Where to Stay in Pak Beng: Hotels and Guesthouses for the Mekong Slow Boat
Everyone warns you about finding a bed in Pak Beng. We booked online before our slow boat crossing, stayed in a basic $12 room, and are sharing exactly where to book (and where we’d book next time) for every budget.
While planning our itinerary in Laos and sorting out the journey on the slow boat on the Mekong River, we had to find accommodation in Pak Beng. Panic arrived, as online many point to the fact that it is almost impossible to just walk in, not get scammed, and, in some situations, find a decent bed.
So, where to stay in Pak Beng? We booked online and it was the best decision ever. In this guide, we explain where to book, how and when. Believe us, you want to have the peace of mind to know where you’ll sleep that night.
We’ve put together a full list of the best hotels and guesthouses in Pak Beng, from $12 backpacker rooms to one proper riverside resort. Every recommendation here comes from our own stay, plus the digging we did comparing everything else on offer.
Where to stay in Pak Beng
Our suggestions are simple and easy. There is not much going on in the village, and competition for quality is pretty low. There are all basic accommodations, with guesthouse services or bunk beds for cheap. These are our suggested accommodations in Pak Beng:
Best Accommodation for Backpackers: Janh Ya Phone Guesthouse (we stayed here!) // BOOK NOW!
Pak Beng hotel for solo travellers: Villa Mekong Guesthouse – They also opened a second one for more availability.
Budget hotel in Pak Beng: Monsavanh Guesthouse
Another solid budget pick, a few minutes from the pier: DP Guesthouse – Free wifi, a restaurant on site, and consistently good reviews.
Couples love this place: BKC villa – Most popular with Breakfast included.
Stay longer in Pak Beng: The Sanctuary Pakbeng Lodge – For more than one day, and it has a pool.
If backpacker-budget isn’t the goal: Le Grand Pakbeng – A hillside resort with an infinity pool over the Mekong, a short shuttle from the pier.
How to book an accommodation in Pak Beng?
There are several ways to book a hotel for a night in Pak Beng. The town is popular among backpackers travelling on the banana pancake route, living the adventure of the two days one night slow boat in Laos.
We used two ways to compare prices, locations and rooms: Booking.com or Agoda (often cheaper!). Even though you can also book the accommodation through an agent in Huay Xai, before boarding the boat, or when you arrive in Pak Beng, WE DO NOT RECCOMMEND IT! It’s not unusual to hear scams from local providers in Laos, but also we seen the condition of some accommodations in Pak Beng. Well, away from the cute photos they show you on the shore.
Often you will get overcharged in Huay Xay, with requests up to $50 – $70 for a night in Pak Beng. The reality, instead, is that you can find a basic room for as cheap as $12 per night.
However, by planning the trip at least 2 weeks in advance, you might find decent rooms in one of our suggested hotel. Believe us it’s cheaper. We were lucky enough to score a decent place, which is much needed after 6 to 7 hours swinging on the rapids of the Mekong.
Should I book accommodation in Pakbeng online or in person?
Book your accommodation in Pak Beng online and well in advance. Spending $1 to $2 extra for the reservation will get you better accommodation.
We heard so many horrible stories about people staying in dorms with cockroaches and booking on the spot. The town is very small, with fewer good budget accommodations. I don’t know you, but we were not willing to deal with it after hours on the slow boat.
Pakbeng hostel
The best and most popular hostel in Pak Beng is the Inn Riverside. There was a huge group on the boat, and almost all the backpackers were there, including couples. In some ways we thought we were left out. We passed by, and definitely it’s inviting for the location. The reviews weren’t so bad either, and you have a window over the Mekong. In the morning you can spot elephants on the river. The problem is that it’s always fully booked. Check the availability now.
Best accommodations in Pak Beng, we recommend
Janh Ya Phone Guesthouse
One thousand positive reviews speak for themselves. We stayed in Janh Ya Phone Guesthouse, and it is one of the most popular. I still remember the morning after our arrival, enjoying the coffee and (included) breakfast on the balcony. I was overlooking the Mekong while the sun was rising. We had a basic room, but water pressure was good and shower hot.
If wasn’t for that spider, was 10 out of 10. Jokes apart, this is the best you’ll find in Pak Beng. They also offer bunk beds in dorms, for solo travellers or cheaper rates.
We order lunch for day two for just $1 each. We love recommending this guest house because they also offer a pickup service at the pier, included. The morning after, we were on the same van, ready for day two. Check the availability.
Villa Mekong Guesthouse
Villa Mekong is another great place to stay in Pak Beng, located close to the above guest house, they have actually opened another hotel nearby to accommodate more travellers.
Prices are good, with basic rooms starting from $16 per night. The guesthouse also offers pickup and drop-off service, and the rooms are very spacious. CHECK THE AVAILABILITY HERE!
