I can't necessarily disagree with the prior reviewer (who I think I remember being there at the same time as we were); it is a lovely place, Barnaby is a super nice guy, and the ecolodge offers a beautiful glimpse into rural Laos. I have to be fair, however, in letting travelers know my honest opinion about the overall experience as I wish we I had a little more insight going into it.

For starters, Rivertime is geared towards the backpacker set; it's a great place to touch base with other young travellers and share experiences, but it isn't really ready for prime time in terms of meeting the needs of those of us who get a week or two off a year and hope to take in as much as we can during the precious few days we have for vacation. That being said, and while I can easily spend a week soaking in the sun on a tropical beach, Rivertime's offering of activities that were accessible was weak. The tour across the river was semi-hokey, the bike rides were nice but there's nothing to really see anywhere nearby (we probably rode a good 10 miles), and it was hit or miss on whether any of the other excursions would actually happen from day to day.

We didn't expect the bungalows to have crisp white linens or the restaurant service to be top notch, but we spent meal after meal wondering if anyone would ever take our order or if the food would ever arrive. It did, one item at a time, and while the food and drink were great, having a meal served in no particular sequence or timeframe was challenging. The bungalows are musty smelling for whatever reason as noted by another traveller, and I mean musty to the point where you have to leave the windows open or you can't tolerate it. That plus the lack of a womans touch (sorry Barnaby), gave what could have been a charming rustic lodge more of a hostel feel.

It wasn't until we stayed in a regular hotel in Vientiane that we realized we paid a lot to stay in a very remote location. Mind you, we are not the guided tour types, in fact we thrive on finding off the beaten path activities to do on our own, but there was honestly nothing to do at Rivertime but drink beer on the floating restaurant and watch the ferry go across. We enjoyed the 2 days we were there, but the 2 we spent in Vientiane having left earlier than planned were far more exciting. Stangely enough, once there we were finally able to get a feel for Lao PDR culture, while we felt like we were in a tourist bubble at Rivertime.

Again, if you have an open itinerary and are interested in spending a day or 2 in the backcountry, Rivertime is not a bad choice. For us, our adventure time was better spent in the heart of the city.

There's really nothing bad to say about the joint. Barnaby is an excellent host, as is his entire staff. Everyone is super-friendly and more than helpful...the entire place has positively glowing vibe. The food is most delicious, though may take a bit sometimes to receive if it's busy, it's definitely worth the wait. The location is brilliant: beautiful, quiet, peaceful, downright serene.

My girlfriend and I stayed in one of the private lodges, which was just as we had expected, certainly no 5-star hotel, but cripes, if that's what you want what the hell are you doing at an eco-lodge in rural Laos? The room was clean and tidy. The "hot" water was hit and miss, and the electrics were sometimes a bit spotty, but never in our 8 days was it remotely an issue. Again, this is rural Laos, not the Ritz Carlton in Manhattan or some such.

We found ourselves spending most of our time simply hanging out on the floating restaurant doing nothing, be it reading, drawing, or just sitting enjoying a Beerlao...you couldn't ask for a better location. There is certainly more to do, however, if you're itching to move about as the lodge offers a number of day trips, from boating to hiking. We however were happy just to be able to relax...though we did do the cooking class which was quite fun.

For what it is, an eco-lodge in rural Laos, though still easily accessible from Vientiane, Rivertime is well worth the time and money. I personally can't wait to come back when I return to Laos in the future.

In short: a great, friendly and welcome place to stay and relax.
I stayed for 5 nights, but when the time came to leave, even that seemed to short!

As previous reviews have stated, do not expect 5 star service and accomodation, but do expect a very warm and genuine experience. I would highly recommend as it is a great place to relax and get to know the true Lao culture. The resort (apart from very accomodating host Barnaby) employs only local people who are eager to improve their English language skills.

The resort is located in the countryside where western visitors are still a rare sight. It is quite a humble experience to be regarded as the 'outsider' when cycling or walking through the neighbouring villages. Some local children have never seen a westerner.

You can make several excursions, go tubing, cycling, walking, or simply do nothing at all and enjoy reading a book. The bungalows are spacious and apart from the local wildlife and poultry very quiet. You do get an unwanted pet (or two...), but hey, it is the countryside and the bungalows are located in the forest. Unlike me, the staff have no fear of anything with 8 legs so problems are easily solved.

Starting the day with a cup of tea and toast with bacon and eggs on the floating restaurant, watching the little ferry crossing the river and playing with Stefan (very naughty little dog) and Kit Kat (very sweet little cat) is an excellent beginning.

Barnaby can help you with all your questions, even getting you a "sin" (local skirt) on the morning of departure. Nothing is impossible.

All in all a 4 out of 5 because I think the place can generally improve a notch in cleanliness and general appearance. But that is just my western preciseness and standard speaking, if you are there for a few days, you do as the Laos people do: relax!!!

When I came across a description of Rivertime Resort & Ecolodge, the place immediately appealed to me. Visiting the place in October 2010, I was not disappointed.

The major attraction of this resort is its location. And although it is very close to the capital Vientiane, you arrive in a very different world: the relaxed Lao countryside.
The friendly local staff, the relaxed atmosphere, the good food and not in the last place the very helpful manager / "village chief" made me feel at home instantly.
There are a lot of great tours to be done. A little initiative here helps to undergo the most interesting experiences. Boat trips, tubing down the river, swimming in their floating pool, walks on the countryside, watching the village life or the agricultural activities in the surrounding fields, joining in local traditions and ceremonies... Mention what you'd like to do and almost anything is possible.

Amidst the beautiful nature on their grounds I really enjoyed sitting in front of my bungalow watching huge butterflies and colourful lizards and gecko's, or the fishermen on the river. An extra pro in my opinion is the clearly ecology-aimed policy according to which they try to manage their business.

I stayed in a private lodge and I don’t know what the dormitories are like. The bungalow I stayed in was clean and equipped with a good mosquito netting and convenient extra’s such as a rechargeable flashlight.

One last warning however: there's a great chance that you will find yourself unable to leave the place and stay many days longer than planned. And why not? Why go to Vang Vieng when everything is there for you at the Rivertime Resort & Ecolodge? At least, those were my feelings, and I was very sorry when I had to move on in the end.