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First, the positives. The location doesn’t get more convenient than this. It is smack dab in the middle of the main street, equidistant to the tourism information office and the northern bus station, both about a 450 m walk away. It’s also right at the foot of the stairs to Wat Phu That hill. The lobby has some tables and chairs, a guest computer, drinking water dispenser and hot water with free tea and coffee. Litthavixay Guesthouse is also a Lao Airlines ticketing agent and can help with other travel arrangements. The owners know enough English to communicate the basics. They are accustomed to independent travellers and everything is well set up for it.

Homely rooms. Photo: Cindy Fan

Rooms on the ground floor don’t receive natural light so we recommend heading upstairs. The rooms come with private hot water bathrooms and Western toilets, flatscreen TV with cable channels, a desk and a chair, large windows that can be opened, beds with clean sheets and fast WiFi. Bathrooms show the most wear and tear. They are small, with cracked tiles and the water pressure for the hot showers are a little weak. This is the disappointing part as the owners normally make an effort to keep everything neat, working and maintained. We noticed they had put up a for lease sign. They’ve seen the writing on the wall with tourism in Udomxai: fewer and fewer backpackers are visiting the town.

Litthavixay is not as reliable a pick as in the past, yet it still has enough going for it to attract the independent traveller needing a place for a night or two, especially if wanting to stay easy walking distance to the northern bus station. Look for the bright green building beside the ostentatious gated mansion.