This was my second trip to Nam Khan Villas in 5 years and was delighted to find Carolyn still there, it was like a family reunion. Carolyn once again made sure our visit wasunique organising trips and treks for us off the tourist trail. Not to forget the fantastic massages she arranged for us.
Absolutely love the villas without all the frills but with all the spirit of Luang Prabang.
The food and hospitality was great and would recommend staying there a little way out of town on the River - the perfect spot!

We recently returned from Laos and enjoyed our stay in Luang Prabang for a second time. We had visited a couple of years ago and loved it so much we retuned again. We didn't book ahead and stayed a couple of nights in town but decided we enjoyed the experience of Nam Khan Villas previously more than being in town. We contacted Carolyn the owner and were lucky enough to get a lovely villa once again. Even though the resort is basic it is very charming. There is no problem catching tuk tuks around the place and Carolyn is so helpful organising anything that you need and making good suggestions.

Arrived at the 'resort' and was greeted by a very nice and friendly lady called Carolyn. She was very chatty and told us all about LP as we took a breather and put our bags down. She made a great and personable first impression. Then she showed us to our room. For US$50 a night, you get a very basic fan room to which is attached a not very private toilet. There is no air con, no tv, very basic furnishings and a very obstructed view of the river. Plus this place is miles away from any civilisation. You can't just walk outside and hail a tuk tuk. They have to call and you need to wait for one to arrive since it a good few km's out of town down a muddy, pock marked dirt road. So calling it a resort and the rooms villas is a complete misnomer. Take me word for it, this place is a rip off considering what you can get in town. We were so dismayed with the accomodation here, we checked out that day and moved into town where we stayed in a fabulous room with all the mod cons for only US$35. In their defence, Carolyn was very understanding about our quick departure and said this place 'wasn't for everyone'. So if you want very little for your mega bucks, then stay here. My advise is to not waste your precious money here!

So when my friend and I decided to take a trip to Laos and didn't know a single person who went there, all we had was our Lonely Planet guide published in 2006. Needlessly to say, when it came time to choose a hotel we only went with the Nam Kham Villas because it looked liked like one of the more pretty guesthouses available, was away from the hustle and bustle of the town and was situated by the Nam Khan river. Groovy right?

Well, when we got into town we had no idea how much to tip the driver, or what the current Kip to Dollar ratio was. We had some idea of what we wanted to do in Laos but generally just wanted to relax, meet the people, see the views, and eat some delicious food! So when we met the owner, Carolyn Madge, we were delighted that she spoke English very well and knew everything about Laos backwards and forwards - and we're talking about authentic Laos, not fake Laos as presented in parts of town and in a 2 hour tour for $5. She was hospitable and welcomed us to take a trip down the nearby walking path taken by local school children to the weaving village. We walked through mini-hills and then a mini-forrest that followed the river and were the only foreigners for as far as we could see. Everyone was super nice and we tooled around there for half a day. There was also a temple up the hill from the guesthouse we stayed in.

The amazing thing about this location is that you wake up and your balcony will overlook the river which you can hear flowing past you; you can hear children playing in the distance; you can hear monks in the morning; at night you can hear all manner of forrest creatures - it was amazing, I was never happier to be tucked as far away from Los Angeles as I was the time I was there!

One night Carolyn cooked for us and we had a delicious chicken meal for me and vegetarian meal for my friend - non stop wine and Carolyn's son made us a wonderful bonfire to keep our feet warm when it got chilly at night. The whole delicious meal cost something like $6 and was so nice- my friend and I chatted the night away after hiking for 6 hours in the morning and shopping in the afternoon, we had great music, great wine and food, and Carolyn checked in and joined the conversation - sharing her experiences in Laos and with the community.

In the mornings we were greeted by Kam Phan who helped with the breakfast (which was included in the room rate and came with so many yummy fruits I can't find in the states). We got to know him very well, and we even email back and forth occasionally since we've left.

The experience was exactly what I was looking for and if your going to Laos for the first time Carolyn is like having a mom away from home - she knows the ins and outs of town and can really help point you in the right direction! The other great thing is that to go into town you can take a tuk tuk for $3-$5 or you can walk for about 10 minutes. I highly suggest staying here just for the walks! You see so much happening around you and cross over two bridges with views and sounds that are breath taking. I met several of the same people during my time there just by walking the same route over and over, it made me really feel at home and warm.

Lastly - I should add that my friend and I wanted to get a sense of what it would be like to stay in town for awhile too. So half way into our trip we switched guesthouses and moved into town. It's definitely nice to be in the center of town but the room was smaller, had a funny smell, the sounds were of people cooking and talking (not monks and rivers flowing and animals), there was a lot of dust and like, building material smells/fumes from the development in town, and I just felt like I was a tourist when I stayed there. The only good thing about switching mid-way is that you can catch alms at 5 or 6 am. But you can do that at Carolyn's if you have her call a tuk tuk for you in advance. If you can afford it, relax and stay at the Nam Khan Villas. It's just more authentic.

Also! - the power went out in all of Luang Prabang for 3 nights in a row while I was there. While talking to some folks in a cooking class I took one day in town, I learned that all of them (who stayed in town) had cold water in their showers; but my friend and I had warm water that morning because Carolyn has a special unit installed that doesn't rely on the city's electricity. Don't ask me how it works but I was warm and toasty during my shower - and don't underestimate the suckiness of a cold shower! I quickly learned that when I moved in town toward the end of my trip! :(