The Best Hotels to Book in Sapa, Vietnam

A short walk out of central Sapa, along cliff-hugging Muong Hoa Street, you’ll find My Boutique Hotel & Spa. There’s a lot of class packed into the narrow lobby and lounge area – thanks to the plush Chesterfield sofas and monochrome tiles – not to mention the rooms, which feature hardwood floors and dark-stained carved wooden beds. The young, friendly staff can arrange trekking excursions and village tours.

The best rooms at Sapa Luxury Hotel have large walk-in showers and wide windows overlooking Dragon Jaw Mountain, and come with their own computers. Host Ah Long and his wife have encyclopedic knowledge of the region and can help you plan your trip. Returning after a long day of trekking, you’ll be greeted with a hot Chinese tea before your boots are whisked off for cleaning.

Nights can get pretty chilly in Sapa – but at Sapa Dragon Hotel, the open fire makes evenings extra cosy. Rooms are decorated with colourful local textiles; deluxe doubles have flower-lined balconies overlooking jagged mountaintops. Sapa Museum is just a three-minute walk from the hotel – go to find out more about the area’s ethnic minorities and French colonial history.

The rooms at Silk Path Grand Resort & Spa have marble bathrooms and mountain views. There are four fabulous restaurants (try SAMU for Vietnamese fine dining) and a piazza-style sun terrace. Around 1km (0.6mi) away, you’ll find Swing SaPa, a sculpture park designed entirely for the Instagram generation (but the views are divine). Aching after all those selfies? Take a dip in the heated indoor pool or indulge with a Dao-inspired spa treatment, which makes use of medicinal mountain herbs.

Eco Palms House is a 20-minute drive from the centre of Sapa; you’re not in the middle of nowhere, but it feels like it. Rustic but robust bungalows are inspired by H’mong hill tribe architecture, with bamboo ceilings, palm wood floors and amber mud walls, and they come with wooden bathtubs. The main attraction here is the setting – grab a beanbag or a spot on the handmade swing to soak up uninterrupted valley views.

Sapa Clay House is an innovative example of when traditional ethnic housing combines with modern architecture – producing a unique, environmentally friendly structure. This mountain retreat ticks every box – clean and comfortable with good food, an excellent location and a fantastic team. The staff even personalise each booking, giving you little trinkets and quotes to start your day. Long- and short-term rentals are possible.

Topas Ecolodge is an eco-friendly hotel situated atop a majestic hill with breathtaking views on all sides. In an area that is historically known for its non-sustainable business practices, the Topas Ecolodge is one of the only sustainable and well-intentioned establishments in the region. Not only do they keep electricity usage to a minimum, use leftover food to feed livestock and recycle and reuse old materials, the hotel also provides employment and education opportunities for the ethnic minorities in the region. There are 41 bungalows available, all furnished up to a four-star standard – booking in advance is recommended.

Pao’s is nestled on the side of a hill, overlooking the spectacular Muong Hoa Valley – a mountain range painted with rice terraces and dotted with tribal villages. All 223 rooms here evoke the cultural identity of Sapa; book a suite for wall-to-wall windows and balconies. The spa is no less spectacular, home to a heated pool overlooking forested peaks through a full-wall window.

While the huge marble entrance and gently curving facade might not scream boutique, Sapa Highland has rooms that look more like a cosy, mountain lodge than a large resort. Large windows framing mountain views add to the away-from-it-all vibe, while tours into the local hill villages and markets will help you embrace a more tranquil style of living.

Victoria Sapa wows with traditionally styled rooms, excellent on-site dining and friendly hospitality. The spa occupies two floors and offers a range of relaxation packages, perfect after a hard day of trekking through the surrounding verdant mountains. Other services here range from traveller-friendly transportation and tours, to family-friendly babysitting and the Victoria Kids’ Club.

A new addition to the ever-growing list of accommodation choices in Sapa, the Sapa Jade Hill Resort is a unique option that combines all the premium qualities of a four-star resort with going the extra mile. What’s special about this resort is that every villa has a chimney, and you are handed a bag of sweet potatoes to grill. The location, despite being a 20-minute walk from town, is also a plus and you’re able to get away from the endless construction. The views of the countryside from the villas are pure and undisturbed.

Opened in September 2017, Eden Boutique Hotel has 25 spacious rooms that are tastefully decorated, containing all your wanted amenities and more such as a mini-bar, safety deposit box and even bathrobes. Ideally situated on the way to Cat Cat village, it is a great central base from which to explore the rest of the town. Worth the price you pay, Eden makes for a comfortable place to stay, especially for recovering after a rainy-day trek on muddy routes.

Offering fantastic value for money, and just the right distance from the busy town centre, Aira Boutique is a stylish hotel designed with comfort in mind. Atmospheric rooms come in moody browns with dark wood parquet flooring; some even have views of the Fansipan mountain and Muong Hoa Valley. To further connect with the locale, head to the spa where local rituals and indigenous ingredients combine for a sumptuous afternoon that edges towards the cultural.

Due to unfavorable reviews of a hotel with a similar name, the Sapa Paradise View Hotel is now called Sapa Horizon Hotel. Rooms are newly renovated and have everything you need, but it is the team that makes your stay that much better. A bottle of wine, tea, juice, sweet cakes, even a sandwich for the bus back to Hanoi – you will receive many complimentary treats during your stay. Breakfast here is impressive with a huge spread for the buffet, and there’s even a menu of eggs, pancakes, sausages and phở cooked to order. The fantastic all-round experience will leave you wishing every hotel stay going forward will be personalised like this.