Vietnam :: Sleeping with the Princess d'Annam

Vietnam is a country still in-between, a country with one foot in the past and another in the future. Still a one-party state with plenty of red propaganda, it is also a rapidly growing economy. For travelers, this means an off-the-beaten destination where luxury has never been more affordable.

Nowhere is Vietnam's status as an emerging luxury destination more evident than in a remote corner of Ke Ga Bay. Near the resort town of Mui Ne, Ke Ga Bay is a more secluded stretch of Southeast Asian sand that made history this spring when it became home to Vietnam's first ever privately owned luxury resort - Princess d'Annam.

After a frantic week of shopping in Saigon, I headed to the South China Sea coast and spent three glorious nights with the Princess. And let me tell you, this is a woman of undeniable royalty who knows how to dress it up, turn it down and show you how to unwind.

Meeting the Princess

Driving away from Saigon, city traffic jams eventually gave way to narrow roads winding through fertile farm country. Rubber plantations took up most of the scenery between Saigon and the coast, though when the scenery changed to more tropical offerings, I knew the coast was near. Passing through the large fishing village of Phan Thiet and the resorts of Mui Ne, the coastal backdrop became increasingly abandoned, until at long last, the Princess stood before me - refined, elegant, exquisite.

Unlike the many chain resorts I've visited over the years, the private touches of the Princess were evident as soon as I stepped from the taxi. Staff greeted me by name, having already ascertained my arrival time, and whisked my bags away to my room, inviting me to sit down and refresh with a cup of chilled green fusion tea before taking a tour of the resort.

The resort absolutely dazzled in those first introductory moments. Ke Ga Bay and the Princess were sensory heaven with the ocean waves providing a soundtrack, while tropical scents and the hint of gourmet food and drink wafted from the restaurant. By the time the tour had concluded and I was taken back to my room, I was already a different person, calm and relaxed and blissfully unaware of my hectic life beyond the resort's walls.

Designed to Impress

While the natural setting of Princess d'Annam is impressive, it is the aesthetic of the resort amid such surrounds that sets the place apart. Set on an 8-hectare square property and oriented towards the sea, every single aspect of the resort and its facilities has been carefully planned for maximum rest, relaxation and luxury.

Designed by renowned Singaporean architect Tan Hock Beng, the Princess is a bold beauty mixing Mediterranean, Vientamese and French colonial influences. The signature view, and the first image that springs to my mind when I think back on my stay, is the walk up to the resort's main building, where a long entry lined by columns of Greek grandeur leads to the ocean. The spa design is another strong point, and an elegant black sets off the central reflecting pool and adds spice to the dominant sun-bleached whites of the rest of the resort. With the property's series of pools and fountains, water is a well-chosen motif throughout the Princess.

Guest villas are set back from the water and separated from the waterfront spa and restaurant by a winding 'jungle' path of tropical flora. The paths are intentionally without signage and maze-like so guests 'lose' themselves in the setting, albeit momentarily (all paths eventually lead to the end), before emerging at the grand open-air hall that seems to lead straight to the horizon.

In addition to bold strokes of large-scale design, the Princess pays close attention to detail and decor. Large canvas photographs, specially selected by the owners, capture coastal Vietnam in breathtaking simplicity throughout the resort and the guest villas.

The carefully crafted aura of relaxation that pervades the resort is not just a result of what the design features, but also what it does not. Internet and technology are carefully hidden. There is no business center to tempt workaholics, though in the event pressing business does rear its ugly head, the hotel staff will ensure guests can access whatever they need (printing, copying, fax, etc). The resort also has high-speed wireless for guest convenience and a laptop at the bar for guests who need to check email but opted to leave their computer at home (I envy those people, seeing as leaving my computer at home would be akin to giving away my first-born).

At the end of my first evening with the Princess, I discovered perhaps the most subtle and well-thought out omission - guest villas are without clocks. Time doesn't matter with the Princess and guests are free to wander into meals without a reservation and linger on the beach for as long as they like. Here is one of the few places where time stopped for as long as I stayed and hours melted away beneath a soothing sun.

