The Hostelz.com Review - Genuine, independent review you can trust.
Vientiane Backpackers Hostel is a small hostel comprising of two dorms and several private rooms, all air conditioned. The dorms have shared bathrooms, while privates are en suite. It is set over three floors with free breakfast, towel, and Wi-Fi.
The Location
The hostel has a good location, within walking distance of the night markets, museums, and airport/bus station shuttle bus stops. The closest shuttle bus stop to the hostel is number four -- Wat Mixay. There are a number of shops and restaurants close by.
Rooms and Bathrooms
There are two toilets and four shower cubicles located on the ground floor, meaning you must go downstairs from the dorms to use them. The facilities here are very basic, without even hand wash by the sinks. The shower cubicles have only badly positioned hooks for your towel and clothes -- the shower head cannot be angled down, and so your belongings are subject to being sprayed. But the water gets warm enough. The standard of cleanliness isn't great and you may find many mosquitoes inside the showers. There is a sign specifically letting guests know hand-washing clothes in the sink is not permitted, which is not very backpacker-friendly. But you can have your laundry washed at a fee.
The dorms have beds with mattresses akin to planks of wood, with a slight smell of urine in the twenty-bed room. Each bed has a light and power point. They have large lockers in the rooms under the beds, with enough space to fit your whole backpack. The rooms are spacious and appear visually clean, though they could use a fresh coat of paint, as it has clearly been some time since they were decorated. There is a small balcony off the twenty-bed dorm, and consequently mosquitoes come inside.
Common Spaces
The ground floor of this hostel has a table and benches outside, plus more seating inside. This could serve as a reasonable social space if the atmosphere were not so drab. It seems the city as a whole is more of a stopover rather than a destination, so the clientele are a mix of backpackers and long-term guests. Breakfast is the choice of eggs cooked in several ways, plus bread, a banana, and tea or coffee. It is possible to book bus tickets and airport transfers through the hostel.
Summary
Having a locker large enough for your whole backpack is a plus, but the extremely hard mattresses and lack of atmosphere are a big minus. If all you require is a bed before traveling to your next destination, this is an ok option, though there is almost certainly someplace better.
Photos taken by the Hostelz.com reviewer — Genuine photos you can trust.
Looci
Hostelz.com Staff Reviewer
Published on Jun 2, 2018
Location and Contact
Location
• The Vientiane Backpackers Hostel is 5 km from the airport, 20 km from the Thai border and at least 10 km from the farthest Northern bus station (Center Station only 1 Km away). • Tell the Tuk Tuk or Taxi driver to go to Mixay Temple on Mixay Road, the hostel is across the street from the Mixay Temple. You can call the hostel for directions, we speak English and Lao.