Having previously traveled from Hanoi to Nanning by train I decided to try out going by land this time. This led me to the border city of Lang Son. After that I simply went on booking.com to find the best hotel in Lang Son. The Muong Thanh Hotel was the most expensive and it had a pool; I was sold.
Why the Muong Thanh Hotel?
Being a provincial northern Vietnamese city on the border of Pingxiang in China, there are relatively few tourists that travel through Lang Son.
Hotel-wise, most of the online options were cheap and to the point with Muong Thanh Hotel and one boutique hotel being the deluxe options. For me, the deciding factor was that the Muong Thanh Hotel was the only hotel in Lang Son to have a swimming pool.
What are the Muong Thanh Hotel rooms like?
I got the basic room, which was pretty big. It had cable TV and a shower, and even as the most expensive hotel in Lang Son, it still only set me back $40 a night.
Muong Thanh Hotel Location
The Muong Thanh Hotel is fairly central to Lang Son and about 10 minutes’ drive from the bus station; it is thus relatively easy to reach.
There are decent food and drink options within walking distance of Muong Thanh Hotel, as well as electronics markets and other fun stuff.
Muong Thanh Hotel – Facilities
The Muong Thanh Hotel has an awesome swimming pool which is the main draw, as it seems to be the only hotel in Lang Son that has one. A restaurant is onsite (that I did not check out), as well as a shop in reception that really reminded me of North Korea! What’s not to love?
Conclusion
I’m a huge fan of breaking up a journey, and whilst it is quite easy to jump on a bus and head directly from Hanoi to Nanning, in my opinion stopping off at backwaters like Cao Bang and Lang Son are what traveling is all about. Lang Son might not exactly be the centre of the universe, but like anywhere else in Vietnam it has great street and restaurant food, and friendly locals to shoot back a few beers with.
As for the Muong Thanh Hotel it’s hardly reinventing the wheel, but if you do find yourself in Lang Son then it’s worth spending $40 for that extra bit of luxury. Enjoy your last bit of unfettered internet before heading to the wrong side of the Great Firewall of China.
Leave a Reply