Awesome!! when you do you leave for Laos and when you leave Laos to come back home?
We will be in Laos for a few days in the last few days of December. We booked our hotel in Vientiane ($150 USD per night on Agoda). I've heard too many horror stories about staying in hotels in LAV52 where the main events are happening. If you are comfortable in sleeping on a bed that still have strays of hair, human fluids, used condoms under the bed, stinky (poo) atmosphere etc than you should be fine in any hotels. - for my own peace of mind and enjoyment of my trip I just wont risk it.
One word of advice though - you might want to buy your own pillow, bed sheets, doona etc when you get to Laos and carry it with you if you are planning on sleeping in any hotel and than just give it away when you come back home. My parents did that while they were over there as mum and dad couldn't stand the crap around them and on the bed (and they are not anal or clean freaks). Also don't forget insect repellent - a must, a lot of mozzies around!
You might want to hook up with a local to be your personal driver if you want to go to places or have someone who knows where they are going. You can hire a local and his car for around $30 −$50 a day depending on your budget. Only catch is you are also responsible for their accommodation, fuel and food UNLESS you negotiate this in your price (though you can't get away with the food part - its just a Hmong thing I guess and fuel). My parents hooked us up with a local they hired last time they were there, we are paying $40 a day including accommodation - word from a lot of people who's hired him before is that he is pretty good, different from your typical hmong guy.
My parents warned us not to have drinks with ice in them to avoid consuming contaminated water. It does and doesn't happen - really depends on your luck I guess...I know a few people who's gone there and had icy drinks and they were OK.
If I can think of anything else later - I will share....