You Empire Hostel & Bar

The WiFi was strongest in the lobby and could be intermittent in the rooms. My private room was spotless and comfortable, though, with dependable aircon in the tropical heat. There’s a light breakfast included, and the central location makes it easy to walk to lots of nearby restaurants. I also liked the cozy lobby bar, its good selection of drinks, and the billiards table for winding down after exploring. The staff at You Empire Hostel & Bar in Pakse were super friendly, with helpful local tips and tour bookings that made me feel welcome. Great value and atmosphere. I’ll be back!

The staff were kind and tried hard to help, but this was easily the most disappointing stay of our trip. The AC wasn’t working when we arrived, though staff fixed it by resetting the breaker. Later we learned there’s a rule against using AC from 7 AM to 1 PM, which wasn’t in the listing and made mornings uncomfortable. We also had no water from 7 AM until checkout. It may have been a city-wide problem, but there was no backup system. Our room was listed on Agoda as having a street view, but it didn’t, and the so-called “King” bed wasn’t king size and was so springy we felt every coil. The place felt dim and a bit somber. Old beer bottles and cigarette butts hadn’t been cleared from the outdoor common areas, and smoke drifted into the breakfast area. Coffee costs extra. At this price there are much better, cleaner and more upfront places nearby. It’s a case of getting what you pay for, but the maintenance problems still made it a real letdown compared with other places we stayed in Laos.

The lobby was alright and the staff were friendly, but the hostel feels past its prime and could use renovation. I think there may have been mice somewhere in the building. For the price, though, it’s okay.

The room was okay overall, with cold air conditioning and a comfortable bed, and housekeeping cleaned it every day. The staff are friendly and easy to talk to, more like hanging out with friends. If there’s nothing to do at night, you can sit around and have beers with them. Thai, Pla Nai and Am are especially cute and will drink with you until morning, haha. I might not have come if a friend hadn’t recommended the place.