Up Next - wining and dining beneath the stars!

Room to Unwind

The villas of the Princess come in three levels - Mandarin, Princess and Empress - and the attention to design and detail is evident in each level. The Mandarin villas, where I stayed, center on two pools and are a fantastic value at around $465 dollars per night (check online for special promotion rates). Upon arrival, every guest receives a complimentary bottle of champagne and a large basket full of the most luscious Vietnamese fruits. I wasted no time in popping the bubbly and soaking in the large tile bathtub with some of the resort's signature bath salts. Sitting in the absolute lap of luxury (with some fine champagne to sit on, no less), my only complaint about the entire villa was the lack of bathroom hooks. If that seems minute, it is - the Princess is as close to flawless as luxury can be.

One step up from the Mandarin villas, the Princess villas were made for honeymooners and lovers. The four-poster, king-sized canopy beds are straight from a fairy-tale and nothing short of magical (only appropriate as it is where the magic happens). Each villa also has a private courtyard and plunge pool, great for a private skinny dip or some au naturale sunbathing.

For those who want the best luxury Vietnam has to offer, the 4-figure a night, two-story Empress villas spare no expense. Each comes with a private infinity pool and second-story balcony with sweeping panoramic views of the ocean. The Empress rooms become an absolute bargain if two couples opt to split them, as the resort allows up to four adults to stay for no extra cost.

The service for each level of villa is comprehensive with cleaning each morning and turn-down service and sweets each night. Additionally, no matter what villa you select, privacy is given the utmost importance, something particularly worth mentioning for gay and lesbian travelers who like to keep a low profile on their holiday.

Damn Fine Dining

At the Princess d'Annam days revolve lounging by the water and eating three-course meals in the restaurant. Unlike the typical resort, the Princess d'Annam has only one restaurant with set menu options that can be prepared with advance notice. The emphasis is always on guest satisfaction and the kitchen is open to requests.

While there may be only a single kitchen, guests have three dining spaces to choose from - al fresco looking out on the ocean, fine dining indoors or a more casual dining area near the bar. The al fresco was understandably the choice for most guests, and I lingered over 3- and 4-course dinners beneath the stars every evening.

The talent in the kitchen is Chef La Thua An, a French trained chef from a Vietnamese family and raised in New Caledonia. His background is present in his food which mingles the refinement of French cuisine with the explosive flavors of Vietnamese dishes that draw on the bounty of the local shores and farms. The ambience and service standard is set by Mr. Thierry Mounon, a French connoisseur of fine dining, wining and conversation. Mr. Thierry ensures each guest receives personalized attention, making note of their dining preferences, recommending wine for their taste.

Each meal is served with the utmost attention to tradition and detail. As per Vietnamese custom, guests are provided a warm cloth to wash their hands and face and refresh them for the meal. Likewise, in a culture known for its impeccable service, the staff always seemed to know when to hold back and let me take in the setting and the overwhelming sensory satisfaction of a Princess meal beside the ocean. Dinners were always a two-hour plus affair that perfectly capped off the day.

While every meal was memorable, my first two dinners stood out as the finest I had during my time in Vietnam - the French bouillabaisse and the Vietnamese Lau. The bouillabaisse started with a decadent do-it-yourself appetizer. Garlic cloves were rubbed onto dipping bread, which was then topped with aioli and Swiss cheese before being dipped in the bouillabaisse sauce. The mixture of flavors was so rich and fresh that I could scarcely stop myself from filling up before the main course, a seafood platter with groper, Vietnamese white fish, unicorn fish, scallops and butterfly crab.

The Vietnamese lau was a seafood hotpot with plenty of kick and provided the perfect excuse to try the nuoc mam (fish sauce) that is a Vietnamese staple and particular specialty of Phan Thiet, where much of the sauce is produced.

