Cinnamon Eco Lodge

Such a wonderful escape from the busyness of the city and tourism. The quiet farm is off of the road so you can sleep peacefully. The rooms are very clean, and have all the amenities you need. They provide toothbrush, towels, house shoes, soap, body wash, air conditioning, tea, coffee, water, and a nice rainfall shower. Very luxurious and comfortable bed and comforter too. We wanted to stay longer!

We had a very good stay at Cinnamon Eco Lodge. The rooms were nice and comfortable and the surroudings were nice. The family is very friendly and kind. The food was delicious and it was nice having dinner together with the family. Our two daughters also enjoyed playing with the daughter. Both Gioi and Hue speak english well, which makes communication very easy.

We also did a 2 nights/3 days trekking with Gioi in the nearby areas, which was very good. We stayed at some really genuine homestays and got to see and experience many different things. The initiary was well adopted to our family (two kids 9 and 12 years). This can absolutely be recomended!

This property is perfectly situated between Sa Pa and Ha Giang - was really great in breaking up the motorcycle route for us. We honestly thought that this would just be a simple stopover point, but it’s so much more than that. We’re quite sad that we didn’t stay at least 2-3 nights to explore the surrounding area and go on a few hikes/tours. Our room and the bed was perfectly comfortable; we especially appreciated the rug and the lovely balcony. The property itself its beautiful, with lovely little hangout spots set in the jungle. Dinner was also fantastic. Out of the seven homestays we stayed at, this was the best dinner hands down; some of the best dining during our month in Vietnam.

This place is definitely one of my highlights after spending over 3 weeks in Northern Vietnam. Peaceful environment, beautiful location, very welcoming family. The food is also excellent 👌

This place is lush. Simple, but lush.
We came here on a detour from further north as the roads were too bad to pass. What a treat to find this place.

The food is local, simple, clean and crisp, the owners (and their pets) are friendly and kind.

The rooms are comfortable and clean.
Unexpected gem in the mountains!

Come stay, eat, enjoy

Wow, what a great find this place was. We picked in as it was a middle ground between Ha Giang and Sapa.

Nestled amongst a cinnamon farm there are a few bungalows. Super quiet and relaxing we felt as if I was at a spa retreat.

The family who own the cinnamon farm are so kind and welcoming.

The rooms are decorated lovely and the room is spacious with everything you need.

They cooked us a delicious dinner which we sat and had with the family - along with some rice wine.

We were then cooked breakfast the following morning which was also delicious.

We decided to pay for the cinnamon harvest tour which lasts around 30 minutes where you get to harvest some of of your own cinnamon to take home with you.

Great stay - would highly recommend!

This is a review for both Gioi's trek guiding and the Eco Lodge. We had the most unforgettable experience. I'm so so so thankful we found Gioi [pronounced Zoe] and booked 7 days/6 nights trekking around the mountains with him. You can contact him, tell him what you'd like to experience most and choose shorter or longer trips. He adjusted the 9 day itinerary on his website to fit our available time. He brought us literally off the beaten track, experiencing the beautiful culture and communities of the mountains around Sapa, Bac Ha, Huang Su Phi, and Lao Cai regions. He also knows a lot about nature and encourages respect of it. You don't need to see Hagiang rd, the journey he took us on is the less touristy version with incredible views. He's an amazing photographer and can speak some of the local dialects (he grew up nearby). This allowed us to interact with the hard-working people from local ethnic minorities in a way that we never would have been able to without Gioi. He makes them smile, laugh, feel seen in an appreciative way and he supports them. He also made us laugh with his Gioi-isms.
His lodge is a beautiful work of art that he and his family worked hard to build. We stayed there for our last night but wished we could have stayed longer. The rooms and amenities were very clean and comfortable. The food was excellent!! The Cinnamon harvest experience was super cool.

Please support his business... and buy his photographs once he figures out how to sell them online. :)
Thank you Gioi and family, cảm ơn yêu!

