Huay Xai
Where to lay your head
Where to lay your head
Huay Xai has a good range of accommodation from cheap guesthouses through to quite comfortable midrange small hotels. Some of them have Thai mobile numbers so calling ahead from Thailand is an option. The cheapies fill up fast. A few of the guesthouses overlook the Mekong River -- recommended!
This place just beats Friendship Guesthouse in the ultra-cheapie category mainly because the rooms are brighter and there's not as much broken stuff. As well, the WiFi works in your room, which is hard to come by in Huay Xai. Rooms are basic, but they smell fresh and clean – the staff here have made an effort. Some rooms have shared hot water bathrooms and others have private ones and all can... Read our full review of Phonethip Guesthouse.
Friendship Guesthouse is one of the most popular cheapies in town despite being rundown and super basic. The beds come with a mattress that manages to be hard and saggy at the same time, old clean threadbare sheets and blankets and the bathrooms have hot water and Western toilet -- but there are maintenance issues in every room with door handles broken, holes in doors and fixtures missing.... Read our full review of Friendship Guesthouse.
This guesthouse feels fresh and new compared to many in town and will suit even the fussiest budget traveller. Each room comes with a fairly comfortable bed with newish sheets, bright clean floors, TV, sparkling bathrooms and seemingly regular maintenance such that nothing appears to be broken or falling apart. The free WiFi is accessible in all of the rooms and the owner is a helpful chap eager... Read our full review of Kaupjai Guesthouse.
( Read more on Agoda.com )
Set right on the Mekong next to the slow boat dock, Phonevicith's more expensive, newer rooms have terrific views across the river to Thailand and boast sparkling floors, new beds with reasonable quality linen, cable TV, WiFi and a few bits of furniture. We think it’s a tad better than Riverside Houaysay Hotel in terms of friendliness, character and brightness – the new rooms get lots of... Read our full review of Phonevicith Guesthouse.
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This is the best hotel in Huay Xai and it's priced accordingly. The large multi-storey hotel caters to large tour groups and travellers not willing to go cheap and because of that, it's often full in high season. The rooms come in two styles – those with views and those without. The ones with views look out over the Mekong and as the sun sets, there aren't too many better spots to be – except... Read our full review of Riverside Houaysay Hotel.
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Much like Sabaydee Guesthouse across the road, Oudomphone has been around for years offering simple clean rooms to travellers and it has become a popular backpacker choice. They come with a TV and hot water bathrooms and a smattering of free WiFi – it works in some rooms and not others. The rooms could all use a lick of paint. There's also a choice of air-con rooms here but you won't need that... Read our full review of Oudomphone Guesthouse 2.
( Read more on Agoda.com )
Just up the lane from the slow boat pier is Phuean Kaew Guesthouse 2, a new sparkling white two-storey building. The rooms are sparse and basic, but they do come with towels, drinking water and hot water bathrooms with Western toilet. Some rooms are spacious though quite empty feeling and one bathroom we saw had the toilet in the middle of the bathroom and the shower directly over it. Aside from... Read our full review of Phuean Kaew Guesthouse 2.
( Read more on Agoda.com )
Along with Kaupjai Guesthouse, Sabaydee Guesthouse ranks as the best clean and simple budget accommodation in Huay Xai. Close to the centre of town, the multi-storey concrete building has rooms with hard beds with fuzzy blankets, TV and a small bedside table or desk. The hot water bathrooms are spacious by Lao standards. Some will love the communal areas on each floor where you can surf the WiFi... Read our full review of Sabaydee Guesthouse.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
Just across the corner from Phonethip, at the top of the old immigration office/boat crossing ramp, Gateway Villa Hotel offers rooms with hot water bathrooms and Western toilets. The hallways are quirky and some of the twin beds share a platform. A few rooms come with flatscreen TV, fridges and all have free WiFi. We don't particularly like the thin cardboard-like walls which do nothing for... Read our full review of Gateway Villa Hotel.
There's nothing wrong with the rooms at the concrete multistorey monolith that is Thaveesinh. It's just that they're a bit bland for the price and the bed coverings are of the same quality as the cheapie places in town – gaudy and dated. Rooms have standard Lao beds with poor quality sheets, old TVs, hot water bathrooms that could do with more light and some have old air-con units. Free WiFi is... Read our full review of Thaveesinh Hotel.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
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