Millie the Nomad

#Travel #Vietnam #SmallLuxuryResort

In January, I travelled to The Anam Mui Ne resort in Mui Ne, Vietnam to escape the cold weather in Korea.

This is a brand new 5-star resort that opened in January 2023 and is the first hotel in Vietnam to be recognized as a Small Luxury Hotel (SLH). In the post-COVID-19 era, there has been an increased demand from travelers looking to escape to less crowded and more luxurious hotels, and Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) is a unique membership that brings together hotels that are small in size but offer high quality service.

[ The Anam Mui Ne ]

The Anam Mui Ne is located on the beachfront in Phan Thiet, offering stunning ocean views. The resort has nice swimming pools, a spa, sauna and bar. They also runs its own healing programs such as yoga classes to help you relax.

Rooms

The rooms are decorated with Indian-Chinese inspired décor, with a touch of Vietnamese culture but with a modern twist. I visited with a group of friends and stayed in a premium twin room with garden view. In early January when I visited, it was around USD 150 per night.

In our room, we were provided with a rattan bag and a traditional Vietnamese hat to use when we went to the pool or private beach, so we were free to use them as we moved around the resort. I had a lot of things to pack when I went to the pool, including clothes, my phone, and a book, so this bag was really handy. It also came with a pair of flip-flops to wear around the resort, which was nice to not have to put on my own shoes with wet feet after playing in the pool.

Check-in & check-out

Check-in time is 3pm and check-out time is 12 noon. I’d booked a jeep tour of the Mui Ne desert the day before and arrived at the resort around 9am, and the staff said they’d contact me as soon as my room was ready. So I dropped my luggage off at the hotel, had a massage nearby, and came back… and it was still around 11pm.

After a quick shower and a dip in the pool, I was told my room was ready for check-in around 1 PM. If you arrive early, make sure to check if you can get early check-in.

Swimming Pool & Private Beach

• Swimming pool in front of the lobby (opening hours 06:00 ~ 21:00)

The pool is divided into a children’s pool and an adult pool, with the adult pool getting progressively deeper towards the garden. The deepest part is said to be 1.8 meters deep, but I couldn’t touch my feet until about 2/3 of the way in. It’s deeper than you think, so be careful if you’re bringing small children.

• Beachfront Pool (Opening hours: 06:00 ~ 21:00)

The pool is located right in front of the ocean, so you can enjoy swimming while listening to the sound of the waves. The water depth is about chest high, which seemed to be about 1.4 meters. There is a small grassy area right in front of the pool, and there were a lot of people laying out towels and tanning. The grassy area is connected to the bar right next to the pool, so you can grab a bite to eat after splashing around. The burgers at the bar were pretty good.

Both pools have lifeguards on duty, and the beds around the pools are free to use wherever they are empty. It wasn’t crowded, but it was hard to find a spot during peak hours as there were a lot of people relaxing on the sunbeds when the sun was shining. I went to the beachfront pool around 11:00, but there were no spots on the sun beds, so I laid down on a towel on the grass and came back for a swim.

Near the beach side pool, there are simple shower facilities. If you take a left when facing the ocean, you’ll find the restrooms around the corner, and there’s a single shower stall next to the restrooms, so if you’re like me and enjoy the pool before checking in, I recommend taking a quick shower here. The shower stall comes with basic amenities like shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.

• Private Beach

Just outside the entrance to the beachfront pool, you’ll find a private beach with sun beds. This area is lined with luxury resorts along the beach but I didn’t see any fences or anything, so it all seemed to be connected.
When I visited, it was January, so it was hard to find many people using the beach due to the strong winds and big waves. (But I think if you’re into surfing, you’ll have a great time.) I only dipped my toes in, but the water was warm and the sand was soft enough to enjoy the water without shoes.
When you come back in from playing on the private beach, you can find the shower heads to rinse off the sand. But the water is freezing, so I would recommend just washing your feet and showering in your room.

Travel tips

The area where The Anam Mui Ne Resort is located is lined with luxury resorts along the beach, so you’re never more than a 5-10 minute taxi ride away from restaurants, massage parlors, and atmospheric bars. Here are some of our favorite spots close to the resorts.

• Quan Bibo – This seafood restaurant serves fresh seafood caught in Mui Ne at affordable prices. The grilled lobster and grilled razor clams are excellent. I had three plates of razor clams…
• Sinbad Kebab – I didn’t get to visit this place due to my schedule, but it has great reviews. It’s near the Rose Spa, so it’s a great place to visit after a massage.
• Leo Coffee – This cafe is located about a 5 minute walk from the resort. We recommend the coconut coffee and mango juice.
• Rose Spa – This is a massage shop that offers car pickup service. The price was reasonable, the quality of the massage was great, and they served delicious mango and tea.

Additionally, many people visiting Mui Ne from Korea seem to go on desert jeep tours, so I went on one with my group. It was physically challenging to travel in a vehicle for a long time from early in the morning, but it was very satisfying to get a comprehensive view of the desert and other attractions near Mui Ne. I share this story in the next post.