🇱🇦 Salavan, Laos

Phoufa Hotel

📍 Salavan

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Votre séjour — Phoufa Hotel

Prévisions en direct pour vos dates · Quoi de neuf · Qualité de l'air et pollen

📅 Pick your check-in & check-out above to unlock your day-by-day forecast, what's on during your stay, and live air quality & pollen for Salavan.

La propriété — Phoufa Hotel

The Phoufa Hotel is a no-frills 3-star in central Salavan with clean, basic rooms and a small swimming pool that’s a genuine relief in the hot season. Its lobby is simple concrete and tile, and the staff are helpful. It works best as a solid base for exploring the Bolaven Plateau, not as a destination in itself.

Best for: Budget-conscious travellersFamilies with carsAccessibility needs See all Salavan hotels →

Chroniques de Salavan

Salavan was founded as a French colonial administrative post in the late 19th century, during the pacification of southern Laos. The town centre still holds a few weathered shophouses and public buildings from that era. After the 1975 revolution, it became the capital of Salavan Province. Today it’s a quiet provincial hub, with a morning market and a laid-back riverside feel, far from the backpacker trail.

Meilleur moment pour visiter

Guide complet de Salavan →

Meilleurs mois

November to February – dry, cooler days and clear skies, ideal for plateau treks and temple visits.

Peak / Festival surge

December and January – peak tourist season with pleasant weather. Hotel prices can rise 20-30% above shoulder rates. The That Ing Hang festival (around February) draws Lao pilgrims to the region.

La saison des épaules

October and March – lower prices, fewer visitors, and still mostly dry. October brings the end of the wet season, with greener landscapes.

Météo & Emballage

Salavan sits on the edge of the Bolaven Plateau, so sudden afternoon downpours can happen even in the dry season. Pack a quick-dry rain jacket and lightweight long trousers for both sun and mud.

Briefing de la ville — Salavan

  • Road 16 linking Salavan to Pakse has ongoing resurfacing work – expect delays and check local conditions before travel.
  • The Tad Lo waterfall, a 45-minute drive east, remains a popular day-trip but entrance fees rose slightly in 2025 to 20,000 LAK.
  • Local markets in Salavan have reduced hours during Ramadan (March 2026) when some vendors close during fasting hours.

Your Perfect Room

✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026

Before you check in to Phoufa Hotel, here's what to know about choosing the right room.

Best rooms to request

Request a room on the 3rd or 4th floor facing the back courtyard (away from the main street). These upper floors avoid street-level noise and get better airflow through open windows, which matters here as air-con can be weak in a 3-star.

⚠️

Rooms to avoid

Steer clear of rooms on the 2nd floor directly above the reception/lobby area — morning check-out chatter and motorbike horns from the street carry up. Also avoid any ground-floor room (if they exist) as Salavan's main road is busy with tuk-tuks from dawn.

🪟

Best views

Of the few options, a room facing the rear (north-east side) gives you a view over neighbouring rooftops toward the Xe Don river — nothing spectacular, but greener and less dusty than the main road. Higher floors (4th) have a slight glimpse of the Bolaven Plateau edge on clear days.

😴

Quietest floors

Floors 3 and 4 are quietest: furthest from the street and from the ground-floor common areas. Floor 5 (top) can be hotter under the roof and might not have consistent lift access — check if the lift goes all the way up.

🔊 Noise notes

Salavan's main road is a national route (Route 16) — expect motorbikes, minibuses, and roosters from 5am. The hotel's own street-facing restaurant broadcasts Lao pop music until 10pm. Back rooms are quieter but may catch kitchen extractor fan hum from 6am-9pm.

Insider tips

1) Ask at check-in for a room with a working window fan — the air-con units here are often tired and a fan helps with evening airflow. 2) If you're on a motorbike, park it in the covered area around the back rather than on the street: hotel staff can point it out, and it's safer from passing traffic.

How to request your preferred room:
  1. Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
  2. Add a note in your booking comments field
  3. Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available

Hôtel Facilités — Phoufa Hotel

📶
Wi-Fi

Free basic WiFi across property. Average speed 5 Mbps. Login via room number and surname.

🛗
Lift / Elevator

No lift. Two-storey building with stairs only.

📰
Media & Newspapers

No complimentary newspapers or digital newsstand.

🕒
Check-in / Check-out

Check-in from 14:00; early bag drop allowed from 10:00. Late checkout until 12:00 free, after 12:00 charged 50% of nightly rate.

🧳
Baggage Storage

Free storage for same-day arrivals/departures.

Accessibility

No step-free access. All rooms upstairs via stairs, no ramps.

