Puluong Luna — Hotel in Thanh Hoá Province

We had an amazing stay at Pu Luong Luna in January. The facilities are clean, well-kept and super cozy, with huge windows leading out to beautiful views of the surroundings. We visited during low season (for tourists) and were upgraded to their best available room free of charge, which was much appreciated.

Meals are freshly prepared using locally available ingredients, so a-la-carte was not an option. However, this wasn’t an issue as we were treated to a different variety of dishes every night, all of which were delicious and more than enough portion-wise. The staff will ask you to nominate a time you want to eat in advance, so that they can prepare the food in time.

The customer service we received was also excellent, as the staff always greeted us with a smile and was ready to assist with any inquiries. Most of the staff are local people from the surrounding villages, so their English is minimal but this can easily be resolved with Google Translate.

Additionally, there are cute dogs and cats roaming around the property and they love pats! (They will come and stay under the table when you eat, but they will not bother you as long as you ignore them)

Things to note: There is construction happening outside the accommodation to improve the conditions of the roads so noises will occur during the day (but not year-round). Also, due to the buildings being made from natural materials such as wood, bamboo and palm leaves, it is expected that you would hear nature sounds outside, but we considered this part of the charm of the location.

We would highly recommend Pu Luong Luna for those wanting to explore...

My wife and I came as part of our honeymoon to stay at the hotel for two nights in a superior room. The room’s facilities were quite basic, with two single beds pushed together, a bathroom, shower, and a minibar. Breakfast, like in most hotels in Vietnam, was rather sparse. The hotel operates a restaurant where you can order meals, but you need to place your order at least an hour in advance, which makes planning a bit difficult, especially for families with children. We booked a foot massage at the hotel, but it was hard for them to explain that it was actually a massage for the leg itself and not the foot. It was more expensive than in Hanoi and not worth it. The hotel staff didn’t speak a single word of English, and even hand gestures usually didn’t help. On the second day, when we went out sightseeing, we mentioned in advance that we wanted our room cleaned. We came back to find it hadn’t been cleaned. It took us a while to explain to the staff that the room needed to be cleaned. In addition, we were given glass water bottles, which we placed in the fridge. In the morning, we discovered that the fridge had frozen the bottles, causing them to crack and break. We went to the reception to explain the situation, and as far as we could tell, they understood what had happened. But due to the staff’s stubbornness and lack of basic communication, only after we had checked out and were already in the car about to leave did they stop us and demand we pay 70,000 for the two water bottles....

Absolute highlight of our trip to Vietnam. A beautiful change of pace from bustling Hanoi. We came at the hottest time of the year so enjoyed the AC and pool. At any other time of the year, this would make a perfect trekking base. It’s a 10-15 minute walk from the largest rice terraces in Pu Luong, which are absolutely stunning. The grounds were beautifully maintained with a variety of flowering tropical plants.

Anh and the other staff were incredibly kind and helpful. The hotel was the perfect size where it felt like we were part of the family. The rooms were beautiful, private, and well-appointed.

We enjoyed sunsets, afternoons at the pool, playing with the resident puppies and kittens, filling breakfasts and family-style dinners. They had plenty of vegan options as well.

You can find local artisans, cafes, and small convenience stores within walking distance. I would highly recommend visiting the Doan market to get off the beaten track. We left early on a Sunday morning while it was still cool. Anh rescued us by sending a car when we thought we would be able to get a grab back.

Bicycles and motorbikes are also available, although we didn’t use them.

Everyone in our party wished we’d stayed longer than...