Anise Sapa Hotel

The breakfast was good, and the front desk staff were warm, kind, and helpful. Still, I expected much more for the price in Vietnam. Our trekking plan promised lunch in a local family's home, but our guide was from Hue, and we ate in a plain concrete restaurant with a tin roof alongside at least four other hiking groups. The room was on the top floor, supposedly with a view, but looked out onto an empty lot and another hotel. The listing also promised a private balcony, which our room didn't have. For both the room and the trek, staff said the listing or itinerary was old or written by someone else. They didn't seem bothered that the advertising hadn't matched what we got.

We booked the guided valley walk through the hotel, and were glad we did. I had doubts about joining an organized overnight trek, but our local guide and the group were great. The staff also arranged a couple of hours on motorbikes with drivers up to Tram Ton Pass. A staff member at our Hanoi hotel had recommended this place. We only stayed one night, but got a lot for the price: mountain views from our room's balcony, a generous breakfast, and good Vietnamese coffee. The staff were open and friendly, and it was nice to have a cup or two of coffee while hearing stories about his time living and working in Sapa. The hotel is right in town. Thanks to the staff, and I'd highly recommend it.

NOT RELIABLE, NOT RECOMMENDED. I stayed here once in May 2016 and recommended it to my family, then booked two rooms for them in September 2016. I soon regretted that. I called to reserve the rooms and was told they were available and would be held. My family drove all the way from Hanoi to Sapa, arrived late at night expecting two rooms, and found that the hotel had cancelled the booking without notice or contacting us. They had to find somewhere else to stay at midnight. I wouldn't recommend this place for families. It's not reliable.

The room and location were nice, but there was nobody around when I checked in, checked out, or pretty much any other time I was there. That left me stuck when I needed somewhere to leave my luggage for a while. I'm not even sure this is really a hotel.