a breathtaking trip to Vietnam

A breathtaking – and tasty – tour of Vietnam

Intercontinental Danang Sun Peninsula resort

While wealthy Asians have been flocking to this resort since it opened in 2012, it is also increasingly popular with Europeans like me, looking to tag a few days of effortless luxury on to a bigger Vietnamese adventure. On a heavily forested hillside that sweeps down to a lovely beach on its own private bay, the resort is just a 20-minute drive from Da Nang, but is hidden away within the Son Tra Peninsula nature reserve. The staff are especially lovely, making me forget I’m actually in a rather large, 200-bedroom resort. Rooms are shared between a series of villas scattered across the hillside and have huge, seafacing balconies or terraces. Every morning I spot wild monkeys, for which the area is famous, from my window. I love t he decadent lagoon-side spa, with‘ treatment pods’ that appear to float above the water, where I opt for a relaxing facial inspired by traditional Asian medicine and naturopathy. There is a huge range of delicious food: from grilled seafood at the Barefoot café to cuttlefish carpaccio and cep ice cream at La Maison 1888, run by chef Pierre Gagnaire, who has multiple Michelin stars to his name. You can burn it all off going up and down the resort’s many steps, or forget that and hop on the funicular or into one of the frequently passing golf buggies. There are also many hikes on your doorstep; Vietnam’s tallest Buddha sculpture, Lady Buddha Da Nang, is a short drive away; and you can be in the city of Hoi An’s Ancient Town in an hour. — Sally Williams

Sofitel legend Metropole Hanoi

In the heart of Hanoi’s French Quarter, st rolling distance from the Opera House, this French colonial hotel has managed to move with the times while remaining wonderfully atmospheric. It first opened in 1901, and served as a home from home for many a journalist and diplomat over the years. Elegant bedrooms are shared between the original building, with its traditional shuttered windows, and a new wing. Among the several bars and three restaurants is Le Beaulieu, whose French of fer ing was once favoured by Noël Coward, plus there are also rooftop gardens, a health club, and a swimming pool set in a leafy courtyard.

Ma Maison, Ho CHI MINH CITY

A great way to experience Ho Chi Minh City, this charming and spotlessly clean guest house, run by a Frenchspeaking Vietnamese family, gives you a real sense of how local people live. A 1950s town house in a residential district a 15-minute taxi ride from the city centre, it has 12 rooms – all with French windows or balconies – furnished in a sunny Provençal style. The guest house is also home to Little Bistro, where breakfast is served as well as, on request, Vietnamese, other Asian and European lunches and dinners. Beware: there are five floor sand no lifts, so it won’t suit everyone.

2 3