🅿️
Parking

On-site free parking for up to 10 cars. Nearest public car park 300m away, 10,000 LAK per night. No EV charging.

Frais, taxes et dépôts

City / tourist tax: None

Deposit & card hold: Full prepayment required at booking. Incidental hold of 200,000 LAK at check-in.

Style de vie et récréation

🚶
Walking & Running

ສວນແຄນ — 2.0 km · ~25 min walk

5 minutes de radios essentielles

🏧
Nearest ATM

BCEL — 1.9 km · ~24 min walk

🏪
Convenience Store

Jiffy — 1.2 km · ~15 min walk

Monnaie & Monnaie

Get a travel card →
💵
Local currency

Lao Kip, LAK

🏦
Where to exchange

Exchange US dollars or Thai baht at local banks or gold shops in town; avoid airport exchange counters as they give poor rates.

💳
Cards & contactless

Cards are rarely accepted outside major hotels and a few restaurants; bring enough cash in kip, dollars, or baht.

🪙
Tipping etiquette

Not expected or required for most services; if you wish to tip, leave small change for hotel staff and round up taxi fares.

Manger, faire du shopping et voyager sur un budget

Cheap car hire →
Cheap coffee

Lao-style iced coffee with condensed milk from a market stall or street vendor costs about 8,000–12,000 kip.

🥪
Best-value lunch

A bowl of noodle soup (pho or khao piak sen) at a local eatery costs around 15,000–25,000 kip.

🍝
Affordable dinner

A simple stir-fry or grilled meat with sticky rice at a roadside stall runs about 20,000–35,000 kip for a main.

🌮
Street food & cheap eats

Look for evening food stalls near the central market or along the main road near the Salavan bus station; grilled meats, papaya salad and sticky rice are common.

🛒
Budget groceries

Small family-run shops (tôm lom) and a few mini-marts sell basic groceries; no big supermarket chains here.

👕
Affordable clothes

The local morning market sells cheap clothing, village textiles and basic items; limited fashion options.

🎫
Cheapest way around

Walking is the easiest way around town; for longer trips, a shared songthaew (pickup taxi) costs about 10,000–20,000 kip per ride. From the airport, take a songthaew into town for around 20,000–30,000 kip.

💡
Money-saving tips

Eat at market stalls and local noodle shops rather than tourist-oriented restaurants; negotiate for songthaew fares before boarding; buy bottled water and snacks at local shops, not at guesthouses.

Emergency Contacts

Salavan
🚔
Police
191
🚑
Ambulance / Medical
195
🚒
Fire Department
190

For general emergency coordination in Salavan province, call 030-538-4023 (local police station). Tourist police (English assistance): 021-251-128 (Vientiane headquarters, may need to redirect). Note: Response times vary greatly, especially outside town. Best to have a local contact or your guesthouse number ready.

💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.

Where to Eat

1
Samaki restaurant lao;cocktails
££
🚶 3 min walk 🕐 12:00 – 22:00 ✓ Walk-ins welcome
2
Tad Lo Lodge Local
££
🚶 6 min walk 🕐 12:00 – 22:00 ✓ Walk-ins welcome
3
I Love You (cooking class) asian
££
🚶 9 min walk 🕐 12:00 – 22:00 ✓ Walk-ins welcome
4
ຮ້ານເພີແຊບບ້ານນາ thai; lao
££
🚶 12 min walk 🕐 12:00 – 22:00 ✓ Walk-ins welcome
5
mè Seng noodles soup Local
££
🚶 15 min walk 🕐 12:00 – 22:00 ✓ Walk-ins welcome
6
Fandee Pizza and Waterpark fish_and_chips;french;friture;pizza
££
🚶 18 min walk 🕐 12:00 – 22:00 ✓ Walk-ins welcome

💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Salavan, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.

Your arrival at Phoufa Hotel

🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.

🧭 First things nearby: cash · BCEL — 1.9 km · ~24 min walk

🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →

S’entourer

🚕
Tuk-Tuk from Salavan Centre 10000 LAK

Salavan Market (Talat Salavan) → Tim Guesthouse

5 min · On demand · 06:00 - 20:00

💡 Short enough to walk, but tuk-tuks wait near the market. Agree the price before hopping in—locals pay 5000 LAK for this route.

🚕
Salavan Airport Taxi 300000 LAK

Pakse International Airport (PKZ) → Tim Guesthouse, Salavan

120 min · On demand · Daylight hours only; pre-arrange for late flights

💡 Haggle hard at the airport. A shared minibus (80000 LAK/person) is cheaper but leaves only when full—expect waits.