We’ve had the best stay in the Cinnamon Eco Lodge bungalows. The host has very good English and was happy to accommodate vegetarian food options for me. We’ve had dinner with the family each night and it was very tasty. The bungalows are spacious and beds are super comfy.
We also did a cinnamon harvesting workshop with the father of the owners and absolutely loved it!
Do not hesitate - book this spot to stay at while you are travelling in North Vietnam!

We had an amazing experience staying at Cinnamon Eco Lodge,
We had dinner with the family which was relaxed and delicious with a great range of food on offer. My wife is Vegetarian and this was easily catered for.
Cinnamon Eco Lodge also had local craft beer which I recommend you try.

Absolutely recommend staying here

Nice, clean and quiet. Lovely diner and rice wine

Perfect layover for a trip to Ha Giang. Wish I had 2 days it would be a great weekend break. Beautiful setting, lovely hosts.

The lodge offers you a chance to experience a simple and pure Vietnamese countryside life.
We were offered to sleep in a big traditional family house surrounded by lots of green and ponds, which gave quite a special experience. Besides, the whole terrain is actually a huge cinnamon plantation, which is so beautiful.
Highly recommended if you want to get back to nature and to completely unwind.

We were invited to join a family dinner with the host. The food was wholly local and home-made. So yummy and fresh from countryside ingredients.

The host, Tony, took us to a waterfall in the area for a swim, which was such a cool experience! We were allowed to peel the cinnamon barks with the family the last day we were there.

All in all, super highly recommended!

A nature immersed getaway, out of the way and amongst the locals, cinnamons trees and the natural environment. The owners are very helpful, speak fluently in English and cook flavoursome, authentic meals with ingredients sourced from their land. I can not recommended this place enough to do something different and get away from the tourist hotspots. The ambience is peaceful and wholesome.

Where do I start...

I think I'm just so blessed to have met Gioi, Hue and their family. They are passionate, friendly & hospitable. We were treated like their own family members. Hue welcomed us as soon as our car arrived, she treated us with the fragrant cinnamon tea harvested from their farm while we were checking in. So delicious!

From the start, they answered a lot of my queries even months before my trip. Helped me a lot throughout my plans exploring Northern Vietnam. Thanks so much!!

This is my 5th time visiting VN, frankly speaking, nothing came close to the amazing experience we had throughout our 4 days in Cinnamon Eco Lodge.

Cinnamon Eco Lodge is located in a small village in Ban Dao, Bao Yen District, Northeast Vietnam. It might look hard to reach on map but no worries at all. Gioi & Hue were really kind to arrange transport for us. The transfer picked us up directly from our hotel in Hanoi and got us there safely. Gioi & Hue were in constant contact with us and the driver to ensure a smooth journey. So, if you're hesitating about transport, nothing to worry about.. get in touch with them...

The place is really special because it sits within a huge cinnamon forest. Our bungalow was spotlessly clean, spacious and comfy. The bungalow comes with air-conditioner, hot shower, good Wi-Fi (now all rooms come with WiFi, unlike the previous reviews stated that WiFi is only available at the main house) and complete amenities like towels, toiletries, tooth brushes and toothpaste. Really good stay! Oh yes, my patio has amazing mountain views and cinnamon trees!

If you are planning to come here, no need to think about eating out because they cook the best food! Make sure you book full board with them :) My parents and I were really well fed. Omg, the B, L & D were all scrumptious and the portion was very generous. All ingredients were sourced from their farm. Healthy & organic! We were also invited to have dinner with the family in the main hall, it felt like a family.

It didn't stop there, we were lucky enough during our stay. The family was preparing for a wedding. We got a precious chance to experience an authentic Vietnamese wedding, from preparation to wedding ceremony.

Everyone in the family including the relatives coming from long-distance were so welcoming. We had dinner together. Even though we were unable to communicate in Vietnamese but we can tell their sincerity. Certainly, Hue & Gioi were our translators 😁😁😁. The following was one of the many words I learn from the wedding...