Luckily for me, I was so full by the end of the main course my first two nights I opted for just a glass of wine for dessert and only discovered the resort's knockout mudcake on the final night - absolute trouble that would have guaranteed I went home a few pounds heavier than I came had I discovered it earlier.

For those who prefer to dine in the privacy of their villa, all day room service is available and reasonably priced.

And the Wine List Goes On

The wine warrants its own section, since anything less would simply not do justice to the resort's list. While the resort has a selection of cocktails and beers, the emphasis is on the wine, not cocktails by the pool. As a side note, one of EDGE's few suggestions for the resort was more extensive drink options, alcoholic and non-alcoholic, so that the mixology caught up with the breadth and depth of the wine list. With the setting and ample lounge space by the beach, I would have liked a coconut with a straw out the top (cliche but oh-so-delicious). Of course, a splash of rum would not have hurt either...

That said, the wine list is infallible and I was tempted to extend my stay just to have time enough to sample them all. Mr. Thierry and his wait staff have undergone extensive sommelier training and provide apt recommendations for particular dishes and personal taste and preference.

The wine list covers top bottles from every major wine region, and wine lovers discover new favorites from Chile as well as rekindle their love for old bastions from France. Mr. Thierry, as a Frenchman, has an obvious passion for French wines, which were consistently my favorites, though the New World wine order rounded out the list and peppered the selection with diversity.

Tea and coffee also have a role to play at the resort. Both tea and high-octane Vietnamese coffee (for those who like their tooth enamel, opt for the coffee with milk) are terrific to both start and end the day. After a full meal and a hearty amount of wine, I found nothing could beat a cup of tea or coffee. As the sun set, the pool boys set up a bonfire on the beach each evening, and I would move from the terrace to decking by the fire to enjoy a caffeinated nightcap. The scene was utterly captivating and I stretched each evening as long as I could, not wanting to see the end of another flawless tropical day.

Up Next: Endless stretches of sand!

Beachy Keen

Eating and drinking are all well and good, but the experience was invariably better if I worked up an appetite first. The Princess has plenty of options for playing by day in order to indulge at night. The most obvious is the beach. With the resort's largest pool overlooking the beach, guests can lounge on the sand or sans. Never much for lying still, I preferred to take the proverbial long walk on the beach.

On my first morning I wandered down the beach towards a French colonial lighthouse, passing the most picturesque traditional fishing village (literally, I took over 200 photos). The locals were quick to smile and most were happy to pose for a photo.

The next evening, I strolled the opposite direction to sand dunes that are a trademark of the Mui Ne area. One of the hotel's pool boys, Mr. Hai (in Vietnam it is customary to call everyone Mr. and Ms. using their first name rather than their last), guided me on my walk and we both braved the whipping sands to walk to the top of the sand dunes for a 270 degree ocean view.

Surfing Vietnam

The beach is also the basis for the resort's activity offerings, which include windsurfing, kitesurfing plain old surfing or a boat trip to the lighthouse. Golf is another popular option, though obviously not on the beach - a top golf course is just a few miles away in Phan Thiet.

The conditions at Ke Ga are world-class for windsurfing and kitesurfing, and so I opted for a kitesurfing lesson with Mr. Thanh, the resort's activity manager and a top Vietnamese kitesurfer. After a bit of land-based instruction and practice handling my kite, he took me out on the water and we zipped along the waves, an absolute rush as the shore moved further and further away.

The next day, I passed on a follow-up lesson opting instead for a boating trip to the lighthouse. The resort arranged for two local fishermen to collect me and another pool staff, Mr. Tai, packed snacks and water for the journey. As amazing as the views from the top of the 1899 French colonial lighthouse turned out to be, they scarcely matched the chance to sample local life by traversing the waters in a traditional Vietnamese circular fishing boat of thatched bamboo, which rowed us out to a larger, bright blue boat that then took us the rest of the way to the lighthouse, where the guards offered us tea and then we were off to climb the winding stairs to the top for a few dozen pictures.

