Coffee estate, botanical garden, English country cottages with Lao accents...it's hard to categorize Sinouk Coffee Resort. I am writing this from the porch of Chalet #1 (for later uploading, as there is no wireless), which is positioned above a stream that artistically cascades over boulders, descending into a pond where ten minutes ago, two Lao women and three young children were bathing. Although built in 1997, its wide floorboards and old-style, classy furniture evokes another era. Chalet #2 is newer. Each cottage has several en suite bedrooms, and residents share the dining room, sitting room, and several outdoor spaces in their house. In our case, we've barely seen the other couple staying here tonight, so it's almost as though this is our own cottage. The bamboo and silk light fixtures, exquisite Lao woven accent cushions and hangings, reed floor mats, and handmade baskets define an almost magazine-like interior space. A+ for aesthetics in Chalet #1.
The reed and bamboo furniture is comfortable, the rooms are spotlessly clean, and there is no TV in the cottages to distrub the soothing effect of the gurgling water outside. The helpful staff are attentive but don't hover. And the garden is a delight. Flowering plants and shrubs- from dahlias and roses to unusual varieties of bouganvilleas and others I can't name, line the paths. An army of coleus and other variegated leaf plants splay additional color,while coffee trees laden with beans form the backdrop. There is a coffee shop (of course) that also sells a few handicrafts and expensive packets of estate-produced beans. There are a few downsides - primarily, the lack of good reading lights, musty smells in some of the rooms, and tiny bathrooms - at least the two I've seen. Perhaps the ones in newer Chalet #2 are larger. A few spotlights in the living area and a daily airing of the rooms would be my two recommendations.
Breakfast is included in the price of rooms (ranging from US$40-$60 per night); dinner can be ordered to eat in the cottage, which is essential, as there are no other restaurants nearby. It was plentiful although not particularly remarkable. The coffee was okay, but not strong enough for our taste. Location - Sinouk is about 32 kms from Paksong, just after the village of Ban Lakkhao as you head towards Tha Teng. It is well sign-posted about 200 meters before the driveway. While Sinouk is sufficiently out-of-the-way so as not to be on anyone's list as a short getaway destination, its peacefulness, beauty, and classy coziness certainly qualify it for the "romantic" category.