Mot Hai Ba Jo! (1,2,3 cheers!)
Hai Ba Jo! (2,3, cheers!)
Hai Ba Uong! (2,3, Bottoms up!)

There are many things to see and do around the area e.g. The minority villages, waterfall, rice terraces, vast cinnamon forest, traditional rice wine production & corn fields. They are non-touristy and mostly can't find on map. You really need to chat with them to arrange for a tour! Highly recommended!

Gioi & Hue customized a few tours for us. There are Coc Ly Market, Bac Ha Market & others too. We did Bac Ha Market it was an eye opener for me.

We learn so much from the activities organized by Gioi & Hue. I really like the experience harvesting the cinnamon from their farm. Now I learn how it was done. It was a tough job. It makes me appreciate cinnamon more than ever. Whenever I see cinnamons in the supermarket in my country now, it would remind me of the tough work by the farmers.

I think this is the first time I wrote such a long review lol... I made a really good decision to skip the busy Sapa and come to this gem instead :) please go, you will thank me later!

I didn't want to leave haha!
Yes, if you plan to go. Do stay at least 3 or 4 nights to get the full taste of this gem. I can't wait to plan another trip and explore this place in another season..

Cheers!!

Me and my boyfriend stayed for 3 nights at the ecolodge. It was our last stay in Vietnam, after a trip of three weeks. We can honestly say that the ecolodge of Gioi and Hue was the best and most authentic place we’ve stayed at. We loved the dinners with their family, the views from the bungalow and the chats about life in Vietnam with Gioi and Hue. The first day we went to a local market and ended up at a school event, where Hue is a teacher. All the local people were very friendly and welcoming. We also rented a motorbike for the rest of the day and saw the most stunning views of our trip and ended up playing soccer with local kids. The last day we did a full day hike with Gioi and again, came in touch with so much friendy people (a cinnamon farmer,…). Keep in mind that the ecolodge is located in a remote village, but it is really worth the visit and they will help you to plan your trip to the ecolodge. We hope to come back one day and we would definitely recommend this place to everyone who wants to experience the real Vietnam.

After 3 years in Vietnam, such a challenging place to find Homestay as Cinnamom. Looking for a truely vietnamese countryside experience ? Respecting environment, culture and nature, it’s here! The bungalow is spacious, clean and offers a stunning view on the mountains. For thoses advantages i would recommend you to come for 2/3 nights, relaxing stay and wonderful experience. Cam on anh 😊

We had a lovely night's sleep at the Cinnamon Lodge. There were other travelers to meet, and the host and her family were so nice and accommodating. Family dinner wwas cheap and delicious, with lots of rice wine and some fabulous vegetarian dishes. It was also the quietest place we've slept in Vietnam, and very dark (unlike all the crazy brightly lit hotels). So nice to hear the critters chirping by the pond. And we got to see the cinnamon trees and had the most fantastic cinnamon tea!

Very friendly and welcoming family. The rooms are really big and clean. Beds are very comfortable definitely worth your money. The family diner we had was so delicious.
Overall go there and enjoy the perfect hospitality. Thank you very much!

Had a wonderful stay here with my wife in their beautiful bungalow. There's stunning views on the road over the river on the way in, then an authentic and tasty dinner with the fam, rice wine and good conversations. In the morning we harvested cinnamon and visited the waterfall. Highly recommended!

With out a doubt staying at the Cinnamon Eco Lodge was one of our favorite experiences in Vietnam. It is not so much an eco lodge as a chance to stay in a village that sees very few tourists, experience family life amongst the cinnamon trees and rice fields, and enjoy the good company of the lovely people who are part of the family and live in the nearby villages. We found the guest house very comfortable and private. The only consideration is food, you can eat daily with the family there but getting out into town requires your own transport or lots of walking. If I had another 2 weeks to stay in Vietnam, I think I would spend it here. I miss the smell of cinnamon.