Happy Tam Coc Ecolodge — Hotel in Ninh Bình Province

Happy Tam Coc Ecolodge exceeded my expectations in every way and was a true gem even compared to some of Vietnam’s best resorts (La Siesta Premium, Bai Dinh Resort, Halong Bay Luxury Cruises). When you first drive up you are simply stunned at its beauty and it just keeps getting better as you step into the luxurious and welcoming lobby.

The hotel is conveniently located next to Bich Dong Pagoda in Tam Coc/Ninh Binh Vietnam. The grounds have a pagoda, gorgeous gate, gardens, beautiful pool, and view of the karst mountains. The owner, Lily, can arrange transportation to go anywhere with a few hours’ notice and keeps the prices at the standard low Vietnam Prices.

The hotel is gorgeous and styled in the classic luxury with modern amenities. The stairs have carved dragons, rooms have recessed ceiling with lights, bathrooms are encased in marble, carved chairs with beautiful and comfortable cushions, every single detail is exquisite and made high-end quality materials. Inside the rooms there is air-conditioning, a huge fan over the bed, large flat-screen TV, four post bed, amazing views and a comfortable sitting chair. I am a world traveler with over 50 trips to 50 different countries and only the 5-star Fairmont Hotel in Cairo had the kind of flawless luxury that this place is built with. You will feel like Royalty.

The service is the kind you dream about, quiet, in the background, yet prompt and thoughtful. If I went swimming the jacuzzi was turned on for me before I even finished the first lap. If we sat down in the lobby to wait for transportation the fan over our head was flipped on in less than a minute – we didn’t even see the staff do it! They even let us keep luggage in our rooms past check-out so we could visit longer.

This is the best value hotel I have ever stayed at. Even at Vietnam’s lower prices it was a gem. You receive excellent hospitality, amazing luxury rooms, a pool, breakfast, a private concierge, and amazing views, all at the price of a 3-star homestay. Compared to places like La Siesta Premium, Bai Dinh Resort, Halong Bay Luxury Cruises - they were more luxurious with better service (and these were really nice places). My only regret is that we didn’t stay longer. They had the views, quality, luxury, and service that is hard to find in a single location.

Note: If you aren’t using a scooter – I recommend having them arrange private transportation. cooter rentals were $150000 vnd per day ($6 usd per day) and bicycle rentals were 50000 ($2 usd per day). Cost of private transportation was about 500,000 vnd for 3-4 hour trips ($20 usd) and about 1.2 - 1.6 million to/from Hanoi and Halong Bay depending on size of...

The place is quite beautiful and very well maintained. The owner is extremely kind and helpful, she helped us organize trips and even arranged private vehicles for us, which made our stay much easier.

The rooms are nice and cozy, though a few things could be improved. In our room, the hair dryer had no power outlet nearby, so we couldn’t actually use it. Also, during our two-day stay, we didn’t have any hot or even lukewarm water for showers on both days. We initially thought it might be due to peak usage, but that wasn’t the case.

The property is surrounded by beautiful nature and located about 15 minutes away (by motor bike) from the main town, peaceful and scenic! However, getting there at night can be tricky as the road has water bodies on both sides with no street lights. It requires careful driving after dark. One night, we were even chased by a neighbor’s dog on our way back, which was quite scary given how close the road is to the water.

Overall, it’s a charming and serene place with a very supportive host, just a few practical things to improve for a...

Beyond Expectations

Happy Tamcoc Ecolodge was a wonderful stay that truly exceeded our expectations.

Location: Perfectly situated in the heart of Tam Coc. It takes just 10 minutes to reach Hang Mua for a stunning sunset view, and about 20 minutes to Trang An boat pier – especially charming in autumn. The surrounding area is full of cozy cafés and restaurants, making evening bike rides magical.

Room: Clean, stylishly decorated in an impressive Indochina design, with plenty of beautiful corners for photos. The deluxe room on the second floor is highly recommended. All rooms are set right at the foot of the mountains, so waking up to the fresh air and natural scenery was both refreshing and memorable.

Service: The staffs were attentive and genuinely helpful, providing detailed guidance and even helping us book tickets for local attractions. While there are many good restaurants nearby, the homestay’s own set menu was also delicious.

Our group of three families rented out the entire place, and both adults and kids loved...