Just a stone’s throw across the river from Thailand, the Laotian capital of Vientiane is the gateway for tourists to the country. With rustic beauty and majestic temples, Vientiane is a city that never ceases to dazzle tourists.
From the glimmering golden stupa to intricate temples adorned with stone nagas and buddhas, Vientiane is a city brimming with history and religion!
Are you looking to party on the Mekong River or maintain a state of zen while you are in Vientiane? Depending on how you like to travel, you will need to find that perfect backpacker hostel!
We made finding the best hostels in Vientiane a cinch with this one-stop guide! You can now book with confidence that you will be staying in a hostel which suits how you like to travel!
The gateway to Laos awaits you! As does all of the temples and stupas of Vientiane!
Quick answer: The Best Hostels in Vientiane
- Best Party Hostel in Vientiane – Dream Home Hostel
- Best Hostel for Solo Travelers in Vientiane – Sailomyen Cafe & Hostel
- Best Hostel for Couples in Vientiane – Vongkham Eco Resort
Best Hostels in Vientiane
Vientiane is the capital city of Laos and that means you’ll find plenty of accommodation options. Spread across a lot of locations and areas, there are heaps of cool places to stay in Vientiane.
Below, we’ve reviewed our absolute favorite choices for backpackers to crash a night. Find something that suits and book ahead before some other weary traveller snags your bed.
Best Party Hostel in Vientiane – Dream Home Hostel
- $
- Happy Hour
- Free Breakfast
- Lounges
If you are looking to party with games and drinks in Vientiane then look no further! Check yourself into Dream Home Hostel! It’s not just the chill vibe which will get the party started, but this backpackers hostel has nightly happy hour specials that include free whiskey!
After you get all liquored up, get ready to dance to the music or take part in one of the many games around the hostel! From billiards to beer pong, the fun will never stop!
After a night of partying, shake off that hangover with a free breakfast. You will be back on your feet and ready for more in no time at this backpackers party hostel!
Best Hostel for Solo Travelers in Vientiane – Sailomyen Cafe & Hostel
- $
- Cafe
- Free Breakfast
- Terrace
Needing a bit of social interaction and chill vibes after a couple of days of excruciating traveling? Sailomyen Cafe & Hostel is where you want to book yourself into if you are looking for a youth hostel where you can kick back, relax, and meet other backpackers!
It’s not just the laidback atmosphere which makes Sailomyen Cafe & Hostel one of the best places in Vientiane for solo travelers, you will have tones of places to spread out in! From the terrace to the coffee shop, there is lots of room to hang out and share crazy adventure stories meet other travelers backpacking through Southeast Asia.
Top it all off with a free breakfast and you have a hostel you will not want to check out of any time soon!!
Best Hostel for Couples in Vientiane – Vongkham Eco Resort
- $
- Restaurant
- Games
- Free Mountain Bikes
When you were planning your backpacking trip to Laos, you did not have massive concrete cities in mind. You were planning a romantic getaway with lush jungles, wild animals, and breathtaking sunsets. Let’s take you and your boo a little bit outside of the city of Vientiane and have you cozy up into Vongkham Eco Resort!
Surrounded by fields growing everything from dragon fruit to lychee, this is the idyllic side of Laos you have been searching for! The resort will also hook you up with a mountain bike to explore the extensive trails surrounding the hostel, free of charge!
End each day with an organic meal and a sunset which will truly set the tone for another romantic evening at Vongkham Eco Resort!
Best Overall Hostel in Vientiane – Barn 1920s Hostel
- $
- Coffee Bar
- Lounges
- Garden
Decked out in 1920s decor, Barn 1920s Hostel gives you all the modern comforts mixed with a classic design! But it’s not just the atmosphere while makes Barn 1920s one of the best hostels in all of Vientiane!
At Barn 1920s Hostel backpackers will be hanging out in spacious vintage lounges, relaxing in a gorgeous garden, and even sipping on that famous Southeast Asian coffee in the hostel’s very own cafe!
In the morning, start off your day right with their complimentary breakfast and when it gets dark you will be just minutes away from the night food market!
Best Cheap Hostel in Vientiane – Ali Hotel
- $
- Restaurant
- Coffee Shop
- Lounges
Needing a hostel which will help you save every Laotian Kip you got? Ali Hotel is actually a backpackers hostel which offers tourists traveling on a shoestring some of the cheapest beds in all of Vientiane!
Just because you are staying in a cheap hostel doesn’t mean you won’t get that amazing backpacker’s experience we are all hankering for! At Ali Hotel you will find both a restaurant and a cafe serving delicious meals and that piping hot cup of joe we are all craving for!
Cheap dorm beds, free breakfast, and great coffee? What else could you ask for!
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Want more deetz on why these packs are so damn perfect? Then read our comprehensive review for the inside scoop!
View on Osprey View on REIBest Hostel for Digital Nomads in Vientiane – PVO Hostel
- $$
- Lounges
- Strong Wifi Connection
- Free Breakfast
While hopping around Southeast Asia as a digital nomad you will need a place to literally recharge your batteries for a few days and catch up on some blog posts. PVO Hostel in Vientiane guarantees you full bars so you never have to worry about losing all your work or getting frustrated by the lack of a wifi connection.
