Luang Namtha Laos – Best Value Hotels and Guesthouses

No top end options in Luang Namtha, alas! But if you find yourself in these parts of the world you most probably ready for that. The town has quite a few solid budget digs and the local hotel scene’s new comer, Amandra Villa, is quite a good choice for a flashpacker.

Budget

Located right in the city centre, just a few meters from the night market, Zuela Guesthouse (just west of the main road) is the most popular place among backpackers and solo travellers – and for a good reason. It offers a perfect location, chilled atmosphere, friendly English speaking staff and, of course, some of the cheapest rates in town, making Zuela the ideal place for those who want to chat with fellow travellers while not spending much.

The cheapest rooms come for LAK80,000 and have a fan and private bathroom. You can’t expect any luxury at all, and in fact these rooms look quite dark, sad and pretty old, but everything is kept clean and well maintained. The Wi-Fi works pretty well everywhere throughout the property. The attached restaurant is a great choice for both Lao and Western food (see our dedicated article for more detail) and if you need a bicycle or motorbike you can rent it here. Better rooms with air-con and bigger bathrooms come for LAK150,000.

Immediately south of Zuela, Thulasith Guesthouse offers a quieter and more modern alternative for those looking for a more private atmosphere. The old building is where the cheaper rooms are clustered. For the same price as at Zuela you can get better quality, bigger bathrooms and a lot more light coming through the windows. Extra LAK20,000 buy you an air-con room.

But really exceptional for the price are the rooms in the new 3-story building that was finished and opened in 2016. Well-furnished and designed with a lot of teak wood, they feature large beds with soft mattresses, flat-screen TVs, air-cons, desks and chairs, Wi-Fi and modern bathrooms with hot water heated by solar panels. Prices start at LAK160,000 and for LAK180,000 you can have a family room that can accommodate up to three guests. The friendly couple running the place speak basic English, enough to give you useful recommendations and direct you to the right travel agency for your trekking adventures.

With a little extra you can have a fantastic breakfast at the nearby Bamboo Lounge, the best way to kick start your day.

Mid-Range

Just until last (2016) year there hadn’t been any solid solution for travellers searching for something more than just a bed to sleep at night, but the newly opened Amandra Villa (17A main road) has filled the gap. Located in a quieter location 400m south of the night market it offers a wide range of rooms and services. The deluxe rooms are possibly the best you can get in town. Spacious and tastefully decorated in a traditional Lao style, they offer large beds with thick and comfortable mattresses, an additional sofa, a large closet for your clothes, a desk, chairs, a modern bathroom (quite small though), TV, Wi-Fi and air-con. Big windows allow a lot of lights to come in. These rooms cost USD40 with an opulent breakfast already included into the rate. Smaller and less appealing rooms come cheaper than that with prices starting at USD20. Toiletries, coffee, tea and drinking water are provided for free in all the rooms.

A few communal areas on the wooden balcony are ideal to relax with a book or a drink. The free use of bicycles for all the guests will help you save some money while travelling back and forth to the city centre if you mind a 10-minute walk. The owner speaks good English and is able to arrange tours for you. If you book in advance, he will come and pick you up at the bus station.