15 Best Hotels in Laos

Located on the riverside a bit north of downtown, this hotel is popular both for its lodging and restaurant, which features Mexican, Lao, Indian, Thai, and Mediterranean food. Rooms are modern, spacious, and comfortable, with air-conditioning and televisions. Breakfast is one of the best in town.

This hotel is clean, comfortable, and centrally located to the heart of the action in Phonsavan. 

This modern and clean Thai-style flashpacker hotel within walking distance of the bus station has large rooms, most with small balconies; sturdy beds; and decent-sized bathrooms—all great perks at this price range. The friendly and helpful reception is set next to a small café and restaurant, and they can assist with booking taxis.

Rooms here are simple but clean, with comfortable beds, hot showers, TVs, air-conditioning, and fans—all luxuries in this neck of the woods. Wi-Fi is available throughout, and for the price, this guesthouse is a great value. On the main road it's a good choice if you're spending the night in Oudomxay on the way to or from Phongsaly.

Of Ban Muang Ngoi's many simple guesthouses, this one is probably the best. It has 17 clean and spacious bungalows with plain white walls, fans, wooden decks and floorboards, and good mosquito netting. There's also a very good restaurant, which overlooks the river and has the best sunset views in town.

Pakse's oldest hotel was refurbished in 2018 and keeps offering well-maintained, centrally located rooms, though the deluxe ones are better value. They're furnished in bamboo and rattan, and have large beds, river views, a writing desk and chairs, and decent-sized bathrooms. The rooftop terrace and restaurant area is a pleasant sunset retreat, with a fine view of the town and surrounding countryside.

Nestled on the southern edge of town, these bungalows of bamboo thatch are a simple and good enough base for exploring the area. A plus is the fact that it's owned by a local tour company, so can assist you in getting farther afield. 

The enormous Mekong Riverview rooms with terraces are the way to go at this inviting riverside property. All the rooms are modern and well-equipped, with flat-screen TVs, safes, minibars, and other amenities. The beautiful swimming pool, a marvelous place to lounge, edges the river. The hotel arranges afternoon boat cruises to see the Khone Phapheng waterfall, helpful for visitors without the time to head down to Don Khon.

Family-run guesthouses are common in Luang Prabang, but this one stands out for making patrons feel right at home. The Rattana sisters, Somsanith and Somporn; their mother; and their adopted daughter are extremely knowledgeable and helpful (one sister works for an established tour operator, the other is a doctor). Rooms are bright, clean, and comfortable. Rooms 101 and 102 have small balconies; note that 102 has a detached, though private, bath. There's no restaurant.

About a third of the wood-floor rooms in this midtown hotel (not to be confused with the similarly named Houayxay Riverside) have superb Mekong River views. All rooms come with air-conditioning, TVs, hot water, and minibars, and the adjoining restaurant is among Huay Xai's best options for a meal with a memorable view. The Riverside, next to the former ferry crossing to Chiang Khong, Thailand, is a decent choice for a convenient night's rest. 

Spotless and super cheap, this place in the center of town is the ideal Luang Prabang guesthouse. Rooms are basic but have TVs and private bathrooms. Best of all, it's near several bakeries: the Croissant d' Or is next door, and the Luang Prabang Bakery and Scandinavian Bakery are just across the road.

The large rooms here have flat-screen TVs, electric kettles, and large en-suite bathrooms, elevating the Sengphachan above most other accommodations in town.

This charming hotel feels almost like a ski chalet, as it sits on a small hill with views of town. Rooms are cozy and some even have fireplaces for the cold winters here (it can get down to freezing). The decor is reminiscent of American national park lodges, with white stucco, stone walls, and antlers as decor.

It might look a bit uninspiring from the outside, but the spotless refurbished rooms here have all the bells and whistles that travelers come to expect, even in such a remote part of Laos. The old historic downtown area is just outside the door.

This guesthouse is a stone's throw away from everything---even the night market is just across the street---with rooms that are wood-paneled and comfortable enough between treks. Some rooms are fan-cooled, while others have air-conditioning. The hotel's restaurant is also a good option for a meal or two.