The Anantara Quy Nhon is all about intimacy. The sun rises over the ocean at the foot of your bed; French windows open onto private plunge pools that appear to spill into the sea; while a candlelit spa is secluded in lush forest trilling with cicadas.
Location
A leather-fitted Mercedes saloon whisks guests from the airport in sleepy Quy Nhon town to the hotel in around 40 minutes. It’s clear en route that the region remains little-visited. Tendril and vine-covered Twelfth Century Cham stupas jutt out of tangled rainforest on headlands, fishermen in coracles cast nets across tiny turquoise bays and there’s little more than sand and ghost crabs on the beaches. With no dining options nearby and day trips organisable only through the hotel, the Anantara is a true destination resort, albeit on a boutique scale.
Style and Character
It’s all about romantic beachside luxury here. Service comes in whispers; the loudest sound is the breaking of the waves. And the villas invite integration with nature. Huge windows (in bedrooms and bathrooms), open-air showers, and sun decks with private plunge pools give guests a sense of being part of the beach and bay landscape. Yet each villa is sealed off from everything but the magnificent views with wooden shuttering and leafy foliage.
You can even breakfast or dine in-room – with the sunrise or al fresco on the terrace under the stars. You won’t want to leave – except to swim in the calm, turquoise sea, relax in the spa (set in a glade in the forest) or take day trips to snorkel.
Service and Facilities
From airport pick-up to drop-off, service is superb – the perfect blend of warmth and efficiency, attentiveness and lack of intrusion. Housekeeping staff are so discreet they’re virtually invisible. Waiters remember your favourite table, food choices and sundry predilections. Massages are expert and the spa products first class. Tours (of Cham ruins, local markets or snorkelling) are tailored to each guest. And the private martial arts classes on the beach are a revelation.
Rooms
Accommodation is all in one- or two-bedroom villas – set in their own tropical gardens either right on the beach or a few minutes’ walk away up the hillside. Beds draped with luxurious soft cottons sit in large sleeping areas whose soft creams and honey-coloured woods complement the warm natural light that floods in from floor-to-ceiling French windows.
These open onto plunge pool decks, and wonderful views of a shimmering bay dotted with islets. Bathrooms decked out in honey-coloured stone and marble have huge mirrors, luxurious whirlpool tubs and outside shower areas. Anantara’s own spa-quality soaps and unguents are liberally supplied.
Food and Drink
The Sea Fire Salt restaurant serves a Vietnamese and international menu strong on seafood. Most dishes are roasted on raw salt blocks – bringing out the full flavour particularly of the ultra-fresh fish and lobster, which is never more than a day old. The wine list is excellent, with some 140 bottles. Breakfast is à la carte and includes French pastries, all manner of eggs (from poached and scrambled to Benedict, Royale or Florentine), cereals, tropical juices and French-style thick, creamy coffee.
