Fodor's Expert Review Le Calao Inn

Fronting the Mekong and just down the street from Wat Xieng Thong, this small hotel was resurrected from a ruined mansion built by a Portuguese merchant in 1904. Four guest rooms upstairs open onto a colonnaded veranda to views of the river and the hills beyond. The two rooms on the lower floor, each with three beds, are larger and have private terraces, but are a bit dark. Because of the hotel's small size and popularity, it's highly advisable to book ahead November through April or ask about the owner's similar properties nearby.