Reviews of Sapana Village Lodge 3 stars

the property is in an excellent location, the staff was very helpful and prompt. Food was beyond expectations.

Wish there were more lights in the pathways and bigger signage.

I recently stayed at Sapana Village Lodge and, unfortunately, left feeling very disappointed. The location is beautiful but that’s about where the positives ended for me. My room was not well maintained. The sheets felt damp, there were insects in the corners, and the bathroom smelled musty with poor drainage. For the price, I expected at least basic cleanliness and comfort, which just wasn’t there. Service was inconsistent. While some staff were kind, it was obvious they were overworked. I overheard one staff member mention 12+ hour shifts for multiple days in a row. It’s hard to enjoy a stay when it’s clear the people working there aren’t being treated fairly. Meals took far too long to arrive and were often cold or missing items. We ended up eating elsewhere after the first night. Activities booked through the lodge were also shockingly overpriced we later found similar options in town for much less, with better organization and transparency. The lodge markets itself as eco-friendly and community-based, which I support in theory, but in reality, it feels like the focus is on profits over people both staff and guests. A beautiful view can’t make up for poor hospitality, lack of upkeep, and ethical concerns.

I had high hopes for Sapana Village Lodge based on the photos and the social mission behind the property. Unfortunately, our experience was quite disappointing and didn’t match the expectations set by the online reviews. The room was rustic, which we expected, but it felt neglected. The toilet leaked slightly, and there was no hot water for most of our stay. The walls were very thin we could hear every conversation from next door, which made it hard to sleep. The food was another major letdown. It took over an hour to get our lunch one afternoon, and when it came, it was cold and tasteless. Breakfast was inconsistent sometimes we got what we ordered, other times items were simply missing with no explanation. The lodge advertises various tours and activities, but when we tried to book something through reception, the communication was vague and unorganized. We ended up arranging a jeep safari with someone else in town, which was much smoother. While I support the idea behind the lodge, they really need to improve the basics cleanliness, communication, and hospitality. At the price point they charge, these things shouldn’t be overlooked.

Absolutely the highlight of our trip. High quality accommodation, staff couldn’t have been more attentive or helpful. Eco tourism was important to me and is at the heart of Sapana’s ethos. Lots of options for excursions/animal encounters. Gorgeous grounds/gardens

Nothing.

Beautiful setting with charming buildings and lots of tranquility! Many places that allow bird or animal watching, including a yoga house. Tasteful and quirky rooms build with nature and sustainability in mind. The service was outstanding and we loved the evenings in the restaurant.

There was nothing.

Amazing surroundings and property. Great staff and restaurant. Excellent guides for tours.

The power went out a couple of times but it didn’t really affect me.

It's lovely. Relaxing sprawling campus of little hut like buildings along a clean bend of a stream with elephants hanging around. Many many activities. It's easy just to show up and select from the menu of activities for a few days.

Calm and relaxing environment. Staff is very attentive and helpful. Requests have always been fulfilled and all activities took place as planned. Great place for a family stay.

The room was a bit small for five.

The staff were so helpful and welcoming. They did so much to make our stay a memorable one. Our room was lovely, clean and tastefully decorated and furnished. The food was great and we also had a cooking class with the chefs - learning how to make delicious Momos!!! We loved feeding the elephants in the morning and hearing about their lives at the Sanctuary. We also took a canoe ride and jungle walk to see crocodiles and rhinos! Our guide from the lodge was so experienced and knowledgeable and took the time to talk to us about the wildlife in Chitwan on our Jeep tour. We loved every minute of our stay!!

Nothing!!

Everything. Met the owner, what an inspiring person. I had read some bad reviews on this hotel and could not believe it was the same place. The rooms were clean, bright, decorated and comfortable. The lodge lives up to it's eco-friendly statements and the food was excellent. Most of the staff are training and all were excellent in service and friendliness. The location is right on the river and they walk the rescued elephants there every afternoon. Such a treat to stand next to them. The local rhinos wander past when they feel like it. It's magical. The company truly supports the community. Congrats to you for what you have built. I have already recommended your hotel to friends.

Nothing.

Situated next to the river, close to the nature park, cozy terraces, outside fireplace in the evening, very punctual and friendly staff, luxurious room and a manager that is proactive and correct. We loved our stay ! also the nightly visit of the wild elephant was a special experience.

