Perfect to do the loop”

Only place to stay for the Thakhek loop, rooms are basic but clean enough. Nice place to hang out, eat, drink, play cards and meet other loopers because there's no other restaurants around. They also rent bikes for the loop at a fairly good rate

Bad”

When we were staying in travel lodge there was no water, so we couldn’t shower, toilet couldn’t flush etc.. the matrasses were wrapped in plastic so we were sweating all night. The food is good and the staff was nice, but I wouldn’t recomment staying there...

Perfect place to start the loop!”

Cool, chilled atmosphere outside with space to talk to other travellers (mostly motorcyclists). Rooms spacious and comfortable, and food is great! Can also rent your motorbike on-site to start your adventure.

Terrible”

The room was so old not worth this price. The staff had no patient about our transportation questions to the kung lor cave. He lead us to a tuktuk car which should take us to bus station, but the tuk tuk driver took us to a small bus station and asked us got on the truck to the cave trying to rip off us! Even when We got to the main bus station, he said he had no changes for us! What is this?!

Good jumping off point when riding the Thakek loop”

Staying here was a great place to start the Thakek motorbike loop, you meet many people doing the same and there is a fire pit in the courtyard for everyone to gather around. This unfortunately is about all the good I have to say about it, but it is very good at that. The staff seems very indifferent and the food was absolutely underwhelming. That being said, the social atmosphere and the lack of similar options in Thakek is enough to bring me back if I were to return.

Basic ”

Our first night we had bed bugs but the staff dealt with this well and put us in another room. The rooms aren’t especially clean and the mattress’s old. The staff are nice and the food was good. The location a little out of the way from the centre taking a good 15-20mins to walk.

Worst experience in Asia”

I stayed in about 10 different hostels/hotels/guest houses in Asia and this the worst. Not just because of cleanliness (our room was really bad) and location (far from city centet) but mainly because of the staff. They booked our sleeper bus and said the tuktuk would pick us up at 12.30am and after confirmed the time 3x with them. The tuktuk left 30min before the time they said and we lost our bus. Don't stay there please

bed bugs and dirty”

don't book in this hostel bed bugs everywhere and so dirty so far along from the town which u have to takea tuk tuk with 30000 kip every timei paid but i couldn't stay there so i went to kgb Guesthouse at least is clean and u can rent a bike from the same place

Bed bugs ! ”

Travel Lodge is really taking advantage of their reputation. We had bed bugs in room n°24 and saw in the dorm too (and of what we seen, it is not a new problem). Then, people used to say it is the place to have information about the loop, but honnestly you have can find exactly the same information online. My advice : don't sleep in Travel Lodge, it doesn't worth it. But come to have a lunch and maybe meet other people for the loop. Also, countryard is nice.

Not hard to get better”

A lot of people recommend this place on internet and there is absolutely no reason, even if you do the loop. The place is expensive for what it is, far from the center (btw don't rent scooter just on the side of this hostel, apparent'y they are all broken and service is really bad). They even ask you all the time 'can you pay now' even if you are in the middle of your meal haha! Also The guys lied to us saying the hostel was full and we had to take the most expensive room, of course. We came in late after the loop so we took it to realise in morning the hostel is empty... laundry is bad also... why did I came here? Don't get here, go close to Wang Wang motorbike shop, the best place in town!!!

very backpacker-y”

The main house is very simple. Our room was not that nice and the bathrooms on second floor were just old and kind of used down. For one bight it's okay. The food is nice. Behind the travel lodge is a second building. A villa. With rooms for 100000. Those are greeeeaaaat! It's an beautiful island. Ask for those rooms!

The Thakhek loop starting point”

If you're in Thakhek, probably you're going to do the loop. This means, unless you already have everything figured out, this is the place to be. On the first night you'll meet plenty of people to give you tips or tag along. You can rent the scooters there (checked other prices in town, but ended up renting at the lodge) and get maps or help with the staff. There are definitely better value for money, but meeting people that did the loop or are about to do it make it worth staying here.

Overestimated place”

The travel lodge is famous for its loop planning or preparation activities but the hostel part is not good. The beds were poor, staff was friendly but nothing more and it is located about 30 minutes away from the center when walking.

cheapest place ”

the cheapest place I could find in thakek. dorm was comfortable and quiet for sleeping. stayed before and after completing the loop. hired a bike from the shop next to it and had no problems with the bike or the shop. basic bathroom but cleanish and had hot water. very welcome after driving 4 hours in the pouring rain :) lovely staff and decent food choice.

Reviews are fairly accurate”

The reviews are fairly accurate for this one. It's not a great place to stay in terms of facilities. The dorms are a bit basic and there aren't really any curtains. The toilets were often blocked and the showers not that clean, but i can get over that stuff. For me this place was a great base for meeting people to do the Thakhek loop with. I met six others fairly easily.

Run down and remote”

We arrived at the lodge before 9 pm (our bus from the south was delayed), the bar and the (very limited and slow) restaurant were already closed and since the lodge is located at an industry-prown road quite far away from Thakhek itself, we had a hard time finding any food anywhere. The staff was´t helping much, just telling us that there is no place to go. Apart from the (handy) option to rent a bike for "the loop" directly at the lodge, there is no assistance for the tour, not even a map to take away, just an outdated one at the wall. When we returned from the loop, we spend a day in Thakhek and found that the small town is (unlike the area around the lodge) very charming, has beautiful restaurants and affordable guesthouses and dorms directly at the mekong and you can get a bike for the trip everywhere for the same price as at the guesthouse.

Pit stop for the loop”

Basic hotel with good food and great environment of travelers that will do or have done the loop. You can also rent the motorbikes here, and the staff is very friendly if you have any questions about the loop. Regarding the hotel itself, it's basic and a bit far from thakek center. If you are doing the loop is very comfortable to stay here!

Two words: Bed bugs.”

Arrived during the night from Vientiane, receptionist had overbooked the dorm room and at first did not want to put us in another room. He then put us in a private room, which was unfortunately infested with bed bugs. Checked out as early as possible and got the hell out of there. 1/10 would not go again

Need to stay here”

The place is not good value for your money however you need to stay here to get information about the loop and find others traveling the loop. We paid a lot for a fan room that had no curtains and was in front of the restaurant and they didn't give water which every other place had.

Pretty awful.”

Don't come here expecting some kind of 'loop mecca'. Sure, you'll meet a few others who've done/are about to do the loop, but that's as good as it gets. The rooms are terrible and staff disinterested. We booked the Superior private room with AC but actually ended up downgrading to a Standard double with fan as that was in slightly better shape. There's so much detailed info on the web about the loop, so please don't think you need to come here to get the real experience. If anything, it's the worst start to a fantastic few days.