Topas Ecolodge Sapa Review: Deluxe Suite & Infinity Pool

🏨 My Sapa Stay: When the Dream View Disappears (Almost!) 🏨

I had one main goal for my Sapa trip.

To spend a night at a resort with stunning terraced rice fields right before my eyes!

I was really looking forward to the mountain views and infinity pool at Topas Ecolodge, which I'd seen all over social media.

But here's the thing.

On the day I arrived in April,

I couldn't see anything

from the terrace or even the pool.

If the room and breakfast had also been bad,

I would've just written it off and said I wouldn't go back.

​

But the breakfast was truly delicious,

and I'm still curious about the view on a good weather day.

So, my conclusion? A re-do!

But next time, I'm staying for at least two nights, not just one.

01 Arriving by Shuttle from Sapa Town

From Check-in to Room Transfer

We took Topas's private shuttle

from Sapa Town.

It took over 30 minutes to get to the lodge, but most of the people on the bus were Korean!

According to official information,

it takes about 45 minutes from Sapa Town to the lodge.

Departure from Sapa is at 2 PM,

and departure from the lodge is at 10 AM.

Seats are limited,

so a reservation 24 hours in advance is required.

The current pickup location in Sapa Town

is listed as 015 Le Van Tam Street.

Once you arrive at the lodge by shuttle,

you check in at a lobby-like area.

A dedicated staff member guided us through the lodge map, available programs,

and even helped with dinner reservations.

After hearing all the explanations,

we took a buggy to our room.

It turned out that Room 504 was right next to the check-in area,

so taking the buggy felt a bit awkward, lol.

02 Deluxe Suite Room 504, Second Floor

The Sofa Disappeared When the Extra Bed Was Added

The Deluxe Suite had a duplex structure.

Upon entering the room,

you first step into the living room on the second floor.

The officially stated room size is currently 60㎡.

It includes a living room, bedroom, bathroom, and balcony.

Since there were three of us, we added an extra bed, and a mattress was placed where the sofa usually was.

The problem was that the sofa had disappeared.

There was nowhere for the three of us to sit together in a circle and eat snacks.

In the end, we ended up huddled together on the bare floor to eat our snacks 😭

I thought 60㎡ would be spacious,

but with three people, the shared lounging space felt a bit awkward.

If two people stay, you can use the sofa as is,

so it would probably feel quite spacious!

03 Bedroom and Spacious Bathroom Downstairs

The Beds Were Small, But the Bathtub Was Great

Going down the stairs from the second floor

leads to the bedroom and bathroom on the first floor.

My impression when I first looked down the stairs.

A little scary, isn't it?

There were two single beds on the first floor,

but they seemed smaller than even a super single size.

A little disappointing, isn't it?

Still, the bathroom was really spacious, which I liked.

With two sinks, it was surprisingly convenient when all three of us were getting ready at the same time.

There was also bath salt next to the bathtub,

making it perfect for drawing a bath and relaxing for a bit.

The room comes with a desk, tea/coffee,

an umbrella, a flashlight, and even a mosquito net.

04 Room 504 with No Refrigerator and a Terrace

Eco-friendly, but this is a bit much

And here's another thing.

Would you believe this is supposed to be a refrigerator?

Even for an eco-friendly accommodation,

not being able to keep cool water... that's a tough one.

After the refrigerator, the next thing I checked out was

the private terrace on the first floor.

I was really hoping to open the door and be greeted by a scene of

rolling rice terraces and mountains.

The view from the terrace ^^

Fog.

The scenery I saw while strolling outside the accommodation ^^

More fog.

05 Yes, It's That Famous Infinity Pool

My Photos Only Captured Fog

That's right.

This is indeed that famous infinity pool, the one that's all over

Instagram and other social media!

The pool where everyone takes their 'life shot' photos,

it's right here!!!!!

But truly, I couldn't see anything,,

The mountains and rice terraces vanished,

and all I could see at the end of the pool was fog.

Just looking at the facilities,

it's definitely an amazing infinity pool.

However, for me, the view beyond the pool was the main attraction,

more than the water itself.

