Life Resort****

Our brief comments:
Quy Nhon was the chosen location for the first Life Resort in Vietnam, something of a risk as the city is in the middle of nowhere on the coast between Danang and Nha Trang.

However, regular air links to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City suggest the gamble might pay off. Quy Nhon is 35km from the airport - a further 12km scenic route takes you to the resort.

Set on a 13.5ha site behind a wide sweep of pale soft sand, it overlooks an extensive bay with two uninhabited islands that belong to the resort. The surrounding landscape is dramatic, with rocky promontories, mountains and beaches. To the north of the resort behind a craggy cape, there's a small fishing village.

The accommodation is in a string of three three-storey blocks linked with walkways and stairs to the rear. All 63 rooms have folding glazed doors extending across most of the width of large balconies with excellent sea views.

Like the rest of the hotel, the rooms have a Cham theme (Quy Nhon is close to the site of the ancient Cham capital) and are highly innovative. Delightful features include a shower or bathtub with a tall arched window facing the sea, deep stoneware hand basins and TVs in an enclosed trolley to be tucked away when not wanted.

All fittings, soft furnishings, furniture, fittings and sanitary ware are high-quality. Superior rooms have a shower only, Deluxe offers a choice of a sunken bathtub, and the suites have both as well as a sofa bed and a DVD player. We particularly liked the top floor Deluxe with four poster beds and an open roof space.

The pool is attractive, medium-sized and circular with plenty of lounging space, and the restaurant is airy with good views and a terrace. Meals and wines are sensibly priced for the quality level, and the menu offers an imaginative range of cuisines, with the emphasis on international dishes.

The theme of the Life Resorts is health. At Quy Nhon, the 'wellness' centre was nearing completion while our inspection team was there. It's a large complex of wooden chalets on the side of the mountain at the back of the hotel and will include open air massage, reflexology, therapeutic body treatments, yoga, etc.

All building materials were sourced locally where feasible. There is extensive use of sustainable natural materials and an obvious concern for environmental husbandry.

Developments planned for 2005 include a watersports centre on the next beach (windsurfing, water skiing, jet skis, snorkelling, and so on, mercifully well out of sight and hearing from the resort), and a further 36 rooms in bungalows on a nearby area of dunes.

In our opinion, the Quy Nhon Life Resort is tasteful, elegant and well-run. It's a good choice for a secluded break in a near-idyllic setting and will be a regular feature in our leisure and honeymoon tours.

(Inspected August 2004)

Room facilities (?= awaiting updated information from the hotel):

Room Categories	Superior	Deluxe	Junior Suite
Number of rooms	?	?	?
Air-conditioner
Satellite television
Shower or bath
Bath with shower
Bath + separate shower	?	?	?
Personal safety box
Coffee and tea facilities	upon request
Laptop connection (wireless)	?	?	?
Free broadband access	?	?	?
Extra bed
Child's cot
Room size (m2)	42	43 - 46	51
View	sea	sea	sea

Additional room facilities: writing table, relaxing sitting area, ceiling fan, bathrobes and slippers.

Hotel facilities:

Outdoor pool		Non-smoking floors	?
Pool bar		Non-smoking rooms only	?
Fitness/health centre		Vietnamese/Asian restaurant
Sauna		International restaurant
Massage		Patisserie/coffee shop/cafe
Jacuzzi		Business centre

Additional hotel facilities: beauty treatment pavilions, steam bath, meditation area, yoga, Tai Chi, aromatherapy, manicure and pedicure, child minding and a children's playroom, DVD rental, free use of computers and Internet in reception area