Monsavanh Guesthouse
The perfect place for couples on an overnight stay for the slow boat, Monsavanh Guesthouse is rewarded as one of the cleanest in town and offers a budget double room with a private bathroom.
Among the best reviews, what is highlighted is the generosity and help provided by the owner and host. Rooms at Monsavanh Guesthouse start from $20 per night.
BKC villa
This is the most popular hotel in Pak Beng, and the one that offers overall the best service. However, it is always fully booked. You need to act fast to stay at BKC Villa and secure your room for at least two days before departing for the adventure.
The hotel offers breakfast included and is in the best position, right beside the pier. Staying here you can sleep at least half an hour more, or go for a walk in town at night or in the morning. // BOOK HERE!
The Sanctuary Pakbeng Lodge
If you want to break your journey from Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang, staying one extra night in Pak Beng, you should book the Sanctuary lodge. This isn’t just an ordinary hotel, it is a perfect oasis in the middle of Lao remote areas.
The Sanctuary Pakbeng Lodge is about 10 minutes by car from the Pier and the centre. It is the only one offering a pool, with a nice view of the Mekong. This hotel is among the few that offer a proper hotel service in Pak Beng; rather than a guesthouse traditional style. // CHECK AVAILABILITY HERE!
DP Guesthouse
We didn’t stay at DP Guesthouse ourselves – we’d already booked Janh Ya Phone before we knew about it – but it kept coming up in our research as one of the more reliable options right in town, about five minutes’ walk from the pier.
Rooms are simple doubles, twins or triples with air conditioning, free wifi and free parking, plus a restaurant and coffee shop on site if you don’t fancy hunting for dinner. Breakfast isn’t included, but it’s available for a few dollars extra. Expect to pay somewhere between $18 and $25 a night.
Le Grand Pakbeng
Le Grand Pakbeng is the odd one out on this list. We were travelling backpacker-budget when we did the slow boat, so we didn’t stay here, but if you want an actual pool and a proper bed for your one night in Pak Beng, this is it.
It sits on a hillside above the river, about 10 minutes by shuttle from the pier (they’ll pick you up), with an infinity pool overlooking the Mekong, free wifi, breakfast included, and a restaurant for dinner. Rooms run from roughly $50 to $73 a night – a jump from the guesthouses above, but a fair trade if you want a genuine rest before or after two days on the river.
One thing worth knowing: the property is built into the slope, so there are a lot of stairs, which is worth factoring in if that’s an issue for anyone in your group.
Best area to stay in Pak Beng
As you might have guessed, Pak Beng isn’t big, with one main road going through the whole village. Most of the accommodations provide transportation from and to the pier, so technically, it doesn’t matter the position as long as it is easy to reach.
The best area to stay in Pak Beng is along the pier, so you can stay around the main (few) restaurants and bars, which are nice and lively at night (not so late).
On the main road, there are not many good hotels and guesthouses, and these are our best suggestions – Monsavanh Guesthouse and DP Guesthouse. If you are staying around here, pin on your map Sabaidee Restaurant and Hive Bar (Where all the backpackers go).
Frequently Asked Questions About Where to Stay in Pak Beng
How much does a hotel room cost in Pak Beng?
A hotel room in Pak Beng costs anywhere from around $12 for a basic guesthouse double to roughly $70 a night at the one proper resort in town, Le Grand Pakbeng. Most backpacker guesthouses along the main road land between $12 and $25.
Is Pak Beng worth stopping in overnight?
Pak Beng is worth stopping in overnight if you’re doing the two-day Mekong slow boat, because that’s how the schedule works: the route from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang splits into two days with an overnight stop here. It’s not a destination in its own right, but a well-chosen room turns it into an easy stopover rather than an ordeal.
Do Pak Beng guesthouses have wifi and hot water?
Most Pak Beng guesthouses have wifi and hot water, though both can be patchy outside the main season. We had decent water pressure and a working shower at Janh Ya Phone Guesthouse, and the other guesthouses we looked at, including DP Guesthouse, Monsavanh and Villa Mekong, all advertise wifi as standard.
What is DP Guesthouse like in Pak Beng?
DP Guesthouse is a budget guesthouse about five minutes’ walk from the pier, with simple double, twin and triple rooms, free wifi and parking, and a restaurant on site. We haven’t stayed there ourselves, but it’s become one of the more talked-about options for the slow boat stopover.
Is the Inn Riverside hostel in Pak Beng worth booking?
The Inn Riverside hostel in Pak Beng is worth booking if you want a social atmosphere and a river view for less than a private room costs. It’s popular with backpackers doing the slow boat in a group, and rooms fill up fast, so book it well ahead.
