Vietnams Best Hotels

April 26, 2011 | Updated: June 17, 2015 | By Elizabeth | 1 Reply More

Victoria Sapa Resort is located in the alpine city of Sapa near the border with China

Vietnam is packed with exciting activities. You might like hiking with hill tribes, shopping in colorful public markets, or learning to make pho in a cooking course. Fortunately, the country’s luxury hotels also offer variety.

Each special place mentioned here reflects its surroundings and provides easy access to memorable experiences.

Sofitel Metropole Hotel has been the social hub of Hanoi since it opened it 1901.

Vietnams best hotels – Hanoi

Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel, Hanoi

When it opened in 1901, the Grand Hôtel Métropole Palace became an oasis of luxury for travelers in Southeast Asia – and it still is. Other Hanoi hotels offer similar amenities, but only The Metropole has the patina of a colonial landmark and the caché of a world-class hotel. Past residents include Graham Greene, who conceived The Quiet American during a long stay, and war-protestor Jane Fonda, who took cover in the bomb shelter under the swimming pool. The Opera Wing, added in 1996, offers the most spacious rooms, but guests who want the full flavor of Indochine opt for the Metropole Wing.

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Vietnams best hotels: This stunning view is from Victoria Sapa Resort.

Vietnams best hotels – Sapa

Victoria Sapa Resort & Spa, Sapa

This alpine community near the Chinese border is surrounded by lush valleys and sprawling rice terraces, and it’s home to many of Vietnam’s ethnic minorities – Black Hmong, Flower Hmong, Red Zao and others. The mountains, cool temperatures, and Shangri-la-like beauty attract trekkers – some scale Mt. Fansipan and others hike to hill tribe villages and markets.

The chalet-style Victoria Sapa provides the most comfortable rooms in the area – each includes vibrant fabrics woven by local tribes, window boxes stuffed with red geraniums, and views of the Tokinese Alps. Ethnic artists are invited to perform traditional music and display handicrafts around the big stone fireplace in the lobby. The resort’s Ta Van Restaurant serves delicious Vietnamese and European dishes – cheese fondue is a specialty.

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Vietnams best hotels: This gorgeous pool helps guests at Anantara Hoi An Resort keep cool.

Vietnams best hotels – Hoi An

Anantara Hoi An Resort (formerly Life Heritage Resort)

This quaint town has earned a UNESCO World Heritage designation and a spot on almost every visitors’ “must-see” list. However, “must-shop” is often the reaction when new arrivals see dozens of boutiques selling silk clothing at bargain prices – custom tailoring is a specialty. The Anantara – fully renovated in 2008 and the only in-town resort – is handy for going back and forth to fittings and offers 94 split-level rooms, a beautiful pool, and complete spa. The expansive breakfast buffet includes omelets-to-order, an array of tropical fruit, and wonderful French pastries. Rooms to book: those with views of the Thu Bon River. Condé Nast included this resort hotel on its 2011 Gold List. Since then, the hotel has been renamed Anantara Hoi An Resort.

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Vietnams best hotels: the newly renovated Park Hyatt Saigon.

Vietnams best hotels – Ho Chi Minh City

Park Hyatt Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City

Open since 2005, the Park Hyatt feels like a gracious French Colonial home in the center of this bustling city. A baby grand piano is the focal point in the Park Lounge where HCMC’s business elite meet for drinks. Large vivid lacquer paintings of elegant Vietnamese seem like family portraits in this elegant mansion. When it’s time for dinner, guests can sit at the counter of Square One’s open kitchen to watch chefs in crisp white uniforms perform culinary magic. The 259 state-of-the-art bedrooms include flat-screen satellite television, broadband Internet access, and marble bathrooms with separate bath and rain shower areas. The kind and attentive staff look after guests as if they were long-lost relatives.

And here’s the best news: the hotel closed for renovations in late 2014 and has just re-opened on June 14, 2015.

Click here to search hotels in Ho Chi Minh City.

The hotels mentioned here are some of my favorites, and I also really like the three described in this post. Want more information? This link will take you to magazine articles I wrote about Vietnam.

Regardless of where you stay, I think you’re going to enjoy Vietnam.

Best,

Elizabeth Hansen