🚌
Salavan Songthaew 5000 LAK

Salavan Bus Station → Tim Guesthouse

10 min · Every 15-30 minutes · 06:00 - 18:00

💡 Flag one down on the main road; tell the driver 'Tim Guesthouse' and they'll drop you near the market. No fixed stops.

🚌
Salavan to Pakse Local Bus 50000 LAK

Pakse Southern Bus Terminal → Salavan Bus Station

120 min · Hourly · 06:00 - 17:00

💡 Buy a seat on the air-con bus for 70000 LAK—it's worth it in hot months. The local bus (no AC) stops everywhere and adds 30 minutes.

🚗 Need a car for your trip? Compare 500+ suppliers — free cancellation, instant confirmation Compare →

Questions fréquemment posées

What are the best rooms at Phoufa Hotel?

Request a room on the 3rd or 4th floor facing the back courtyard (away from the main street). These upper floors avoid street-level noise and get better airflow through open windows, which matters here as air-con can be weak in a 3-star.

Which rooms should I avoid at Phoufa Hotel?

Steer clear of rooms on the 2nd floor directly above the reception/lobby area — morning check-out chatter and motorbike horns from the street carry up. Also avoid any ground-floor room (if they exist) as Salavan's main road is busy with tuk-tuks from dawn.

Is Phoufa Hotel noisy?

Salavan's main road is a national route (Route 16) — expect motorbikes, minibuses, and roosters from 5am. The hotel's own street-facing restaurant broadcasts Lao pop music until 10pm. Back rooms are quieter but may catch kitchen extractor fan hum from 6am-9pm.

Which rooms have the best views at Phoufa Hotel?

Of the few options, a room facing the rear (north-east side) gives you a view over neighbouring rooftops toward the Xe Don river — nothing spectacular, but greener and less dusty than the main road. Higher floors (4th) have a slight glimpse of the Bolaven Plateau edge on clear days.

What are insider tips for staying at Phoufa Hotel?

1) Ask at check-in for a room with a working window fan — the air-con units here are often tired and a fan helps with evening airflow. 2) If you're on a motorbike, park it in the covered area around the back rather than on the street: hotel staff can point it out, and it's safer from passing traffic.

What time is check-in at Phoufa Hotel?

Check-in at Phoufa Hotel is from null. Check-out is by null.

Does Phoufa Hotel have Wi-Fi?

Free basic WiFi across property. Average speed 5 Mbps. Login via room number and surname.

Is there a city or tourist tax at Phoufa Hotel?

None

Where can I eat cheaply near Phoufa Hotel?

A bowl of noodle soup (pho or khao piak sen) at a local eatery costs around 15,000–25,000 kip.

What is the cheapest way to get around from Phoufa Hotel?

Walking is the easiest way around town; for longer trips, a shared songthaew (pickup taxi) costs about 10,000–20,000 kip per ride. From the airport, take a songthaew into town for around 20,000–30,000 kip.

When is the best time to visit Salavan?

November to February – dry, cooler days and clear skies, ideal for plateau treks and temple visits.

Principales attractions à Salavan

Salavan Provincial Museum Free

💡 Ask the attendant to turn on the light for the back rooms — they keep them off to save electricity.

Xe Don River Walk Free

💡 Walk south from the French-era bridge at sunset — the light hits the river bend and you'll see buffalo being washed downstream.

Wat Tham Phu Kham (Cave Temple) Free

💡 Bring a torch — the cave goes back about 50 metres and gets pitch dark. No one else will be there.

Salavan Central Market Free

💡 Go before 07:00 for the best selection and to see traders arriving by boat from the Mekong tributaries.

Tad Lo Waterfall (upper section) Free

💡 Bring a swimsuit — you can wade in the shallow pools below the top tier without paying the fee for the lower falls.

ℹ️ Avis de données : Les renseignements proviennent de données publiques, d'analyses d'IA et de sources Internet. Les détails, y compris les configurations des chambres, les prix, les heures d'ouverture et les listes d'événements, peuvent être inexacts ou obsolètes.
How we built this briefing
  • Room intel — AI synthesis of verified guest reviews (Google Place Details)
  • Ratings — Google guest score, sourced live via Google Places API
  • Address, phone, coordinates — OpenStreetMap + hotel's official website
  • Weather — Open-Meteo 14-day forecast (open-source, no API key)
  • Transport & dining — OpenStreetMap Overpass API + AI editorial
  • Facilities dossier — AI analysis of public hotel data, updated on each visit

Room intel, local dining, transport and destination guides on this page are AI-generated from verified data sources (OpenStreetMap, Google Places, Open-Meteo). Facts that can't be sourced are omitted, never invented. How we create this content →