Vang Vieng Freedom View

The staff made the place feel like a family, and I got such a warm welcome at Vang Vieng Freedom Hostel. The reception team were hardworking and wonderful. My only reservations are that the rooms need some renovation and more care with cleanliness. Still, the atmosphere and friendly service made my stay worthwhile, and I can tell they’re doing their best to improve things.

There was mold throughout the room, the air conditioning didn’t work, and we had no hot water. I asked to move rooms the next day because I had a high fever and really needed working AC to rest in the afternoon. The receptionist on duty was watching videos on his phone and seemed annoyed that I’d interrupted him. He showed no interest or empathy and didn’t help. We’d paid 300,000 kip for a private room, but you can get much better accommodation in Vang Vieng for that price. The sheets clearly hadn’t been washed. We only noticed at bedtime because they smelled horribly damp. When we told reception, they said it was too late to change them, and we had to insist before getting a clean blanket. The reception staff were extremely unfriendly and unhelpful the whole time. Not one smile, and every conversation felt like we were a nuisance. This was easily the worst hostel I stayed in in Laos. I absolutely wouldn’t recommend it. The hygiene is poor, things are broken, and the staff simply don’t care about guests.

It’s clean, but it needs a lot of maintenance and proper Wi-Fi. The guests would keep it in better condition if they had better manners.

After staying in a few dozen hostels around Southeast Asia, I can say this one was the worst by far. The rooms were dirty, there were bugs, the toilets were broken, and the service was worse than any I’d experienced. I’d avoid it.