New Lane Xang AVANI+ Hotel to promote ‘Being Laos’ concept

A groundbreaking ceremony for construction of the new Lane Xang AVANI+ Hotel took place in central Vientiane yesterday, attended by the Mayor of Vientiane and shareholders in the Lane Xang Investment and Development Co., Ltd. and partners.
The Lane Xang Investment and Development Co., Ltd. will invest about US$40 million in the project as the main shareholder, in partnership with other entities to build the 200-room, five-storey hotel with underground parking and various hospitality services on a site of 4,600 square metres near the Mekong River on Fa Ngum Road.
Construction is expected to be complete within 30 months.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Director of the Lane Xang Investment and Development Co., Ltd., Mr Pham Duc Hung, said the new hotel would offer high quality, 5-star services and meet international standards.
It will have all the attributes expected of an international hotel while featuring Lao characteristics for the enjoyment of guests. The architect for the project is the Archetype Group, a French-based company.
The design concept is a mix of modern and old styles, meaning the new Lane Xang AVANI+ Hotel will be a modern facility but retain facets of Lao culture, reflecting the kindness of the Lao people, offering good hospitality, and promoting the country’s most attractive locations.
“Because of our commitment to ensure that all guests receive 5-star treatment and international-standard services, we selected the Minor Hotel Group Limited, which is a respected and professional international group with experience of administration and management in the hotel business and carries the AVANI+ trademark,” Mr Pham said.
Back in the 1950s, the old Lane Xang Hotel was one of the few hotels in Vientiane and the only place where foreign visitors stayed. It was a state-run hotel on what was then an unsurfaced road and was much closer to the Mekong River than the site is today.
It was built on the orders of President Souphanouvong and was considered a luxury venue, hosting many meetings, weddings, and other important events.
With the rapid growth of the economy in the 1990s, investment in hotels surged and parts of the hotel were modernised as competition for customers spiralled.
In 2008, the government agreed to the Thadluang Development Co., Ltd. partnering with the Vientiane Administration Office to establish the Lane Xang Hotel Co., Ltd. (today known as Lane Xang Investment and Development Co., Ltd.) to invest in, develop and manage the hotel business.
From 2008-2019, the company managed the hotel and maintained its services, although there were frequent discussions with the Vientiane Administration Office about the possibility of financing the construction of a new hotel.
At the end of 2019, senior officials in the Vientiane Administration Office agreed that Lane Xang Investment and Development Co., Ltd. would be the main shareholder in a project to rebuild the hotel, creating a 5-star facility at a cost of about US$40 million.
Mr Pham said that on January 1 this year the Vientiane Administration Office signed a co-share agreement with the Thadluang Development Co., Ltd., to start construction of the new Lane Xang AVANI+ Hotel.
“We have already received about US$12 million in investment funding from our co-contractor and are arranging for the remainder of the US$40 million to be paid,” he said.
The company’s aim is for construction to take 30 months but it hopes to shorten the timeframe by bringing on board Thanh An Co., Ltd., the construction company that built the new National Assembly.
The Deputy Director of Thanh An Co., Ltd., Mr Nguyen Chien, said the Lane Xang Hotel had always been popular and was a landmark in the city centre. It was therefore a good opportunity for the Thanh An company to work on this large project as the government had previously entrusted the company to work on other big projects in Laos, such as the National Assembly building.
“We will give our full attention to construction of the hotel, including closely monitoring our workers and selecting the best quality materials and equipment to ensure the outcome for the hotel is perfect. We are also fully complying with the construction regulations,” Mr Nguyen Chien said.
At the close of the ceremony, company executives thanked all the government officials involved in the project, especially the Mayor of Vientiane, for their support, as well as all partners working closely with them.
It is envisaged that the new Lane Xang Hotel will be one of the leading hotels in the capital, attracting guests because of its 5-star services combined with Lao traits, promoting the image of ‘Being Laos’ to all its valued customers.