Mekong Riverside Lodge

The hotel is an easy two-minute walk from the slow boats' launch. Our room looked out over the Mekong, and the breakfast was wonderful. The owner might be the nicest man in Laos. Highly recommend a night here.

Fine for a night, but too expensive for what you get. They greeted us warmly and picked us up at the pier. The wooden rooms were very basic and more or less clean, and the bed was uncomfortable. We could hear everything from the neighboring rooms, the street and the pier, where there was a lot of activity overnight. None of us slept well, so it didn't feel like good value.

The view and being close to the “dock” were the only real positives. The room smelled of sewage, had no insulation and only thin blankets, so at 10 degrees in winter it was freezing. We heard every word our neighbors said, and they stayed up late. Trucks rumbled past constantly because of road construction. The shoddy construction left holes above the door; at least the cold kept mosquitoes down, since there are no screens. Do not stay here.

Being right by the boat landing made everything easy, especially for getting to the boat early. We loved the room's stunning river views and unbeatable balcony. It was basic but more than adequate for sleeping between boats, and very quiet at night. There's no aircon, but the ceiling fan and standing fan were enough. Staff were friendly, took our bags down in the morning by tricycle, and made us a very good fried rice and chicken lunch for the boat. We didn't regret eating at the restaurant the night before, which seemed the best option around the pier. Staying here really adds to the slow boat experience. The breakfast was extremely basic. On arrival, nobody offered to collect our bags, though it wasn't far, just a bit uphill. The mosquito net has seen better days but still works.