Region: Northwest Vietnam> Province: Hoa Binh> Location: Mai Chau
Mai Chau and surrounds guesthouses and hotels
There are many dozens of accommodation options in the ethnic villages, and more are being built as you read this. And yet, there is little to differentiate one place from the next -- they're all traditional stilt houses with large communal rooms where you can sleep on a mat laid upon a squeaky, split bamboo floor, for just about the same cheap price everywhere. The sleeps are really a loss leader -- they make the real money off the food you eat, and the curios and textiles you buy. Not to mention, the liquor you drink. A typical charge is 100,000 VND per person for dinner, breakfast, and a bed. You could save 'small money' by eating in town, but family-style Vietnamese cooking is generally far superior to restaurant fare, and you wouldn't want to miss out on the nightly group meals. There's also a new luxury option near the village, and you can stay in a regular Vietnamese guest house in town if you like.
Backpacker
Under US$10
Guest House 15 - Everything a homestay should be
Pom Coong Village, Mai Chau
Tel: (0218) 867 911;
Not that this place is in any way extraordinary, but it illustrates two things about homestays in Mai Chau. First, Pom Coong village in general supplies a more authentic, laid back experience. ... Guest House 15 complete profile
Backpacker
Under US$10
Guest House 1 - Wonderfully friendly
Lac Village, Mai Chau
Tel: (0218) 867 019;
The owners here are wonderfully friendly and helpful and manage a good kitchen. Expect a large room with rattan flooring on which sleeping mats are arranged under mosquito nets. There are two large ... Guest House 1 complete profile
Luxury
US$100+
Mai Chau Lodge - Luxurious and romantic
Near the turn to the villages, Mai Chau
Tel: (018) 868 958; Fax: (018) 868 952
This new entry into the Mai Chau accommodation market goes by the slogan, Live the culture ... stay in comfort. Now, the whole point of staying Mai Chau is the 'homestay' style experience you get in ... Mai Chau Lodge complete profile
Backpacker
Under US$10
Guest House 1 - A larger option
Poom Village, Mai Chau
Tel: (0218) 867 318;
This is a larger place with two big communal rooms and pleasant views of the adjacent lily pond. As elsewhere in the villages,showers are communal, however this guesthouse had more showers than the ... Guest House 1 complete profile
Backpacker
Under US$10
Guest House 19 - The smaller the village the bigger the intrigue
Lac Village, Mai Chau
Tel: (018) 867 255;
This house offers the standard communal rooms on the field side of the road, which perhaps gives you a closer view of the rice harvest but the difference between here and others is barely ... Guest House 19 complete profile
Backpacker
Under US$10
Guest House 5 - Communal room has tv
Lac Village, Mai Chau
Tel: (018) 867 075;
This guest house is along the main drag into town, which can get a bit crowded with tour buses during the day. It's a homey place that combines a large communal room with three private rooms. The ... Guest House 5 complete profile
Flashpacker
US$10 to 20
Ngoc Bach - If you need to stay in town
House 100, Quarter 2, Mai Chau
Tel: (018) 867 340;
If for any reason you're not in the market for a homestay (bad back, case of the trots, etc.) this is a very decent option 4.5 km from the turn to the villages, along the road on the way into town. ... Ngoc Bach complete profile
Backpacker
Under US$10
Guest House 2 - A little tatty
Lac Village, Mai Chau
Tel: (0218) 868 587;
The first cab off the rank as you enter Lac Village, and it seems to be the most popular. It's located right on the main road, just passed the village gate, with good views of the rice fields. They ... Guest House 2 complete profile
Updates and new places
Do you know somewhere we don't list? Please consider adding it to the New Additions section of the Travelfish messageboard.