Later, when I looked up the official climate information,

I found out that Sapa has an average of 137 foggy days per year.

So, simply being the dry season didn't guarantee

those stunning views at this accommodation.

06 Outdoor BBQ in the Fog

Why Did I Even Book This?

For dinner, I had pre-booked the pavilion outdoor BBQ.

Why did I do that?

​

The staff had shown me about three dining areas for dinner,

and I chose the outdoor BBQ among them.

When I arrived at the pavilion on time,

my table was already set.

As expected for an outdoor restaurant, a bug repellent was

thoughtfully placed on one side of the table.

Dinner in such a foggy place... it felt like being in a scene from Silent Hill.

After our ordered BBQ platter arrived,

another platter with the exact same items came out.

I wish the skewers had been a bit more varied;

it was a shame to see the same items repeated.

I'll upload a photo of the menu and prices from when I visited.

Personally, I recommend ordering a variety of dishes

rather than sticking to the same set!

Currently, the pavilion BBQ operates on

Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

Operating hours are from 6 PM to 9 PM,

and booking confirmation is required before 3 PM on the same day.

While we were eating,

the sky grew darker in real-time.

That's when a thought crossed my mind.

​

How do we get back to our accommodation?!

After finishing our meal, we had to walk

about 10 minutes back to our place.

It was so dark and foggy that it was tough

to move around without a flashlight.

Luckily, we remembered the flashlight in our room

and made it back safely.

When we got back to the room,

the bedding was neatly arranged.

And sweet dreams!💕

There didn't seem to be many mosquitoes,

but I put up the mosquito net anyway, and it just

made it harder to move around lol.

Agoda Official Site | Free Cancellation & Booking Deals | Over 2 Million Hotels3ha.in

07 The Rainy Next Day and Our Delightful 360 Breakfast

​

The next morning, we headed out for breakfast,

and it was raining.

Fortunately, there was an umbrella in our room,

so we grabbed it and made our way to the breakfast restaurant.

The 360° Restaurant, where we had breakfast,

had a unique layout with all the food gathered in the center of a circular building.

We could order food and drinks from a menu,

and also enjoy a mini-buffet.

Wow, but the breakfast restaurant was truly fantastic!!

It wasn't just one or two dishes that were delicious;

everything I ate was amazing.

It was almost a shame I couldn't eat more because it was breakfast!

What I enjoyed most at Topas wasn't even the infinity pool or the room,

but the breakfast.

If I ever go back and the weather isn't great again,

I'd choose to eat dinner at the 360° Restaurant

over the outdoor BBQ.

Currently, the 360° breakfast is served

daily from 7 AM to 10 AM.

08 Things to Consider Before Booking Topas Ecolodge

Is an ~~$365 Price Tag Still Worth It if the View Disappears?

The ~~$365 we actually paid was the total

for a room for three, an extra bed,

and dinner included.

Looking at the accommodation itself, there are definite perks

like spacious bathrooms, breakfast, and the infinity pool.

However, if you're expecting stunning rice terraces and clear skies,

your satisfaction on a bad weather day will definitely plummet.

If your Sapa itinerary is short

and getting that perfect 'life photo' is paramount,

I'd probably look at flexible cancellation policies first.

Conversely, if you love relaxing inside your accommodation

and plan to fully enjoy the breakfast and room amenities,

there's still plenty to appreciate even if the view is cloudy.

09 If I Go Back, I'll Stay 2+ Nights

And I'll Be Praying for Good Weather at Least Once!

My overall assessment of Topas Ecolodge is...

it's a gamble.

I booked after seeing all those beautiful sunny photos,

but I ended up with both fog and rain – it was a complete bust for me.

Spending ~~$365 for one night with

absolutely no view due to the weather felt like such a waste.

But if you ask if I'd never go back again?

Well, that's not quite right either.

If I go again, I'd book at least two nights,

and I'd probably pray for good weather on at least one of those days!

Instead of just going for the cheapest room,

I'd prioritize conditions with free cancellation.

So, my final choice is...

A return trip to Topas Ecolodge for 2+ nights!

For those of you who've visited Topas on a clear day,

Seriously, what month did you go? T_T