and flexible service. Breakfast is delicious. Laundry service is economical and reliable. Location is accessible and getting around Nong Khiaw to/from the resort is easy. Mr. Wan, who lives beside the resort and is an exceptional English speaker, gives cheerful, energetic, insightful, reliable, and flexible tours from his comfortable, traditional river boat. We enjoyed: ＞ Admiring dramatic landscapes from a unique perspective. Soaring cliffs, winding rivers, dramatic waterfalls, and pastoral rice paddies. ＞ Getting to know Mr. Wan and connecting with Laos culture. Mr. Wan is native to the village and a former Buddhist monk as a young boy. ＞ Sharing unique experiences. Impromptu, we ate fresh pomelo, swam at a secluded waterfall, and assisted a rice harvest.