Golden Lotus Guesthouse
This is a very nice little guesthouse with only a few rooms. My room to the front was spacious and clean. It had a comfortable double bed, TV with lots of channels for relaxing after a hard day sightseeing (or watch football games at night), and a well sized bathroom.
The other great thing about the guesthouse is the location. It is just off Sisavangvong Road, opposite of Wat Mai. The morning market is actually outside of the guesthouse, and I could look at the market from my room (no noise issue either). The night market is literally a 1 minute walk away, the night food market is 3 minutes away, and lots of restaurants and bars are all nearby. You really cannot ask for a more central location.
The staff is the final advantage of the Golden Lotus – they were always trying to help, provide recommendations, and also enjoyed a chat with the guests.
Other amenities include free tea facilities and a shared fridge in the lobby, the usual WiFi (with good connection on the first floor). They offer laundry service, and can arrange bus tickets as well. Finally, there was always someone in the lobby, even during the night (sleeping in the lobby), so you could come back to the guesthouse at any time (though they will remind you to be quiet so no other guests are disturbed by late comers).
Overall, it is a great guesthouse with a perfect location, and a fantastic value for the off-season price I paid (120.000 Kip). Though prices are higher during main season. But overall I would recommend it.
Rating: 8/10
(Stayed here October 2012)
Souksavath Guesthouse
This is a decent guesthouse located in a quiet side street just 2 minutes away from the tourist information centre and the nightmarket. For a large room (consisting a double and single bed), bathroom, A/C (not needed though) 100,000 Kip a night was good, especially with the good central location in a nice little street, which is the biggest advantage of the guesthouse. In the afternoon and in the evening the street is full of locals, kids playing with their bikes and football. It is a great place to experience the local life. Just a minute walk you are also at the riverfront of the Mekong with several food places.
The owner is friendly, and you can come home at any time (owner sleeps on the floor next to the entrance – front door is unlocked though).
A downside was that the room smelled a bit mouldy after 3 days, but it might have been the water of the bamboo. Also the room wasn’t cleaned once. I guess you have to ask. They also offer a laundry service as well.
For a budget traveller this is a good choice, and sharing a room will be the same price as staying in a hostel. For the price I would stay again…
Rating: 7/10 (great value for money)
(Stayed here November 2014)
