Hotel of the Day: Topas Ecolodge, Vietnam

Thanks to its idyllic location in Southeast Asia, Vietnam is often considered a backpacker’s paradise: cheap hostels, beautiful scenery and lots to explore. As such, health retreats might not be the first thing that you think about when booking a trip to Vietnam.

Topas Ecolodge is here to change your view on that, and showcase the natural beauty of Vietnam in an eco-friendly, sustainable setting. Here is the ultimate guide to Topas Ecolodge, Vietnam.

The Ultimate Vietnamese Getaway: Health, Relaxation and More

Advertised as “a touch of Scandinavia in Vietnam”, you know exactly what to expect from a stay at Topas Ecolodge. The resort is comprised of fifty rustic mountain bungalows, perfect for that relaxing stay, while making a conscious effort to do your bit for the environment. Furthermore, the pool villas make for the perfect place to relax after a day of exploring the Vietnamese mountains. And why not choose to dine in one of the hotel’s three different restaurants while you’re there to experience Vietnamese culture from a food point of view?

Location

Set deep inside Hoang Lieng National Park, around a 45-minute drive from Sa Pa, the nearest town in northwestern Vietnam, Topas Ecolodge is the true definition of a hidden gem. Wake up to the warm sunshine beating down on you, while an array of local and native wildlife provides the natural soundtrack to your morning.

From its picture-perfect hilltop location, you’re blessed with 360° views of Hoang Lieng National Park, from the lush green forests to the winding roads, perfect for hiking or cycling along.

There’s also lots to do around Topas Ecolodge, despite it being in a beautifully serene and remote location. In the Haong Liang National Park, you can see the cloud forests filled with wildlife (including 347 species of birds, 66 mammal species, 61 reptiles and 41 amphibian species, including unique wildlife like the Mount Fansipan Horned Frog and the Fansipan Shrew Mole which are unique to this national park). You can also explore traditional Buddhist architecture on the peak of Hoang Lieng Son Mountain, offering a historical and cultural insight into the region.

Whether you want to spend the day exploring the surrounding National Park or simply absorbing the breathtaking scenery from the comfort of your own private bungalow or pool villa, the choice is yours – the hardest decision you’ll have to make is when you’re going to book your next trip back to Topas Ecolodge.

Room Types

There is a wide range of suitable accommodation at Topas Ecolodge suitable for all types of travellers.

Pool Villas

If you’re looking for privacy and quietness when you’re staying at Topas Ecolodge, the Pool Villas are a great choice. They are separated from the rest of the resort and offer sweeping views of the surrounding mountains.

Each pool villa also comes with its own butler, who can organise everything from hanging your clothes to booking your spa treatments and dinner reservations.

Deluxe Suite Bungalows

An eco-conscious traveller’s dream, each Deluxe Suite Bungalow is fitted with heated floors and water heated via underground air pumps, you can relax in total comfort knowing that you’re doing your bit for the environment at the same time.

Each Deluxe Suite is decorated with Scandinavian themes, and is recommended for families or large groups, as some (despite the name) are built over two storeys.

Garden Suite Bungalows

Spacious and cosy, the Garden Suite Bungalows are furnished with wood and make for the ultimate “woodsman’s cabin” aesthetic getaway. You can expect to see stunning views of the nearby pine trees, which caress their way up the mountains, and you can enjoy getting social with your neighbours in your own private garden, ideal for hosting a few evening drinks.

Premium Executive Bungalows

Perfect for couples, the Premium Executive Bungalows are fitted with environmentally friendly two-way air conditioning and an eco-bar, as well as your own private balcony. Breakfast is included at the nearby Stilt House Restaurant.

Facilities & Amenities

Few hotels can rival Topas Ecolodge when it comes to their incredible facilities, such as the fact that it has not just one, but two infinity pools, which offer incredible views over the surrounding rice fields and cloud forests.

The hotel also has a wellness centre, which is perfect for treating yourself to a massage or other type of relaxing spa treatment, especially after a day of hiking, cycling or exploring the surrounding National Park.

Guests can also take advantage of the hotel’s bicycle rental service to explore the surrounding areas on two wheels, or can ask the knowledgeable local guides employed by the hotel about the best hiking trails to take, or even book onto a hiking tour – some of which last up to three days.

