Jump to a destination

Joes' Guesthouse

Great location and basic rooms

What we say

Photo of Joes' Guesthouse, 135/01 Fa Ngum Rd, Vientiane. , Vientiane
Add to scrapbook
Read reviews
Add review
A good rival to the nearby Orchid, Joe's occupies an excellent position right on the riverfront. The rooms are set over two floors above the large reception area, which also houses a cafe with beverages, and the shared bathrooms are kept spotlessly clean. The single rooms are rather cramped, and most don't have any outside windows, but the double rooms are a good size and those at the front have excellent views over the river. Beds are firm and bathrooms are small, but what you'd expect in this price range. The owners seem to have little concern for improvements and repairs but the staff are friendly and happy to offer assistance. Careful not to get locked out -- the place closes shop at midnight.

Contact details:
135/01 Fa Ngum Rd, Vientiane. T: (021) 241 936 F: (021) 215 848
Contact via email form

What we were quoted*

Type of room	Low season	High season	Notes
Dbl air-con private b'room	130,000 Kip	130,000 Kip
Dbl air-con share b'room	110,000 Kip	110,000 Kip
Dbl fan share b'room	80,000 Kip	80,000 Kip
Sgl fan share b'room	50,000 Kip	50,000 Kip

* Travelfish researchers visit and review properties on an anonymous basis. By that we mean they show up, in person, and pretend to be either be a potential guest, or somebody looking for a room for a friend or relative. Where possible the researcher will inspect at least a couple of rooms. The rates you see above are what either the desk staff told us they were, or what were in the brochure when they just told us to quit bugging them and look in the brochure. For mid-range hotels and up, always shop around online for a competitive rate. Click here to find out more about what makes Travelfish different with regards our accommodation reviews.

Added to Travelfish on: 9th October, 2006
Last visited or updated on: 31st July, 2008

Joes' Guesthouse reviews

Read 8 opinions from Travelfish readers

closed
when I was in Vientiane on December 25, 2009, Joe's had been closed already

Joes' Guesthouse reviewed by jobst ( total comments: 17 )
Stayed here /

Option for room w/ private b'room not great - 6th July, 2009
Stayed for a night and though it was perfectly comfortable, we paid $16 for air-con room, and it was kind of stuffy, bed was rather uncomfortable, no TV or fridge or anything... Ended up moving to Wonderland 2 Guest house, centrally located near That Dam, and found very nice rooms for only $15.

Joes' Guesthouse reviewed by DLuek on 6th July, 2009, rated 3 out of 5.
Stayed here 4/2009
This is a Travelfish recommended reviewer
Total reviews submitted: 11.
DLuek also reviewed: Chantana House, Cong Doan Hotel, Mitr Paisal Hotel, Phimai Paradise Apartment, Phu Hoa, Ratchathani Hotel, T&T Guesthouse, Tamarind Guesthouse, Thai Nhi Mini Hotel, Tokyo Mansion.

A bargain! - 10th January, 2008
Stayed in dle fan and shared bathroom. Room and bathroom both impeccably clean. Some of the staff were very helpful (and humorous!). Would stay here again.

Joes' Guesthouse reviewed by srsdj on 10th January, 2008, rated 4 out of 5.
Stayed here 12/2007
This is a Travelfish recommended reviewer
Total reviews submitted: 11.
srsdj also reviewed: Attapeu Palace, Boulaven Guesthouse, Le Jardin Organique Vang Vieng, Pakse Hotel, Saysekong Hotel, Sedone River Guesthouse, Souksamlane Hotel, Sunset Guesthouse, The Tadlo Lodge, Thong Bay Guesthouse.

THIS GUESTHOUSE IS CLOSED! - 17th July, 2009
This guesthouse is being rebuilt. Doesn't look anywhere near opening either. We arrived this morning and all we were greeted by was a cement mixer and some sand.

Joes' Guesthouse reviewed by nathandjen on 17th July, 2009, rated 1 out of 5.
Stayed here 7/2009
Total reviews submitted: 6.
nathandjen also reviewed: Baanrimtaling Home Stay, J&J Guesthouse, Julie Guest House, Phonethip Guesthouse, Tao Thong Villa.

I loved it - 20th March, 2009
Stayed here for a week in April 2008.My room was next to a shared bathrom and a window backing onto a kitchen in the next building, but for $8 I can accept that. Basic facilities only and should just be considered a place to sleep. BUT I LOVED IT! Staff were great! The night Nazi, Mo, was a big softie. Mrs Joe was wonderful and special Hi to Angela! Vibe is set by the people staying there and while I was there it was a great guest crowd and staff. Basic, but clean, well run and friendly. Straight across the road form Night food stalls is a bonus. Oh and watch the midnight close.... but the right approach ;)with Mo and shell growl and let you in.

Joes' Guesthouse reviewed by Straytez on 20th March, 2009, rated 4 out of 5.
Stayed here 4/2008
Total reviews submitted: 2.
Straytez also reviewed: suk 11.

