Fodor's Expert Review Riverside Houayxay
168 Centre Rd., Ban Houayxay, Bokeo, Laos
About a third of the wood-floor rooms in this midtown hotel (not to be confused with the similarly named Phonevichith Riverside) have superb Mekong River views. All rooms come with air-conditioning, TVs, hot water, and minibars, and the adjoining restaurant is among Houay Xai's best options for a meal with a memorable view. The Riverside, next to the former ferry crossing to Chiang Khong, Thailand, is a decent choice for a convenient night's rest. For some reason, rooms booked through a travel agent are a far better deal than walk-in requests, so either call ahead or see if an agent across the river will set you up before crossing.
PROS
- centrally located
- Mekong views from some rooms
- good restaurant with memorable views
CONS
- expensive for Houay Xai
- river-facing rooms get very hot in the afternoon
- often packed with noisy tour groups
