MyBanLao Hotel shareholders and VIP guests cut a ribbon to officially open the hotel in Luang Prabang.

MyBanLao Hotel in Luang Prabang ready to welcome guests

A luxury hotel named MyBanLao in Luang Prabang province is now open to visitors, offering a full range of services and incorporating modern technology.
MyBanLao is located in Mano village, Luang Prabang city, only about 500 metres from the Luang Prabang night market. The hotel is jointly owned by Lao and Singaporean shareholders.
The grand opening of the hotel took place on March 1. The event was attended by Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office, Mr Khampheng Xaysompheng; the Ambassador of Singapore to Laos, Ms Leow Siu Lin; Vice President of the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr Daovone Phachanthavong, who is a Lao shareholder; Director of MyBanLao, Mr Kong Chong Jee; General Manager of MyBanLao, Mr Ninthala Keokhamphet; and special guests from Laos and other countries.

VIP guests and shareholders gather in Luang Prabang for the grand opening of MyBanLao Hotel.	VIP guests offer gifts to celebrate the opening of the hotel.

Mr Kong Chong Jee, said “Firstly, I would like to share the story of how we came to Laos. In 2007, I was travelling with a few friends, looking for an adventure. We realised pretty quickly that Luang Prabang has great potential as a tourist destination and can capture the hearts of international travellers with its unique cultural and natural strengths. It was here that we truly felt like home, hence MyLaoHome was started with the support of my parents. After running MyLaoHome and gaining management experience, in 2018 we took over Villa BanLao and begin its transformation into MyBanLao.”
The hotel has 58 rooms, a café, a restaurant, gym, swimming pool and a spa.
“This is a place our guests can truly feel at home, hence our motto ‘Arrive as a guest, depart as our family’. Every staff member is trained to deliver thoughtful, individualised service, and find new ways to surprise and delight our guests,”  Mr Kong Chong Jee said.
“We are the first hotel in Laos to install 120 solar panels in our car park and on roofs to power our property and electric vehicle charging stations. This helps to reduce the carbon footprint of guests staying with us.”
“Additionally, our guests can easily rent an electric car to visit the waterfall or explore the town with our electric bikes and vintage vehicles, creating a memorable and unique new experience during their stay in Luang Prabang,” he added.
Rooms start from US$120 a night for a double. The rate includes breakfast and a shuttle to and from the train station or the airport.
Mr Daovone said “MyBanLao Hotel is creating jobs for local people and we provide training for all our employees before they take up a job with us.”
“The hotel is conveniently located in the town centre, making it easy for guests to get around and see the sights. We offer top quality services because we provide electric cars for guests to rent,” he added.
Ambassador Leow Siu Lin said Singapore and Laos share strong people-to-people relations with frequent exchanges between student groups, government officials and political officeholders.
She shared the story ofMr Kong Chong Jee( Benny Kong) , who opened his first guesthouse MyLaoHome in 2007 and eventually branched out into tourism with a focus on sustainable travel, as well as an electric vehicle rental business, and the inception of MyBanLao.
With the lifting of travel restrictions following the wane of the Covid-19 pandemic, tourism is making a comeback and more and more people are flocking to Luang Prabang province and to Vangvieng and Meuangfeuang districts in Vientiane province.

MyBanLao Hotel in Luang Prabang city, Luang Prabang province.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update March 6, 2023)