16 Best Hotels in Laos

This small hotel punches above its weight in style and charm, with six rooms named after local fruits and exploding in unique colorful touches. Families will love the hotel's intimate feel, the small but well-kept swimming pool, and convenient location---it's a short 5-minute walk to the night market. Breakfast offers a choice of Western style, healthy, or even local street food. The cozy restaurant area also doubles as the hotel bar.

A premier boutique hotel in a refurbished historical corner building, Residence Sisouk is luxurious and charming, with original hardwood flooring and a mix of old and new furnishings. The large rooms have charming four-poster beds, parquet floors, high ceilings, spacious en-suite bathrooms, and romantic wraparound balconies filled with potted plants.

Towering above the river in close proximity to Vang Vieng's tourist enclave, the Amari is popular with tour groups, but sleek rooms with walls of windows and attractive river-view balconies offset that nuisance. The complex is set around an impressive swimming pool next to the riverside, a perfect spot to end a day with a cocktail in hand.

With its white facade and balustrades and riverside location, this former shophouse complex is now a trendy boutique hotel. The reasonably priced rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows that face east, so you can catch the sunrise over the nearby mountains. Rooms 1 through 5 on the second floor have the best river or mountain views.

The old-world charm of this two-story building extends from spacious vintage-styled rooms to a lovely pool area, enclosed by long wooden planks. A cozy hall and restaurant welcome guests on the ground floor.

This relaxing Lao-Belgian-run guesthouse set in a quiet neighborhood about 2 miles out of town offers five clean and large rooms, some with balconies, in an authentic Lao mansion. The common areas feel homely, and the backyard—equipped with a seasonal swimming pool, hammocks, and a sala filled with cushions—is the perfect spot to while away the hours. They can help organize tours of the Plain of Jars, or rent motorbikes to the most adventurous travelers.

This small boutique hotel above the namesake Euro-inspired bistro offers a few good-value, squeaky-clean rooms that range from basic-but-stylish doubles to larger mini-studio apartments. Located up a side alley near the fountain square, it's a perfect option to stretch the budget in style. Breakfast is included and served at the café downstairs.

Almost every room at this modern four-story hotel has a river view, a balcony, hardwood floors, and wooden trim constructed of recycled bits of old Lao houses. The restaurant spills onto the lawn and a patio alongside the river, where guests can sip complimentary tea and Lao coffee. A traditional herbal Lao sauna and massage room nestle underneath the restaurant, providing respite and comfort after a day outdoors.

This is a good choice if you're after a trusted brand with clean and comfortable facilities, right next to the Nam Phou Fountain and the adjoining restaurant and bars. The rooms are on the small side, but the beds are excellent. The room rate doesn't include breakfast ($10 extra) but there's good free Wi-Fi throughout the property.

Fronting the Mekong and just down the street from Wat Xieng Thong, this small hotel was resurrected from a ruined mansion built by a Portuguese merchant in 1904. Four guest rooms upstairs open onto a colonnaded veranda to views of the river and the hills beyond. The two rooms on the lower floor, each with three beds, are larger and have private terraces, but are a bit dark. Because of the hotel's small size and popularity, it's highly advisable to book ahead November through April or ask about the owner's similar properties nearby.

With a convenient location in the heart of town near the Mekong River and comfort at competitive rates, this hotel is popular with business travelers. Rooms are spacious and have dark parquet floors. The ground floor holds the reception area, restaurant, and lounge, which are separated by potted plants and wooden dividers. Behind the building are a narrow garden and a small pool, a nice place to take advantage of the hotel's Wi-Fi.

Opened in 2016, this eco-focused resort 10 miles out of Oudomxay's center is set amid the natural beauty around Nam Kat Waterfall and is quite popular with domestic tourists. The rooms and villas, some with private plunge pools, mix rattan, bamboo, and terra-cotta tiles. It's quite luxurious for the region. There is also a glamping option with en-suite bathrooms and plush beds to truly go "full nature" without sacrificing comfort. The infinity pool, set against a backdrop of forested hills, is the resort's best touch. Ziplining through the forest is definitely recommended!

There are three types of rooms at this charming resort: French colonial-style rooms, adobe-style rooms in a garden, and atmospheric "raftels" floating on the Mekong. The 4,000 Sunsets restaurant serves decent food, and there's a swimming pool.

Tastefully put together by a Lao-Australian couple, Silver Naga has well-planned spacious rooms with all the modern conveniences and an infinity pool that overlooks the Nam Song. Yoga classes are also available to bring inner harmony. There's an on-site branch of Naked Espresso here, where you can get the best lattes in a hundred-mile radius.

Neatly arranged in a lush meadow that faces a blue lagoon sheltered by an impressive karst formation, this series of squeaky-clean bamboo bungalows is set 2 km from Kong Lor's entrance. If the stunning natural setting isn't enough, the on-site restaurant dishes up pretty good Lao and international mains, and staff can get you to Kong Lor with a scenic water-taxi ride.

The last Crown Princess's son-in-law converted this 19th-century royal residence in the heart of Luang Prabang into a boutique hotel. The old building on Sakkarin Road has been renovated and houses the Royal Suites, as well as the hotel restaurant and swimming pool, while the newer wing, around the corner, has quiet rooms a short stroll from the Mekong River. The open-air terrace restaurant serves Lao and international cuisine.