My Best Luxury Hotels 2013

Since I believe “life is a journey, not a destination”, every year, I encourage myself to go to a new destination, meet some new people or at least stay in a different hotel. Fortunately, this year I got many chances to visit few different hotels.
Let me tell you my top 5 favorite hotels in Vietnam through this year.
Hotels are in order of my travelling schedule.

1. Fusion Maia – Da Nang – Late November

When I was there, the weather wasn’t wonderful. Sadly, it was light rainy all day and there was no my-expected blue sky and sunny sparkling beach.
Location: Fusion Maia is located just off the centre of the city, it took me about 20 minutes to go to the centre, that’s what I was looking for, keeping me away from the bustling city.
Room and amenities :

Facilities in my room

Private pool in each villa

Reception area was decorated with pale violet red tone, everything is in nice harmony. All rooms in Fusion Maia have private pool, I stayed in Pool Villa, and I really loved it. The room has modern design with light color matching up with pink and purple small décor. The reflection of blue water from the pool created a little sparkle for the room and brightened it up. I was really excited with their purple pencil. The shower and the bath tub are amazing with direct view to the pool. I love every single detail in the room.

Food: The breakfast included buffet and a la carte, both have very limited choices, actually breakfast isn’t the strong point of Fusion Maia. But there’s a good point that they have some “exclusive” juice such as red radish juice or red cabbage, which I did try all, since they said it’s really good for my health. Well, anyways it was worthy to try.

Salmon for lunch

Spa: Fusion Maia Spa is all inclusive; each client has at least 2 treatments per stay. To be honest, massage in Fusion Maia didn’t impress me much; however the staffs were really nice and other service such as nail and body scrub were fine. Due to that fact that when I was in Da Nang it was rainy all day, the spa was my perfect choice to kill the time.
Beach: it was terrible weather, rain and high waves, so I didn’t swim, but the beach would look really good in summer time.
Overall, I would rank Fusion Maia 4 out 5, and would definitely a choice of stay for next visit to Da Nang.

2. The Cliff Resort & Residence – Mui Ne – Middle November

My trip was amazing, from the weather to the accommodation. When I was there, the weather was bliss, sunny in daytime with light breeze and starry sky in nighttime.
Location: The cliff is right next to the center of Mui Ne, where you enjoy local food and local life. However, the resort was kept apart from the busiest and noisiest area. You have private feeling but not isolated.
Room and amenities: Decorated with light blue and white, the room really helps to cool down the temperature immediately at your first step into the room. My room had view to the pool and the beach, with big balcony which I really appreciated. They also have 2 pools which I really like, so I went for the smaller and more private one rather than the big crowded one.

Elegant room in bright colors

Nice view from the balcony

Food: there were various choices for breakfast as well as lunch or dinner.  However, I didn’t impress with the taste, it was ok.
Beach: when I was there, it wasn’t perfect time for the beach, however I think the beach might be good in summer. The disappointed thing that there is no villa or room has direct access to the beach.
Staff: so far so good, they were friendly and helpful if you need anything. Checking-in process might take a little longer than I thought.
I might score The Cliff 3 out 5. Plus point for room decoration (with my favorite color) and it’s really perfect decoration for beach resort and 2 pools. Minus point might the food and the weather, which is less related to the resort, itself. Coming back the Cliff? Yes of course, it might the very first choice for Mui Ne, when balancing between price and services.

3. Chen Sea Resort & Spa – Phu Quoc Island – Late October

Down to the South of Vietnam in late October, I was warned so many times before I went; it was time for storm and rain. Luckily, I got really good weather, much more than I expected, it was sunny and light breeze.
Location: Chen Sea is definitely an off-town resort; it took about 30 min to the center of the town, perfect for couple hideaway.
Room and amenities: room is decorated in both modern and Vietnam traditional style. Looking from outside, it looks like a traditional cottage. In-room furniture are simply, not many details but really convenience and elegant. It has both shower and bath tub. Bath tub is at the canopy with the view to the beach and the little garden.