My First Ever Thai Massage

After the trek up and down the lighthouse stairs, it was time for some more relaxation in the 1800 square meter spa of the Princess. The two-story spa has million-dollar waterfront views and offerings that encompass both Western and Oriental massage with treatment rooms tailored to each as well as full facilities for facials, foot massages and hair salon. Though I was intrigued by the Princess signature massage and the jet lag massage, in the end it was intriguing floor set up for a Thai massage that lured me in.

With all the connotations of Thai massage, I was a little hesitant, but as I discovered with my adrenaline adventure kitesurfing, the Princess d'Annam is the place to relax and try new things with complete confidence in the experienced staff.

When I arrived at the spa, the massage began with a ginger, lemongrass, lemon and honey tea. My masseuse then ushered me into the room, began with a foot scrub and then the massage began. For those not familiar with Thai massage, it consists of a series of forceful palpitations and body stretches, all of which were perfectly executed by my masseuse who was trained to be incredibly sensitive to individual needs and preference. His pressure was always just firm enough without crossing the line to painful. When he finished with a head massage I had practically melted off the floor and it was all the energy I could muster to peel myself up again.

I was able to recoup and reenergize in a room designed explicitly for recovering. With large panel windows looking out on the ocean, the room allowed me to sit and revel once again in the setting until I had enough motivation to get up and move.

Up Next: When to plan your trip!

The Princess People

As phenomenal as the setting and the facilities are, the beating heart of the Princess d'Annam are the staff. The resort maintains a high staff to guest ratio, and it shows in their attentive and anticipating service.

Predominantly hired from the local region, the staff all speak enough English to socialize with guests, though only the management team are completely fluent. While occasionally communication can be difficult, it is far from a weakness of the resort. The resort runs regular English courses for its staff to ensure they can communicate and the Princess team emphasize friendliness, so that in three days, not a single staff member, including landscapers and cleaners, failed to smile and wave hello when I passed.

This friendliness and familiarity with guests starts at the very top, and the resort's general manager Mr. Jean Philippe Beghin, like the restaurant manager Mr. Thierry, often joined guests for breakfasts or lunch, engaging them in conversation and sharing his experiences and stories from 25 years in Southeast Asia. Moreover, the local staff meant that amid all the luxury there was a chance for genuine cultural exchange. From servers to pool boys, every staff member would strike up conversations whenever possible, to ask about my day and allow me to ask questions about Vietnamese life and culture.

When to Visit

Though Vietnam is largely tropical or subtropical, hence with a distinct wet (May-October) and dry (November-April) season. Mui Ne is the exception. Situated on the coast with the mountains and sand dunes to block it, the area sees sunshine and picture-perfect (that's literally!) weather. Even guests visiting in wet season for a week will likely see only 1-2 days of rain and the rest will be blue skies, a stiff breeze and plenty of sun for that holiday tan.

Getting There

The easiest way to reach the Princess d'Annam is by taxi from Saigon. If staying in Saigon, luxury hotels can book a taxi for you. I arranged mine through Caravelle Hotel and the cost was US$240 (note: the American dollar is an unofficial second currency in Vietnam and acceptable to use most places). Those brave enough to negotiate on their own, you can likely find a taxi for a cheaper price. Alternatively, if booking a stay at the Princess d'Annam through their website, transportation can be booked as well.

While car rental is available, Vietnamese driving is a very different beast from American roads. Cars, motorbikes and buses share the road, darting and passing with almost reckless abandon amid a non-stop cacophony of honking. Overall, driving in the country is an experience probably best left to the locals. Hiring a private taxi also has the double benefit of putting navigation in someone else's hands as well as door-to-door luggage transport, particularly helpful, if like me, you pack half of the inventory of Saigon's store into your suitcase.

For more information or to book your stay with the Princess, visit www.princessannam.com.

Read about Megan's adventures shopping in Saigon here.