Once you got everything uploaded, close that laptop and get ready to explore! With bike and motorcycle rentals, you will have all of Laos within the palm of your hand! Top it all off with a tour and ticket booking services and you will have a perfect stay both in Vientiane and on your where elsewhere in Laos!
Best Hostel with a Private Room in Vientiane – Lucky Backpackers Hostel
- $
- Lounges
- Free Breakfast
- Motorbike Rentals
As much as we all love living in backpackers hostels, we all need some time for ourselves and not have to worry about having some snorers or rowdy bunk-mates. Lucky Backpackers Hostel gives you the option of hanging out in the dorm room or cozying up into some of the cheapest private rooms in all of Vientiane!
It’s not just Lucky Backpacker’s cheap single rooms which will have you pressing that “book” button, this youth hostel also has a scrumptious breakfast, motorbike rentals, and lounges perfect for meeting other backpackers once you had some me time in your room! When you are ready to go out, there are lots of things to do nearby as well.
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Hide Yo’ Money!More Best Hostels in Vientiane
My Box Hostel & Cafe
- $
- Bar
- Coffee Shop
- Patio
My Box Hostel & Cafe is one of those backpackers hostels that literally checks everything on the list! With its very own bar, coffee shop, and lounges you will always find a place to hang out and drink, day or night! Some of the best nightlife in Vientiane isn’t too far away either.
The dorm beds also stand apart giving guests their very own privacy curtain, practically giving you a pod-style experience at a bunk bed price!
Before you head out every morning to explore the many temples nearby, be sure to first chow down and enjoy an American style breakfast! With great food, drinks, and an amazing night’s sleep, My Box Hostel is sure to be your new home away from home!
Lao Huk Bed & Cafe
- $
- Welcome Drink
- Free Bikes
- Bar
Day or night all of the fun starts at Lao Huk Bed & Cafe! With free bikes, tour service, and ticket booking, you will have everything you need to both explore all of Vientiane and beyond!
When the night falls that’s when the party really starts at this backpackers hostel! The welcome drink will help set the tone for your stay, but the bar is where things really get wild! Get ready to hang out and dance the night away at this backpackers hostel!
With a shared kitchen, lounges, a terrace, free bikes, and laid back vibes, the good times don’t stop rollin’ at Lao Huk Bed & Cafe!
BedBox Vientiane Hostel
- $
- Free Breakfast
- Games
- Lounges
You are going to feel right at home at this backpackers hostel with its youthful atmosphere and chill vibes. With lounges and and plenty of backpacker-fave travel games throughout the hostel, BedBox is the place to go for travelers looking to just hang out and meet other backpackers!
With a location just a few minutes away from the Mekong River and some of the most beautiful temples in all of Vientiane, you will feel like the city is your oyster. Top it all off with a free breakfast, daily table tennis matches, and a staff that will make you feel like part of the family, BedBox is the kind of hostel you will be extending your stay night after night!
What to Pack for your Vientiane Hostel
Pants, socks, underwear, soap?! Take it from us, packing for a hostel stay is not always quite as straightforward as it seems. Working out what to bring and what to leave at home is an art we have perfected over many years.
Ear Plugs
Snoring dorm-mates can ruin your nights rest and seriously damage the hostel experience. This is why I always travel with a pack of decent ear plugs.
Hanging Laundry Bag
Trust us, this is an absolute game changer. Super compact, a hanging mesh laundry bag stops your dirty clothes from stinking, you don’t know how much you need one of these… so just get it, thank us later.
Sea To Summit Micro Towel
Hostel towels are scummy and take forever to dry. Microfibre towels dry quickly, are compact, lightweight, and can be used as a blanket or yoga mat if need be.
Monopoly Deal
Forget about Poker! Monopoly Deal is the single best travel card game that we have ever played. Works with 2-5 players and guarantees happy days.
Grayl Geopress Water Bottle
Always travel with a water bottle! They save you money and reduce your plastic footprint on our planet. The Grayl Geopress acts as a purifier AND temperature regulator. Boom!
Check out our definitive Hostel Packing list for our top packing tips!
FAQ about Hostels in Vientiane
Here are some questions backpackers ask about hostels in Vientiane.
Travel Safety Tips for Vientiane
ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing.
They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.
SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!
Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.
Conclusion
Your adventure to Laos starts here! A journey full of temples, towering mountains, leaping monkeys, and lush jungles await you! No matter if you are heading out or just coming back, everything starts and begins in Vientiane!
Vientiane is not just a jumping-off point, you will find loads of temples and museums which will continue to wow you for days to come!
If you are still scratching your head about where to stay in Vientiane, no need to pull out your hair just yet. If you are looking for a memorable backpackers experience in Lao’s capital Barn 1920s Hostel, is our pick for the best hostel in Vientiane
Snap-on your motorbike helmet and get ready to explore! Your Vientiane adventure is just around the corner!
And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links. That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!