Rustic in-room bathtub

Food: breakfast was totally bliss. The restaurant have big balcony to the beach where you enjoy your food and listen to the sound of the waves. There were plenty of choices homemade foods, such as jam, juice, bread, salad sauce and all were so delicious.

Foods in Chen Sea Phu Quoc

Beach: Chen Sea has private long, pristine and beautiful beach, I totally love it. I’m not a big fan of water-sport but the beach looks very promising for diving, kayaking and surfing.
Staff: absolutely wonderful, they were really helpful and nice. I got “weird” flavor beef for my dinner, I wasn’t sure it’s because of me or the food itself, but they were willing to change it for me and the chef immediately came to my room to check everything. I really appreciated their caring
With Chen Sea I would score it 3.5 out of 5. The minus point for the road to the resort, it was just a footpath and really muddy when I was there. And the swimming pool is too small, it has beautiful view to the beach but for me it’s likely a pot.

4. Pilgrimage Village Boutique Resort & Spa – Hue – Middle June

Laidback atmosphere in the garden

Hue is considered as rain city and it did rain, a lot, when I was there. Despite that it was dry season; I hadn’t been dry for any. Pilgrimage, on the hand, is a favor.
Location: Pilgrimage Village could be considered as off town, it’s close to a highlight “Minh Mang tomb”. However, the rest of the city and the other highlights, it’s miles away (actually it’s not that far, sorry for the exaggeration) they have free shuttle bus to the town.
Room and amenities: room decorated with unpainted brick and North Vietnam traditional house which I found myself very familiar since I come from the North. You can choose between bamboo room and wooden room, I went for wooden since I found it was more sophisticated. Dark brown of wood and velvet of unpainted brick makes a perfect combination the room and bathrooms are really big, actually it’s huge. All rooms are hidden inside a lust garden with beautiful blossoms. The hotel has 2 pools, one is peanut shape, and the other one is in rectangle shape. I myself enjoyed the rectangle one more, since I had more space for swimming there.

My favorite pool

Food: I think it was just ok, there were not many choices in breakfast and lunch menu as well. I think that’s why not many people in their restaurant. Actually Hue’s foods are really good with various choices, I guess everybody will go out and give local food a try.
Staff: I think they’re good, since I didn’t cause any trouble or did ask for any assistant, so it was fine.
I would give Pilgrimage 3 out 5, since I love the room decoration and the pool. However, as a food lover, I gave it a big minus point for breakfast.

5. Emeralda Resort & Spa – Ninh Binh

Vietnamese traditional architecture

Ninh Binh is called as little Ha Long Bay, and it’s not too far from my place (Hanoi), so it was my weekend-escape with couple friends. Ninh Binh is close to Hanoi, so the weather was quite foreseeable. I went on a sunny day.
Location: Ninh Binh itself, for me, there is no highlight. As travel handbook, there are Bai Dinh pagoda, Trang An, the other pagodas and so on, I did visit them all, and to honest I’m not really impressed. The only thing I might consider is Van Long Lagoon which looks more likely Ha Long Bay (somehow), and that is where Emeralda Resort and Spa is located, so for me location of Emeralda is perfect. And actually if you want to visit the other places, it won’t be far since Ninh Binh is quite small.
Room and amenities: Maybe I’m a big fan of traditional house style, that’s why I love Emeralda room. I had a big bed in the center of the room and a small garden with a tea-place canopy. Open bathroom combined with garden-shower is truly a pleasure.

Rustic and lovely decor

Food: I think the food was good. It’s a combination of western style with eastern flavor. It quite satisfied my little tummy.
Staff: they were quite nice, however, not really helpful. When I was asking about the direction to my room, since I got a little lost, they seemed to be as confused as me. It was hopeless. And when I checked-in, it took an hour, which was a small pain for me
I would give Emeralda Resort & Spa 3.5 out of 5, for their amazing room and pool, forget to mention, they have pool for each “village”, each “village will have a bunch of rooms, so it would be perfect if you go with whole family and get your own “village”.

Anyway 2013 was big traveling year for myself, I had many chances to travel around many nice places and good resorts. Working hard and playing hard, you should treat yourself well enough and be ready for 2014 coming soon. Happy New Year.