Champa Pandaw Cabins

Editor Rating
4.5
Very Good
Cabins
Chris Gray Faust
Executive Editor, U.S.

All of the boat's 16 rooms are an identical 168 square feet, with the only difference being that two are on the upper deck. These could be considered more desirable because they are away from engine noise and also because passengers can access the boat's often-limited Wi-Fi from these cabins. (You can't get service in the boat's other cabins.) There are no phones, mini-bars or TVs in the cabins.

The teak that graces the rest of the boat carries into the cabins, which have wood floors, chair-height wood paneling and attractive wood-slatted closet and bathroom doors. Framed Laotian textiles are on the walls. All cabins have two firm yet comfy beds, topped with duvets, that can be left as twins or combined into a single. Two bedside tables and a vanity table with a rattan stool are the only other furniture in the room.

Storage is adequate, with two drawers under the beds and one closet with several hangers. Suitcases can fit in a cabinet under the bed. Two hooks in the cabin provide a nice spot to hang daypacks and jackets.

All cabins have a double set of sliding floor-to-ceiling doors that face the communal covered walkway circling the boat. The inner pair of doors is glass, and you shut them to keep the room air-conditioned (a necessity in the hot and humid climate). The outer pair of slatted doors is screened, so you can enjoy breezes in the winter while still keeping out mosquitoes. A heavy set of blackout curtains completes the doors. They truly work; when everything is closed and all lights are out, you won't be woken up by the sun.

Lighting in the rooms is adequate, with overhead lights as well as lamps on the bedside tables. The room could use a few more outlets; we found we had to unplug our bedside lamps so we could charge our devices. Each room's other outlet is by the vanity. All outlets are international, so it doesn't matter what kind of plug you have -- you're covered.

Bathrooms are also teak paneled from floor to ceiling, and they're surprisingly large, as is the walk-in tile shower. The shower has two faucets -- the upper nozzle an adjustable rain showerhead -- both have excellent water pressure. A cute row of elephant-themed hooks allows you to hang towels and toiletry bags. Toiletries include Thann-branded shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and body milk, as well as Pandaw-branded soap bars. You're warned not to drink the tap water, but bottled water is provided and plentiful. A hair dryer is under the sink in each cabin.

Other cabin amenities include a kimono and slippers, a bag for laundry service and a safe. To reduce waste, Pandaw now provides branded metal water bottles that can be filled up at two filtered water stations onboard.

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