Victoria Phan Thiet Resort ****
Our brief comments: 
The Victoria Phan Thiet is located on a promontory about 9km from Phan Thiet town. Accommodation is in 50 brick-built thatched-roof bungalows about half of which have sea view.
At present, the resort is undergoing a major renovation due for completion by September, 2005. When we last inspected the Victoria in 2003 it was already showing its age in several places, particularly the retaining wall and beach path, and room decor and fittings, so improvements are timely. 
The comments below relate to the resort as we found it in 2003 - we're hoping to re-inspecting in the near future and upgrade the description accordingly.
The arrival experience is encouraging - the entrance and reception area has a 'cottagey' feel, and orchids are everywhere.
Apart from being somewhat worn, the rooms are cosy and well-equipped. They're spacious and airy. Garden and Sea View bungalows have a comfortable sitting area, a writing desk and a  private 12m2 terrace with deck chairs. Family bungalows are a duplex with a living room with a convertible sofa, a large desk and a terrace.
Room decor is based on a combination of dark wooden furniture, pale yellow hangings and rich terra-cotta floor tiles. In general, it works well. Bathrooms are neat with grey tiles and composite washbasins.
The gardens are a particular feature of the resort. Verdant lawns, mature palms and tropical plants cover the small hill on which the resort is located. Towards the beach and around  the pool area is a riot of colourful 'paper trees'.
There's a 'spa' pavilion on the edge of the beach with small individual bamboo huts for Thai massage, reflexology, traditional Japanese Shiatsu, face and body care, and suchlike.
The sauna is enhanced by a steam bath with lemon grass and hydro jet massage for the muscle and skin.
 The beach is equipped with good sun shelters and deck chairs, but is narrow in comparison with resorts further along Mui Ne beach - at high tide the sand area shrinks to less than 5m.
L'Oceane Restaurant overlooks the sea and serves seafood, authentic Vietnamese cuisine and international dishes. Feedback from our often praised the buffet breakfast but some found the à la carte menu uninspiring and overpriced. Other grumbles related to the limited linguistic abilities of some staff members and patchy service at busy times.
The BBQ Corner is next to the swimming pool and offers charcoal grilled specialities and  light meals. The L'Oceane Snack Bar looks out to the sea and provides light snacks and drinks on the terrace. There are three bar outlets - the Sea Breeze on the beach, the thatched roof Lotus pool bar, and The Cove late night entertainment venue.
The resort is child-friendly with a much-appreciated crêche and a children's club.
There's a good range of sports and recreational facilities, and other pastimes. Water and beach  sports include a fitness centre, surf and boogie boards, a 'banana boat' , volleyball, kites and boules.
In general, the Victoria Phan Thiet offers good accommodation, but has some drawbacks. Hopefully, things will improve when renovations are complete.
(Last inspected in February, 2003)
Room facilities (?= awaiting updated information from the hotel):
Room Categories |
Garden View |
Beachfront View |
Family Bungalow |
| Number of rooms |
22 |
18 |
10 |
Air-conditioner |
|
|
|
Satellite television |
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|
|
Bath or shower only |
|
|
|
Bath with shower |
|
|
|
| Bath + separate shower |
? |
? |
? |
Personal safety box |
|
|
|
Coffee and tea facilities |
|
|
|
| Laptop connection |
|
|
|
| Free broadband access |
? |
? |
? |
Extra bed available? |
|
|
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Child's cot available? |
|
|
|
Room size (m2) |
36 + 12 |
36 + 12 |
48 |
View |
seaview |
seaview |
seaview |
Additional room facilities: in-house movies, private terrace and deck chairs
Hotel facilities:
Outdoor pool |
|
Non-smoking floor(s) |
n/a |
Pool bar |
|
Non-smoking rooms only |
? |
Fitness/health centre |
|
Vietnamese/Asian restaurant |
|
Sauna |
|
International restaurant |
|
Massage |
|
Patisserie/coffee shop/cafe |
|
Jacuzzi (beside the pool) |
|
Business centre |
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Additional hotel facilities: babysitting service, water and beach sport activities, table tennis, golf available at the Ocean Dunes Club at the rear of the Novotal Coralia in Phan Thiet
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