For those travelling with children or teenagers, there is a playground onsite, and WiFi is also included throughout the hotel, regardless of which accommodation type you wish to stay in.

Dining

There are three different restaurants in the hotel, as well as a cosy inn, a pool bar and room service options.

Restaurant 360° does exactly what it says – offering incredible 360° views around the resort – each seat offers a unique perspective of the surrounding Haong Liang National Park, while you can also watch the talented chefs prepare your food in the centre of the room, often cooking over open flames. Restaurant 360° is also the first steakhouse in Sa Pa.

The Stilt House Restaurant offers buffet-style meals throughout the day. This is where all guests will meet for breakfast, and both lunch and dinner are also served inside this traditional Vietnamese stilt house during the day and throughout the evening, too.

The Pavilion Restaurant offers an immersive and private dining experience like no other – expect local produce, including vegetables picked from the Lodge farm, while meat is also sourced from local farmers. There is limited seating here, so ensure that you book in advance.

The pool bar provides snacks and drinks (soft and alcoholic) throughout the day, while the Inn Bar (on the ground floor of the Stilt House Restaurant) is the perfect place to enjoy some toasted marshmallows around the fire pit on an evening.

Experiences & Activities

You can book one, two or three-day tours from the hotel, depending on what you would like to do. Explore the surrounding national park and all of its wild beauty, while learning about Red Dao Culture from the Red Dao people who inhabit the nearby mountains and valleys.

You can also learn about the surrounding rice terraces and the lifestyle of the villagers who tend to the rice fields, as well as meet up with some of them on the longer tours. This is a fantastic insight into an area of Vietnam which has not been visited by very many tourists at all, and it is a far cry from the modern urban world of cars, computers and other technology.

Guests can also visit nearby markets and purchase locally-made goods, from food and drink to crafts and textiles, all of which are made or produced by local northwestern Vietnamese people and residents.

Who It’s Best For

Whether you’re travelling as a couple or as a family, anyone is welcome at Topas Ecolodge.

However, if you’re travelling with children, then while a range of the accommodation and the amenities are more than suitable for them, the hiking tours may not be, particularly the longer ones. If you wish to take longer tours, we would recommend staying with adults, either as a couple or as a group.

For those with families, if you’re happy to go for the occasional day out, and perhaps enjoy some time in the infinity pools, enjoying spa treatments and staying fairly local to the resort, then travelling wth children is fine.

Sustainability

Topas Ecolodge is not just one of the most sustainable hotels in Vietnam, but in the world.

The hotel harks back to its Scandinavian roots, working closely with DANIDA (Danish International Development Agency) under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide a sustainable eco resort in northwestern Vietnam.

The hotel employs around 100 people, all of whom are from local villages, and while working, all of the staff live in on-site accommodation, thus reducing carbon footprints massively. They are also given their own spaces where they can grow their own produce, too.

All recyclable materials are reused locally, from metal tins to wood, while chickens are raised on site, and numerous vegetables, fruits, herbs and spices also are. Restaurant leftovers are given to local farmers to feed their animals with, thus reducing food waste to almost 0%. 

Similarly, water waste is also treated onsite, with water from the kitchens or showers purified onsite and then used to irrigate local rice fields and crops.

Solar panels help to provide most of the electricity to the resort, while the rest comes from a hydropower station in the nearby valley. All accommodations are fitted with energy-efficient lightbulbs and fittings.

All glass is recycled onsite and ground down into sand, which in turn is used to mix into concrete for any construction or maintenance needs at the hotel.

Finally, guests themselves are encouraged to be eco-friendly, with green leaf tokens rewarded for initiatives. For example, if you skip housekeeping for a day (thus saving water), you are awarded two tokens per room. These can then be exchanged for drinks or souvenirs such as tote bags, depending on how many you collect.

Unique Selling Point

Aside from the stunning views which surround Topas Ecolodge, the sustainability side of things certainly sets it apart from other competitors.

For eco-conscious travellers, there are few better hotels that you could stay in.

In addition, the fact that the accommodation is split into bungalows and villas rather than a block of apartment-style hotel rooms also offers a nice change from regular hotel stays.

If you’re looking for the ultimate eco-friendly getaway in Vietnam, then a stay at Topas Ecolodge is a must.