Sofia Hostel

The hotel itself is nice, but be cautious about scams with the other services they offer. I stayed at Sofia hostel for a few nights and felt comfortable enough to book their slow boat tour to Laos. The Thailand part went smoothly, but on the Laos side, one of her coworkers took an extra $20 each from me and my travel friend for visas, with no clear reason. The tour leader said they shouldn't have charged us, but later stopped replying to my messages, and the problem was never resolved.

I was only booked for one night, but after seeing how nice it was for the price, I could have stayed several more. It was newly renovated, with new rooms and beds and a new store downstairs. I had seen a lot of bad reviews, though I figure they may have been from a few years back. It's low season at the moment, I think, so the room was nearly empty, with just one other person on the opposite side. Nice stay, and I'd come back.

It's disappointing after trusting them. I stayed at the hostel for a while and was comfortable enough to book a boat tour from Chiang Rai to Laos through their affiliate, "Laila group" Travel and visa agency. On top of the official tour and visa fees, a Laila staff member charged my travel companion and me an extra $20 each without explaining why. I raised it with the Laila group leader, who said it shouldn't have happened and promised to look into it. More than ten days later, there's still been no update or resolution. I hope this helps others make an informed choice and prompts the company to take responsibility.

The staff were nice, and you can get free coffee or rent a scooter or book a tour. The bathroom is downstairs and one of them is very sticky. The wooden bed felt too hard, and I couldn't sleep the first night because it was so hot. Probably best for a short stay.