Joy House Sapa — Hotel in Ta Van Commune

I don’t really want to write this as I want it to stay under the radar but anyone visiting the Joy House is in for a great stay!||||Just like you I’m sometimes sceptical of trip advisor raves and like to manage my expectations but if you go to Sapa you should stay here.||||It was recommended by our friend and we wanted a quiet home stay. It’s 10km from town so 30mins on a rough road and 250k then 500m down a path. ||||Zu is a lovely person and a great host and hard working business woman! Her husband built their house and the homestay using local pine and it’s a beautiful place to swing in the hammock or sit having breakfast looking at the mountains and waterfall. ||||Genuine homestay, eating with the family and fellow travellers (dinners were amazing and prepare for a big breakfast with fresh fruit). They couldn’t do enough for us, organising a guide from the local tribe, washing, rice wine, taxis etc. ||||If you want a unique experience I highly recommend it. ||||Very good for families as there are 4 young children and the neighbours pop in with their kids. (We were a couple on Honeymoon so don’t let that put you off as we had great fun playing around with the kids and meeting people).||||Easy access to walks ||Easy to organise guides and transport.||Peaceful and beautiful location||Hot showers (plenty of bathrooms) and comfy beds! ||Padlocks for you door provided and an honesty box fridge of water, soft drinks and beer. ||||We went into Sapa town easily a couple of times and were so glad we stayed at Joy House.||||One of our Vietnam highlights. ||(If you’ve made it this far, go to Fansipan on the cable car, it’s easy to do and...

The place is beautiful, away from the city and tourists. You will be greeted by nature every morning (baby birds, roosters, village children playing, the sound of rain during the rainy season), and the view from the house was serene and peaceful.

We were super lucky to have the entire house to ourselves as there were no other guests during the week. There is a sitting area outside the house, facing the stream and beautiful mountains, where we spent a lot of our time quietly painting, journalling, reading and meditating in nature. It was truly a nourishing experience.

For the more adventurous, there are guides who are able to bring you on treks up the mountains across neighbouring villages, to the bamboo forest etc.

Chu and Scott were very responsive throughout our stay and we had many great nights after dinner chatting with Chu (she speaks really good English) about the H’mong culture and their daily life. We were also lucky to have seen her in the process of preparing hemp for dyeing and weaving!

Tips: Try not to bring large luggages with wheels. Some parts of the walk is on a slope.

Try to arrive earlier (before 6pm). The roads are dark at night. We arrived ~9pm and our phone lights could only light up a short distance.

Do check the guide that Scott sends after you book, it has prices of food, what to expect and the kind of activities they can arrange for you.

Overall, we felt very safe and enjoyed our time with Chu and her family! Thank you so much for...

I stayed at Joy House Sapa for three days during a long weekend in late November. The location is quite remote, about 8 km from the main town of Sapa. You’ll need to rent a motorbike or take a car to get there, but the homestay is deep in the valley, making it difficult to reach by car.

The house is right by a river, so you can hear the soothing sound of flowing water all day. It's a peaceful, off-the-beaten-path place, far from the crowded tourist spots. The scenery is beautiful, making it a great spot for a relaxing two-day stay.

The price is very affordable compared to other places in the area, but there are a few downsides. The bed is not very comfortable, and the blanket provided wasn’t enough for two people during the cold season. Thankfully, there is a heater, which helps a lot on chilly nights. Also, there’s no Wi-Fi available, which might be a concern for some.

The owners are very responsive and offer a delicious free breakfast, usually pancakes and fresh fruit. There’s a charming dining area overlooking the river, which really enhances...