Pù Luông Ecocharm

The rooms were clean and attractive, with a lovely view, and the setting is peaceful if you want to be surrounded by nature. But when it rained, the terrace got extremely slippery. We saw another guest fall, so we took extra care walking there. The mattress was very firm. I didn’t mind it, but my partner slept badly. We weren’t sure we were welcome when we arrived. Nobody greeted us or explained the basics, like breakfast hours or whether we could take tea. We asked later and were told the water and tea were available. The hosts were kind otherwise, and lent us umbrellas for the rain. The Google information was inaccurate: there was no food available and the pool was empty. Since it rained every day during our stay, we wish we’d known we couldn’t eat there. Breakfast was included, so it was odd when our host asked why we weren’t eating breakfast somewhere else.

We really liked the quiet, tucked-away feel of the place and would happily stay again. It seems well suited to small groups who want privacy and would rather avoid tour groups. The rooms were comfortable and clean, with the expected great views, and the staff were kind and helpful. Food was tasty every day, though a little more variety at breakfast would have been nice. It didn’t bother us much. Getting in was easy once we found the right entrance. We arrived after dark and followed the Google route, which was tricky. Clearer directions would help, especially for people arriving by motorbike. I can’t remember whether this was explained to us beforehand. Thanks again for a great stay.

The one bright spot was Ms. Hanh, the host working from Hanoi. She seemed to be employed by the holding company and did what she could to help with the problems. She was very kind and had a real feel for hospitality. My seven-day stay was noisy for six of those days. Neighbours had karaoke at a volume that carried across the whole valley, starting at 8:30am on three days. There was also construction directly behind the lodge, with hammering and jigsaws starting daily at 6:30am. I could hear mice or rats moving through the roof, too. I was the only guest on two nights, and felt more like a burden than a guest. One evening I was told to have dinner earlier than usual so the local host could relax sooner, and she left as soon as she served it. The room wasn’t properly clean: there were clumps of hair from previous guests, stains and dust. The bottle provided for drinking water had mold on it. There was a cockroach and a dead gecko by the balcony door. The rooms are also much smaller than the advertised 38qm. There was no kettle in the room as the ad said; hot water was available from a shared kettle by the restaurant. During a seven-night stay I expected room service at least once. When I raised it at checkout, they said I should have asked because they only had one key for the rooms. That should have been explained in advance. There was no English menu, and getting the dinner menu took back and forth. It changed a little depending on what was available. The local host, Thuy, wasn’t always there and didn’t have WhatsApp, so without a Vietnamese SIM card it was hard to reach her. The restaurant toilet was very dirty, and the food was just okay. I’ve eaten better elsewhere in Pu Luong. The Facebook post advertised a 20% promotion. I met the terms and conditions listed there, but the boss of Ecocharm, a holding in Hanoi, refused the discount and came up with new criteria that I didn’t meet. Thuy wasn’t there at the 11am checkout. The card machine was broken, so I had to meet someone back in Hanoi to pay in cash. It’s my second time in Vietnam, and I’ve never had an experience like this.

The sunrise was beyond anything I could have hoped for. Our room was clean and comfortable.