Vietnam‘s hotels punch well above their price tag at every level — it just depends how far you want to take it. A breezy Hoi An resort within cycling distance of the lantern-lit Old Town for under a thousand dollars. A private-pool beachfront villa on Lang Co Bay with three UNESCO Heritage sites on your doorstep for five.
Read on to find your perfect match, with options spanning every budget based on a five-night stay.
Vietnam resorts under A$1,000
Melia Danang Beach Resort
On the sands of the white-sand Non Nuoc Beach, Meliá Danang Beach Resort blends the warmth of Vietnamese hospitality with polished service. Whether you’re swimming in one of the seven dazzling outdoor pools, relaxing at the YHI Spa (a signature part of the Meliá brand) or savouring tapas, rich pasta dishes or freshly caught seafood at the Cape Nao Beach Club, you’ll love your time here.
Bellerive Hoi An Resort and Spa
A short stroll from Cua Dai Beach, Bellerive Hoi An Resort and Spa is all palm-fringed pools, riverside dining and beach-chic interiors. Enjoy slow-paced days with 10-minute bicycle rides into Hoi An Ancient Town, where tailors, lanterns and bowls of tasty cao lau await.
Boma Resort Nha Trang
Find your calm at this polished beachfront sanctuary on Vietnam’s eastern coastline, featuring waterfront infinity pools, a manmade beach and sweeping views of the South China Sea. Spend lazy days dipping in and out of the waterfront pools, tucking into fresh seafood or melting into a spa treatment. Dam Market and the heritage Po Nagar Cham Towers are minutes away, with Nha Trang city itself just a short drive away along the coast.
Mid-range Vietnam resorts: A$1,000 – A$5,000
Wyndham Grand Phu Quoc
This island paradise is built for families. A sprawling 1,500-square-metre pool is complemented with your very own private beach. Eat your way through the resort’s restaurant line-up, from traditional Vietnamese to Chinese and Italian, then dive into games of tennis, basketball and volleyball. Make the most of morning yoga, water sports, wine tastings, live performances and of course, the water slides.
Sofitel Saigon Plaza
On Saigon’s leafy Le Duan Boulevard, this hotel is located minutes from the Botanical Garden and Notre Dame Cathedral (whose interior is currently closed for restoration, but it’s well worth a visit for the grounds alone). Enjoy views of the city skyline from the rooftop pool, sip cocktails at the extravagant House of Barbaard Bar and unwind at Bremiere Wellness Centre with a treatment to soothe the senses.
Alma Resort Cam Ranh
Set on the Cam Ranh Peninsula, Alma Resort is a tropical sanctuary the whole family will love. 14 restaurants and bars cover Vietnamese plates and casual bites at the Beach Bar to Italian at La Casa and ocean-view seafood at Atlantis. There are also 12 pools and a waterpark to keep the kids busy from morning to night. An onsite cinema, 18-hole mini golf course and onsite spa round out the reasons to make this Vietnam resort your next holiday.
Angsana Ho Tram
Just two hours’ drive from Ho Chi Minh City, this spa retreat trades urban hum for the sound of waves and swaying palms. Stroll along the Serenity Stream Walk to the powder-white sands of Ho Tram Beach, laze by the pool while the little ones head to Play Play Kids’ Club, then unwind at Angsana Spa with treatments built around natural remedies using native flowers and fruits. Take up yoga and tai chi classes, dine on Mediterranean dishes beachside at Azura, and sip cocktails in the breeze at Maila Pool Bar.
Hotel Royal Hoi An Danang
Steps from the Thu Bon River and the lanes of Hoi An‘s UNESCO-listed Old Town, this five-star retreat has interiors inspired by the 17th-century love story of Japanese merchant Sotaro and Vietnamese Princess Wakaku. Swimmers can do laps in the rooftop pool, or sight-seekers can cycle over the bridges, browse the night market and wander among the city’s historic facades. By night, head up to The Deck – Hoi An’s highest rooftop bar – for sunset over the river.
Luxury Vietnam resorts: A$5,000 and above
Angsana Lang Co
Set on the shores of Canh Duong Beach, Angsana Lang Co is situated just a short drive from three UNESCO World Heritage sites: Hoi An Ancient Town, the Imperial Citadel of Hue and the My Son Sanctuary. This Vietnam resort is perfect for golfers and spa lovers alike, and there are four restaurants within the resort, where you can try local and international dishes, enjoy beachfront dining under vibrant lanterns and candles, and indulge in sophisticated Japanese and Southeast Asian specialties.
Villa Harmony
In Ho Chi Minh City, Villa Harmony offers something many luxury resorts can’t: the whole place to yourselves. With nine bedrooms sleeping up to 18 guests, a grand piano in the living room, an indoor pool and a pool table, this is a property built for travellers who want their own private world. It’s ideal for large family holiday or friend groups.
Six Senses Ninh Van Bay
Accessible only by speedboat, Six Senses Ninh Van Bay is the ultimate romantic hideaway – a five-star retreat tucked along a private cove across the water from Nha Trang. It’s perfect for honeymooners. Villas come with private pools and individual wine cellars, and guests can zip between spa treatments, yoga classes and tennis courts by golf buggy. Five exceptional restaurants take care of your appetite. As the days wind down, pull up a seat at the poolside bar, cocktail in hand, and watch the sun melt into the horizon from the infinity pool.
Vietnam holidays over A$10,000+
Banyan Tree Lang Co
Located between Hue, Da Nang and Hoi An in Central Vietnam is one of Asia’s most celebrated pool-villa resorts, Banyan Tree Lang Co. Keen golfers can navigate the fairways of Laguna Golf Lăng Cô, an 18-hole championship course; the seaside Golden Sands, touted as one of Vietnam’s most challenging and enjoyable courses; and Ba Na Hills, set amid the mountains. There’s plenty onsite for non-golfers to enjoy too, between the spa, cooking classes and yoga. Enjoy four- and five-course dining at an array of restaurants or on the beach, go on a guided regional discovery tour and enjoy the benefits of a dedicated villa host.
When’s the best time to visit Vietnam?
The best time to visit Vietnam depends on the region.
- When to visit north Vietnam: October to December for cool, dry weather in Hanoi and Ha Long Bay.
- When to visit central Vietnam (Da Nang, Hoi An, Lang Co): February to May – driest and least humid.
- When to visit south Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City, Phu Quoc): November to April.
