Vang Vieng
The dorms here are, not surprisingly, army themed – militantly minimalist, with camouflage sheets and green footlockers – and are more interesting than…
Must-see hotels in Laos
Central Laos
All rooms here have fan or air-con, and although some are smaller than others, they are fresh with firm beds and en suite with very hot water. There is…
Vang Vieng
This old-timer has spacious rooms with wall art, private bathrooms and balconies, although any river views have largely been blocked. There's a breezy…
Vientiane
Unexciting and small, if capable, rooms in a central location. Note that the cheapest rooms are on the 5th floor, and there's no lift. Downstairs is a…
Vientiane
A hostel with cheerful orange walls (although not much natural light) and dorms accommodating four to 10 beds. Safety deposit lockers, free breakfast …
Phu Hin Bun NPA & Tham Kong Lor
Boasting the closest location to Tham Kong Lor is this attractive yet overpriced cluster of 30 rooms. The restaurant features a terrace with views to the…
Don Det & Don Khon
Great-value digs with welcoming, clean rooms, good service and a quiet location. The cheapest rooms are on the river; the newer air-con rooms are across…
Northern Laos
Clean and central, these digs have a pleasant breakfast cafe and spacious nondescript rooms with bathrooms. While nothing spectacular, it's one of the…
Northern Laos
Close to the caves, this little guesthouse has six super-fresh rooms with pink walls, private bathrooms, fans, clean linen and double beds. Oh, and rather…
Vientiane
Clean, comfy and cheap, the only downside being that it's a trek to get 'downtown' and tuk-tuks can be hard to find at night. There are a couple of…
Northern Laos
Next to the bridge, this guesthouse has compact rooms with tiled floors, fans and low-set beds with fresh linen and blankets. You'll be glad to use their…
Bolaven Plateau Region
The rooms in this eye-catching pink building on the Se Kong north of the centre are relatively new and good value. Three of the 2nd-floor rooms in back…
Northern Laos
Beside the bus station and market, convenient three-storey Sivienkham offers large and house-proud rooms with comfy beds, hot showers and sit-down toilets.
Vang Vieng
A field of bungalows on the west bank, the more expensive of which are larger and come equipped with air-con and TV, all of which have great cliff views.
Luang Prabang
These houseproud wood-walled rooms are intimate (read as a bit small) with TV, armoire and private bathroom. There's also a balcony to sit and read on.
Northern Laos
Located on a riverbank, the friendly Phuet Mung Khun Guesthouse has neat little bungalows, plus a small restaurant. The owner speaks a little English.
Southern Laos
This friendly place has decent rooms that are very good value. The restaurant occupies a pleasant perch with great views over the Mekong.
Vientiane
Small, bland and aged feeling but tidy budget rooms. We would have loved to see more of the eponymous theme as established in the lobby.
Phu Hin Bun NPA & Tham Kong Lor
Kong Lor Eco Lodge has 12 spartan but clean rooms set back from the road. The small restaurant here is one of the more popular in town.
Vientiane Garden Boutique Hotel
Vientiane
Boutique is a relative term in this case, as the rooms here can feel a bit gaudy, but they're spacious and decent value.
Central Laos
The rooms at this modern-feeling place are plain but serviceable, and a lot less opulent than the lobby might suggest.
Savannakhet
This little guesthouse down a quiet street abloom in bougainvillea has clean but bare en suite rooms.
Northern Laos
Sengchaleurn Guesthouse has tidy rooms with air-con, bathroom and cool tile floors.
Southern Laos
In Ban Phapho (Phapho Village), 10km east of Kiet Ngong, this homestay has four small, ultra-simple rooms in the family's wooden house. The bathroom is…
Southern Laos
Perpetually popular with backpackers despite the rundown rooms (in a mix of wooden and concrete construction) due to both the low prices and the hearty…
Women Union Development Center
Bolaven Plateau Region
Some 650m southwest of the market, next to the Sekong Hotel, the rooms here are simple (all rooms share cold-water bathrooms) but better than you'd expect…
Bolaven Plateau Region
Quaint it is not. In fact it looks pretty rundown. But the location, on the river at the eastern terminus of the bridge, is not bad and you can get a view…
Don Det & Don Khon
These ageing split-bamboo bungalows perched over the river hark back to Don Det's old days of US$1 rooms. Though things are bare bones, and the cold-water…
Bolaven Plateau Region
It doesn't get cheaper or more basic than this popular backpacker crash pad smack in the centre of town. It's just mattresses with mozzie nets on a floor…
Don Det & Don Khon
Basic and rustic bamboo-and-thatch tepees are arranged in a field about a 20-minute walk south of Ban Hua Det. The 'resort' embraces the natural life,…
Vientiane
Fit for a ghostly politburo meeting, this faded Mekong-facing monolith, with plastic reindeer listing on the manicured lawn, is a relic of Soviet…
Northern Laos
Has bags of rustic atmosphere, with its stilted wooden architecture and old-fashioned basic rooms. Run by a friendly Lao guy who speaks some English; food…
Don Det & Don Khon
Way down south on the sunset side of Don Det, this spartan guesthouse has basic dorms and bungalows at a bucolic little spot in the countryside. Over by…
Northern Laos
Rooms in this very central hotel are fair-sized and clean, if chintzy thanks to the pink floral wallpaper and lilac bedding. Heavy wooden furniture and…
Don Det & Don Khon
The small village of Ban Hang Khon at the southern tip of Don Khon – where the dolphin-watching trips start – offers an unadulterated local experience…
Bolaven Plateau Region
A sketchy-looking building, but a quiet location a block off the river. Don't even bother looking at rooms in the front section, but after the initial…
Don Det & Don Khon
At the south of Don Det, facing the strip on Don Khon, Mekong Dream is a homey place. The 11 rooms, all with private bathrooms and comfortable king-size…
Northern Laos
Set in a garden, this is the town's sole accommodation option. The 50,000K rooms are cell-like at best but the 90,000K rooms are larger and include TV and…
Luang Prabang
Did the owners forget to put the prices up at this rickety old wooden traditional house near the heart of the peninsula? Rooms are fan-cooled, rattan…
Northern Laos
The best of three cheapies on the main drag, the Sengsaly has uber-basic 80,000K rooms with clean bedding, bare walls, tiled floors and private bathroom…