Read 3 more reviews

Going Downhill - 20th March, 2009
It's definitely cheap but you can feel this place sliding. There were holes in the wall of my room and I'm not sure what exactly was smeared on my walls (but I also don't really want to guess). The bed really, really, really needed a new mattress. I'm all for roughing it and love a bargain, but the owner here really needs to update things if he expects people to come back. The women who run the front desk are also quite busy texting or watching TV.

Joes' Guesthouse reviewed by theworldisgettingsmaller on 20th March, 2009, rated 2 out of 5.
Stayed here 3/2009
Total reviews submitted: 2.
theworldisgettingsmaller also reviewed: Lani Guesthouse.

Good Choice, Good Location - 28th January, 2008
We stayed three nights here in October 2007. We had a double room with a fan and VERY clean shared washroom. I think it cost about US$8. Rooms fill up quickly so if you arrive in mid-afternoon you're probably not going to get a room -- try again the next morning.

Joes' Guesthouse reviewed by evan2112 on 28th January, 2008, rated 5 out of 5.
Stayed here 10/2007
Total reviews submitted: 11.
evan2112 also reviewed: Dai Long Hotel, Garden House, Hai Yen, Lamphu House, Mom Guesthouse, New My House Guest House, Orchid Guesthouse, Smiley's Guesthouse, TAT Guest House.

Minimise these reviews

Have your say

Review title

Shortness and snappiness are encouraged ;-)

When did you stay here?

Your review

(Remotely sensible, non-ranting comments are much appreciated. If you don't like somewhere, please explain why and perhaps go and add a comment for somewhere you did like -- it's all far more helpful for others that way.)
Serial ranters, loons and spammers will be banished!

So how does it rate?
On a scale of one to ten (with 10 being outstanding and 1 being bloody awful) how would you rate Joes' Guesthouse for the following criteria?

Note: Ratings are OUT OF TEN -- not five!
We just set them at 5 (average) to get you started.

Cleanliness:
Location:
Overall facilities:
Romance:

Room quality:
Staff:
Value:
Vibe:

Please note comments may be edited for clarity, typos etc. Also, this is not intended as a means to contact the guesthouse or hotel. Messages such as reservation enquiries will be deleted -- as will ranting tirades, spam and anything else that really belongs outside.

Please login and refresh this screen before writing your review -- thanks!

More places to stay

Hotel Beau Rivage Mekong
Hotel Beau Rivage is one of the few riverside lodgings to fully take advantage of the natural beauty surrounding it. Floor to ceiling windows grace bo ... more

Lani Guesthouse
Tucked up a small lane next to Wat Hai Sok, the Lani is a beautiful, quiet and spacious old Lao house with antiques and local handicrafts liberally sc ... more

Lao Plaza
A luxurious choice in the heart of the city, Lao Plaza has all the amenities you'd expect in this price range. Rooms are spacious and outfitted in hus ... more

Mali Namphu
The wide, open entrance is an attractive introduction to this stylish guesthouse, which is one of the nicest places to stay in the centre of Vientiane ... more

RD Guesthouse
The owners of this cheerful and bright guesthouse invite guests to relax and dream away and with a setup like this, it's not hard to do. Rooms ... more

Riverine Hotel
Well-situated just across from the river, Riverine Hotel is a more upscale choice than your average guesthouse, but doesn't quite deliver the standard ... more

Settha Palace Hotel
The Settha Palace is regarded by some as the best hotel in Laos. It certainly is absolutely stunning with a large foyer branching off into a small caf ... more

Tai Pan Hotel
The Tai-Pan is a smart, business-oriented hotel close to the river with a business centre, gym and swimming pool. As you would expect, standards are h ... more

Thong Bay Guesthouse
A little out of the main guesthouse area, the recently renovated Thong Bay is a sanctuary of beauty and tranquillity. It's a traditional Lao house set ... more

Day Inn Hotel
The long-established Day Inn occupies a good central location and retains a charming ambience inside and out, though the initial appearance may be sli ... more

Don Chan Palace Hotel
No one can miss the peach-coloured 14-storey monolith that occupies a sandbank in the middle of the Mekong River at the southeast corner of the city. ... more

Douang Deuane Hotel
Douang Deuane is a large, fading typical Lao hotel that houses clean twin-share rooms with air-con, fridge, bath, balcony, safety deposit boxes and ca ... more

Dragon Lodge
Dragon Lodge is a colourfully painted building with a dimly lit restaurant on the ground floor, and light, airy rooms above. The restaurant and bar co ... more

Khamkoun Hotel
The Khamkhoun, set in an attractive wooden building with a terracotta-tiled roof, is in a very busy location just up from the bus station. Nevertheles ... more

Lao Orchid Hotel
The Lao Orchid is among the latest of the more upscale developments in Vientiane. It's an interesting contrast to the rest of the accommodation in thi ... more