Among the many polite inquiries I received from hotel staff on a recent trip to Vietnam – “Is everything to your liking Mr. Johns?” “Cool towel, Mr. Johns?” “Another cocktail, Mr. Johns?” – my absolute favourite came one afternoon at the stunning Nam Hai Hotel near the town of Hoi An. It was my second to last day at the property and, just as I returned to my room from a swim, the phone rang.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Johns,” the voice on the other end began. “Would you like me to check you into your flight now?”
“You do that?” I responded.
“Of course, sir. Do you prefer aisle or window?”
“Window.”
“I’ll book the window seat closest to the front, if that’s alright with you.”
“That’s fine. Thank you.”
“My pleasure, sir.”
A little touch like that isn’t unique to Vietnam, of course. Great hotels around the world aspire to delight their guests every day. But a few factors make luxury travel in Vietnam extra special.
First, the country remains, even by Southeast Asian standards, one of the great bargains for travelers, a statement equally true for $5-a-day hostels as five star hotels. Second – and most importantly – the new resorts catering to high-end travelers being built here are recapturing a tradition of top-notch hospitality that dates back to the colonial era and legendary hotels like the Hotel Metropole Hanoi.
“In my country, harmony and respect are very important,” explains Hao, my favourite waiter at the Metropole’s Bamboo Bar. “That starts with the family and extends out into the rest of society. It is natural for us to try and make people happy.”
The Metropole has been making people happy for over a century. Built in 1901, this is where Graham Greene wrote The Quiet American and Charlie Chaplin honeymooned with Paulette Goddard. It still attracts a daily caravan of wedding parties that pose in front of its French colonial façade. Watching over it all, the concierge is happy to offer guests advice on navigating the bustling street scene.
“Walk slowly and with purpose,” he says. “Avoid eye contact. Don’t run or stop suddenly and the traffic will move around you.”
Traffic is a bit more relaxed in the ancient city of Hue, home to another one of Vietnam’s venerable destinations. La Residence Hue Hotel & Spa overlooks the Imperial Citadel from its prime position along the banks of the Perfume River. Back in the early days of the 20th century, this beautiful Art Deco structure was the French governor’s mansion. Today, it’s a meticulously maintained time capsule of its original life with an old-school level of service to match.
Lounging poolside, I hear unseen birds sing from somewhere among the frangipani trees, their trills mingling with the soft lounge music emanating from the bar. After a dip in the vast saltwater pool, cold bottles of water await on nearby loungers, while an attendant offering fresh-fruit skewers and lemongrass-scented towels arrives as if on cue.
Lest you wonder whether newer properties can live up to the level of service offered by Vietnam’s swish standbys, a couple of nights at the year-old Amanoi will put your mind at ease. The resort’s 31 pavilions and five villas are situated within the 72,000-acre Nui Chua National Park on the coast northeast of Ho Chi Minh City. While its remote location means a 90-minute chauffeured drive from the nearest airport, there are cool cloths and bottled water waiting in the hotel’s WiFi-equipped sedan to keep you comfortable on the ride.
Aman means “peace” in Sanskrit and there’s no lack of it at Amanoi. I spend the better part of each day peering over the edge of my private infinity pool, watching the fishing boats in Vinh Hy Bay. The hotel property itself is huge and requires 238 staff members to run, a nearly unprecedented ratio of seven staffers to each guest.
Over breakfast one day with the hotel’s general manager, Sean Flakelar, an Australian with more than 15 years of experience managing hotels across Southeast Asia, I ask what makes Vietnamese service so special.
“You know, a lot of our staff have never worked in hotels before,” he tells me. “But they come here with an openness and an eagerness to learn and it’s that attitude that’s the key component that allows for that level of service. They are naturally warm, hospitable people. It comes from the heart.”
Back at the Nam Hai, where a standard villa comes with both indoor and outdoor showers, a Bose sound system and a raised platform bed with curtains that housekeeping draws each night during turndown service, the little touches continue to surprise me during my stay. Waiters offer discreet pen lights for reading the menu and the bartender remembers my cocktail of choice every time I return for a drink. Nothing, however, illustrates this country’s careful attention to detail like the sight of one of Nam Hai’s gardeners trimming the lawn with a pair of scissors.
ON THE GROUND
AMANOI
The Amanoi combines contemporary and traditional Vietnamese design in its campus of pavilion rooms, villas, spa and beach club. Rates start at $940 a night. www.amanresorts.com/amanoi/home
LA RESIDENCE HUE HOTEL & SPA
Built in 1930, this boutique hotel reopened in 2005 after a reimagination by Parisian designer Brigitte Dumont de Chassart. Rates start at $713 a night. www.la-residence-hue.com
HOTEL METROPOLE HANOI
Set in the middle of bustling Hanoi, the Metropole provides a sense of escape from the city with a private courtyard pool and gardens. Rates start at $250 a night. www.sofitel-legend.com/hanoi
NAM HAI HOTEL
In addition to standard villas, the Nam Hai offers larger residences with multiple bedrooms, private pools and butlers. Standard rates start at $673 a night. www.ghmhotels.com/en/nam-hai
Cathay Pacific and sister airline Dragonair fly to Saigon, Danang and Hanoi from both Vancouver and Toronto. For more information, visit www.cathaypacific.com/ca
This story originally appeared in the March 2015 issue of Globe Style Advisor. To download the magazine's free iPad app, visit tgam.ca/styleadvisor.