Five-Star Luxury And Relaxation At Salinda Resort, Phu Quoc, Vietnam

Sitting pretty on the west side of Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam is Salinda Resort

Phu Quoc Island is perhaps Vietnam’s best-kept secret, the 574 square km island lies off the coast of Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand and is relatively new to the tourist scene.

Easily reachable via a one hour flight from nearby Ho Chi Min City, the lush island has been slow to develop and in the main comprises of a national park, rich rainforests and deserted beaches.

Opened in 2014, Salinda firmly planted its feet in the sand as the benchmark for five-star hotels in Phu Quoc and has held onto its status ever since. The 120-room property is conveniently located ten minutes from Phu Quoc International Airport. With four types of cuisine, (Vietnamese, Italian, Indian and International), a saltwater swimming pool, day spa, pool bar, cocktail lounge, kids club and a fitness centre, it’s the kind of place one doesn’t plan to leave.

We arrive in Phu Quoc a little tired and weary after a hectic week exploring North Vietnam and staying put is precisely what’s in order. On arrival, it’s humid, as it often is in Phu Quoc. We were warmly greeted in the modern, fresh open-air foyer with a range of fruit juices and chilled refresher towels.

We quickly discover that travelling in low season to Salinda has benefits. When the guest service manager told us we were getting upgraded to one of the sea view villas, there were smiles all round. After being escorted through the manicured tropical gardens to our villa, we were welcomed by a box of handmade chocolates.

At first glance, the amount of space in the villa is impressive, matched by the attention to detail on the unique nature-inspired light fittings and weaved bamboo panels which decorate the room. Our villa was listed at 624 square-feet and featured a king-size bed, lounge, writing desk, iPod dock, double bathroom, flat screen TV and a leafy private balcony overlooking the coastline.

The bathroom is equally striking, with a standalone Toto bath, double basins, organic spa products and a Hansgrohe rain shower. Despite being centrally located in the middle of the property, close to the pool and restaurant, the villa is blissfully quiet and dark, ensuring most importantly for us, a quality nights sleep.