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Vietnam’s flurry of smart hideaway hotels, sleek boutiques and resplendent suites makes it a serious contender in the global luxury holiday market. From a tucked-away treehouse on the outskirts of Da Nang to a glossy city stay in Ho Chi Minh, this is our pick of the best five-star escapes in Vietnam.
Best five-star hotels in Ho Chi Minh City
SILA Urban Living
This well-equipped hotel is in one of Ho Chi Minh City’s most popular neighbourhoods, the historic District 3, with its colonial architecture, leafy boulevards and cafe culture. It’s also home to the War Remnants Museum and Turtle Lake, a buzzing nightlife spot with plentiful street food. Expect spacious studios and suites with kitchen facilities, a 20-metre outdoor pool, a 24-hour gym, and spa facilities including a sauna, steam room, jacuzzi and yoga studio.
Caravelle Saigon
Built in 1959 and serving as a gathering spot for politicians, journalists and soldiers during the war to enjoy a rooftop drink, the Caravelle Saigon stands as one of the finest vintage hotels in Ho Chi Minh City’s vibrant District 1. Its French-Vietnamese style is evident in the gracefully curved balconies – hallmarks of the era – attached to rooms that once housed the offices of Air France, as well as the Australian and New Zealand embassies. Come for the history, stay for unparalleled views of the Saigon Opera House and Saigon River – plus suites and rooms that exude old-school luxury.
Best five-star hotels in Hoi An
Wafaifo Resort Hoi An
Perfectly positioned for exploring the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Hoi An Ancient Town, Waifofo Resort Hoi An encapsulates the old-meets-new vibes of Hoi An. Resort-style facilities include a palm-lined central pool, artisanal coffee shop, a Vietnamese restaurant, an international restaurant, and impressive spa and fitness centre (it even has hyperbaric chambers).
Hotel Royal Hoi An – Gallery
This romantic riverside hotel offers old-world elegance inspired by a 17th-century love story (think four-poster beds, panelling and gilt accents). It’s also just a stone’s throw from the beautiful Ancient Town, with all of its historic architecture and eateries within walking distance. After exploring, make use of the Art Nouveau-inspired outdoor pool, spa treatments at Woosah Spa and the onsite bars and restaurants, serving everything from Japanese cuisine to rooftop cocktails.
Best five-star hotels in Hanoi
Capella Hanoi
Tucked along the boulevard of Hoan Kiem Lake, this Art Nouveau marvel is a homage to the nearby Hanoi Opera House, with each room individually adorned with memorabilia honouring legendary artists, composers and performances. Designed by renowned architect Bill Bensley, the hotel boasts an indoor pool with mirrored ceilings and a lobby that exudes the opulence of the 1920s with lavish gold accents and velvet drapery. The Auriga Spa offers indulgent 24-karat gold facials and the onsite Japanese restaurant, Koki, is one of only three Michelin-starred restaurants in the city.
Best five-star hotels in Lang Co
Angsana Lăng Cô
If a taste of beautiful beaches with bountiful culture on the doorstep is your prerequisite for a Vietnam stay, Angsana Lăng Cô is just the ticket. It sits on a three-kilometre stretch of powdery golden beach, amid the jungle-covered mountains of Bach Ma National Park, between three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Hoi An Ancient Town, Hue Imperial City and My Son Sanctuary. There are four restaurants onsite (spanning Japanese and international) with four more at the resort’s sister property, Banyan Tree Lăng Cô, a few minutes up the road. Inspired by the tropical Angsana tree, the spa looks to nature for its treatments, incorporating native flowers and fruits.
Banyan Tree Lăng Cô
A little further up the beach from Angsana Lăng Cô is Banyan Tree Lăng Cô, an all-pool-villa luxury resort with accommodation dotted among the emerald hills above the ocean. Again, in its position between Hue, Da Nang and Hoi An, it’s perfectly positioned for exploring: between enjoying the 18-hole Laguna Golf Lăng Cô course, boutique selling artisanal gifts and furnishings, yoga pavilion, watersports centre, spa, and dining that ranges from Thai flavours to classic Italian and live seafood.
Best five-star hotels in Ho Tram
Meliá Ho Tram Beach Resort
Wellness lies at the heart of this beachfront retreat where guests can embark on carefully curated four- or seven-step well-being packages that feature sunset bath rituals, mindfulness practices and nourishing cuisine. Indulgent treatments at the YHI SPA are complemented by a sauna, steam bath, and nail and hair salon, while villas boast meditation essentials, yoga gear, vitamin C showerheads and aromatic mists. Downtime at the resort can be spent wandering the Wellness Pathway, which winds through coconut palms and serene lakes, with eight thoughtfully designed stops to foster reflection and inner peace.
Best five-star hotels in Da Nang
Shilla Monogram Quangnam Danang
Bright, elegant and with exclusive access to a private beach, Shilla Monogram Quangnam Danang seems to exist in a permanent state of tranquillity. In a rambling garden so serene it’s named the Therapy Garden, pathways wind beneath palm trees, while bamboo groves frame jacuzzis and four ocean-view pools. The standout Monogram Villa is vast, with dark wood furnishings, a rooftop infinity pool and four bedrooms spread across three levels.
Pullman Danang Beach Resort
All-inclusive beach escapes don’t get better than Pullman Danang Beach Resort. Located on the pristine sands of Bac My An Beach, this extraordinary retreat – perfectly positioned just 15 minutes from Da Nang International Airport – offers everything you might need for an unrivalled holiday. After days spent exploring Hoi An’s old town or greater Da Nang, return to breathtaking ocean views and a truly magnificent central pool.
Best five-star hotels in Cam Ranh
Mövenpick Resort Cam Ranh
After a family stay? Mövenpick Resort Cam Ranh, a sprawling palm tree-lined oasis, will delight with the Little Birds Club for kids and teens, a 10-metre-high rope park and children’s swimming pool. While the kids are busy, big kids can unwind at Swiss Village, featuring a beer house, café and nightclub. Perched on 17 kilometres of sandy beachfront, it’s no surprise that every room, villa, suite and studio boasts uninterrupted views of turquoise waters.
Radisson Blu Resort, Cam Ranh
This 292-room Cam Ranh beachfront haven may be vast, but it offers exceptional personal service and an abundance of understated elegance. Lush, landscaped grounds extend to pristine white sands and the Executive Lounge on the 13th floor – the only one of its kind in the area – presents unrivalled panoramic views of Cam Ranh Bay. Adults will delight in Blu Lobster, a waterfront luxury eatery serving up succulent seafood, while children will be thrilled by the newest attraction: a cascading rainforest water park.
Best five-star hotels in Nha Trang
Mia Resort Nha Trang
On a dreamily lush and leafy stretch of coastline between Nha Trang and Cam Ranh, this boutique resort offers blissfully private villas dotted amid the tropical gardens, some with sweeping ocean views (the three-storey five-bed residences sleep up to 10). When it comes to dining, the fresh local seafood of Kitchen by the Sea is exceeded only by the views, while La Baia serves crowd-pleasing Italian dishes at the foot of a mountain, and Mojito’s Lounge & Bar is where cocktails and Asian-fusion dishes are served overlooking the waves splashing onto the mainland’s rocky outcrop.
Feature image: Pullman Danang Beach Resort