Fabulous location on the banks of the river provides excellent conditions for observing wildlife. The kitchen was very good, offering a fair choice of Western, Nepali and Indian foods.

The lighting in the room was quite poor.

Very nice lodge. You can view wildlife from the hotel. The restaurant is very good too.

The safaris are a bit more expensive, compared to elsewhere. But their guides are very good, so for me it was worth it.

The Sapana Village Lodge is as much an idea as a resort. It is based around a philosophy of changing the local environment by diverting profits to create schools, building a village for a disadvantaged caste that was deeply affected by floods and creating social empowerment programs. If that's not enough they have organic gardens, support an industry making smokeless stoves and have a refuge for old and/or infirm elephants. I have never experienced anything like it. Aside from this, the food is great, the staff are brilliant, the resort is peaceful, the architecture superb and the rooms are excellent. A dollar spent here spins around the community bringing work, opportunity and education to the district of Chitwan. This is an amazing initiative and a treasure in the tourism industry of Nepal.

Nothing. The place is unique and inspirational.

Our stay at Sapana Village Lodge was fantastic. One of the highlights was the opportunity to observe and interact with the rescued elephants. Every morning and evening, we could watch them taking a bath in the river, and we also participated in the feeding activity in the morning. The staff at Sapana Village Lodge are incredibly nice and friendly. They went out of their way to make sure we had everything we needed and were always available with a smile.

Awesome value! 600$ for 3 people 2 days including food and safari tour, canoe trip, elephant feeding and cultural show and airport shuttle. Staff were kind to 87 year old mother with us!

Nada

Great place in a wonderful location. I had been working in Bengaluru in South India which has a hectic pace of life. To come to this place where all is tranquility was perfect. We stayed eight days and enjoyed the elephants, the golden orioles singing in the garden, no sound of traffic, the all day outing into the jungle, the room, the elephants, my surprise birthday breakfast on the terrace, the friendliness of the staff, lunch with our host and hostess at the hotel. Did I mention the elephants? It was heavenly. I was happy to just stay in the hotel garden for most of the time.

The wine list could definitely be improved.

It’s a cool hotel from the perspective of Community Based Tourism. They seem very serious about supporting local communities, working with NGO’s to protect local flora and fauna.

Restaurant: The service is very slow, it'll take roughly 40-50 minutes for most of the dishes to be ready. Food prices are ok, if compared to similar restaurants in Pokhara and Kathmandu, but they are overpriced for Chitwan. Tours: They’re all hosted by the same guide and honestly, we were not very fond of him. It felt like he was saying random information, without properly telling the story about the place, rushing to finish the tour. He also created uncomfortable situations, being pushy about tips. We didn’t do the safaris with them, just the Tharu Village Experience and the Bush Walk with the Elephants. Hotel: The main problem was the frequent power cuts, at night and in the morning, specially considering the 35-40ºC temperature in Chitwan and the impossibility of using the A/C. In one of those days, I decided to ask the manager if the energy was going to come back and he started running away and shouting at the staff, minutes later, energy was back, which makes me think it’s a hotel situation, instead of the town’s. The shower is very dark. Toilet room needs update. A/C doesn’t work properly, it takes 3-4 hours to actually start cooling down the place. It’s a 20-25 minute walk from the main city center.

Exceptionally beautiful property. Rooms, garden, and restaurant were wonderful. Their staff very friendly and programs well organised. Highlight being able to observe elephants across the river from various locations on the property.

4x4 safari Tours organised by the hotel. If you are a small group, teaming up with another party reduces the individual cost of the safari. Jonac is a fantastic tour guide and made an extra effort to make sure we saw a good amount of wildlife. Hotel is in a beautiful location, right by the river. Domesticated elephants and the occasional rhino taking a bath make the views from the terraces really enjoyable.

The price for food and drink were a little steep compared to our experiences elsewhere in Nepal. The smog from the forest fires and farming fire are quite alarmingly bad. Lack of rainfall in April 2024 meant that the thick smog lingered day after day, reducing visibility and tainting our trip somewhat.

It should be buffet based so that variety can be explored

Room service should be available and also intercom for easier communication