Locating right on the edge of Hoan Kiem Lake in the centre of Hanoi, Apricot Hotel offers a superb, sweeping view of the lake from its rooftop swimming pool.
This neo-classically designed luxury hotel in Hanoi has a real sense of style, nods more than a quick glance at the arts and offers comfort and refinement in its rooms and dining venues.
Rooms are spacious and comfortable and the hotel is large enough to have plenty of facilities.
The choice of rooms ranges from the cosy and bijou (25 sq. m.) ‘Sketch’ rooms through to Premium Suites, the twice as large ‘Gallery’ suites.
We were very impressed by the Apricot Hotel and it represents excellent value for money.
The very large swimming pool is a real bonus and a great place to relax after a day touring around Hanoi.
2 Nights
Bed and Breakfast
1x Sketch
Paradise Cruises are a step up from most of the vessels cruising Halong Bay and offers a luxurious and more intimate cruising experience.
Choose from Deluxe Cabins, Balcony Cabins and Suites.
On the top-deck, you can laze in the sun, surrounded by the stunning setting of the bay as well as enjoying a barbecue dinner.
The overnight cruise of Halong Bay is the most popular option and offers a great experience of all times of day in one of the most beautiful locations in Vietnam.
A Halong Bay Cruise with Paradise Cruises offers a good balance between leisurely cruising and seeing the highlights of the bay - not too much is tried to be crammed in and most guests enjoy the balance of cruising and shore excursions.
Paradise Cruises depart from an area where only a handful of the cruises on Halong Bay depart from.
This means the sailing itinerary is less crowded and has a more peaceful ambience, with fewer other vessels in sight.
1 Night
Full Board Plus - Dinner, Bed, Breakfast, Lunch and Activities
1x Suite
Set on the banks of the Thu Bon River, just ten minutes walk from the town's historical area, The Hotel Royal Hoi An MGallery offers guests a perfect base from which to explore the UNESCO heritage town.
The property has a mixture of traditional charm and contemporary design, reflected in the 119 comfortable and stylish rooms.
There is a good size pool in the main courtyard as well as several dining options including Wakaku, a Japanese restaurant and the Faifo Cafe serving Vietnamese and international fare. Also featured at this hotel is a gym and spa.
2 Nights
Bed and Breakfast
1x Deluxe Room
Opened in 1925 as Saigon’s most luxurious hotel, the Majestic Hotel Saigon has gone through several reincarnations over the years, reflecting the tumultuous history of Vietnam.
Former haunt of foreign correspondents, spies and once home to Graham Greene, the Majestic Saigon Hotel exudes history, tradition and romance.
In a great location overlooking the Saigon River, the Majestic Saigon remains a hotel of tradition, hospitality and elegance with an aura steeped in its French colonial era roots.
The Saigon Opera House, Re-unification Palace, Notre-Dame Cathedral and Ben Thanh Markets are all also just a short walk away.
The Majestic has a beautiful art-deco era lobby, with stained glass, chandeliers and period furniture. Tiny, antique lifts lead to the rooms in the Classic Wing, which has wide corridors, beautiful carpets and artworks on the wall.
Rooms at the Majestic are a good size and the Saigon River View Rooms in the Classic Wing are very popular so book well in advance for these if possible. In fact many of the room types are booked well in advance.
The Majestic Saigon Hotel is the ‘Grand Dame’ of Saigon's colonial-era hotels, in an excellent location by the Saigon River with plenty of restaurants, shops and bars close by.
We love the Majestic’s rooftop bar, which has a nice view over the Saigon River and is a great spot for pre-dinner drinks. Like everything at the Majestic – it’s a little bit old fashioned but the river views are great.
Lonely Planet described the lobby as ‘like an old lady trying to hide her wrinkles’ which we thought summed it up nicely until renovations really lifted the look of the hotel. The old lady has a twinkle in her eye again!
3 Nights
Bed and Breakfast
1x Colonial Deluxe Room
MGallery La Veranda Resort Phu Quoc is a French-colonial style luxury boutique resort, facing the sunsets on Phu Quoc Island’s Duong Don Beach.
Phu Quoc is one of Vietnam’s most picturesque islands and the 70-room MGallery La Veranda Phu Quoc is designed to reflect the ambience of a seaside colonial style mansion, set amidst a tropical garden along a beautiful white sandy beach.
La Veranda Phu Quoc is ideal for those looking for a tranquil and characterful island beach resort in Vietnam for a stand-alone beach holiday in Vietnam, or for those looking to add on a few days in a boutique beach retreat after a tour of Vietnam.
Several flights a day connect Saigon with Phu Quoc (a 45-minute flight).
Rooms are lovely – very spacious, with private terraces and interiors, which continue the colonial theme and create a homely ambience.
Phu Quoc International Airport has opened the island to more international flights, so now is the time to go to Phu Quoc, before it's really 'discovered'.
The relaxing chug of a fishing boat, the distant sound of a cows bell, the call of circling Sea Eagles – some of the sounds which may lull you to sleep at La Veranda Resort Phu Quoc.
La Veranda Resort Phu Quoc has a real colonial-era ambience, with sepia prints, louvered shutters, whirring ceiling fans, cane armchairs and potted palm plants giving the resort a really tropical French-colonial feel.
Jasmine and frangipani scent the air and bird of paradise plants add their distinctive profile to lush tropical gardens, attracting birds and butterflies in equal measure.
The restaurant almost next door to La Veranda has a huge menu and is great value.
Phu Quoc has developed quite a bit in recent years from a very low-key destination to something of a boom island. La Veranda is a place to escape to however - it's not a place for nightlife and endless diversions.
4 Nights
Bed and Breakfast
