I wandered in off the street and asked about room prices. I was presented with a sheet describing variety of rooms from ones with shared bathrooms upwards. I chose a single room, with a fan, ensuite for a cost of 85 000 kip (about £6.50) per night. The info sheet very helpfully listed the price in various currencies including dollars, bhat, kip and dong.

The room did not have towels or toilet paper - common in budget hotels in Asia - but did have english speaking movie channels and hot water when using the shower. The room was comfortable and had a door with a balcony - only view of a wall though. The doors had keys and bolts. The room was not spotlessly clean and there was evidence of wear and tear, but there was nothing that I had a problem with, it is after all a no frills budget hotel.

The staff spoke very good English and were very helpful. There was always someone at reception when I needed assistance. They found me a map of the city, gave advice on fair prices for transport, helped me call my friend. Downside was there was no internet access but they were able to recommend an internet cafe.

I was not worried about security as I never leave money or valuables in the hotel when out. I felt ok about leaving my bag with them on the day I checked out.

The location was convenient, walking distance from central bus station (I arrived by bus at the southern bus station at the edge of the town and got a bus there for 5,000 kip). There is a place next door to hire bicycles for 10,000 kip a day, which is a great way to explore the city. There are not very many eating places nearby though.