Although it's been open for a year, hardly anyone knows about it.
The Accor-managed hotel is less than 3 hours' drive from Hanoi, slightly closer to Halong Bay. Located at the foot of the sacred Yen Tu mountain.
Designed by Bill Bensley (who seems to be the go-to guy if you want an iconic hotel/resort), modelled on a 13th century Vietnamese palace, this hotel is part resort, part work of art, part theatrical set piece. Everything is larger than life. The colours are bold - yellows, reds and purples. Elegant stone work, massive timber beams, vivid murals, over-sized pottery and marble pieces make this hotel a destination in itself. Just visiting the toilet or shower is an experience.
On the weekend, as Yen Tu Mountain is a sacred Buddhist site, crowds of Vietnamese make the pilgrimage. I am assuming once the Spa wing of the hotel is completed in 2020, the place will have more guests.
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| The pool area, but where is everyone? |
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| Yen Tu Mountain from the hotel grounds |
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| Walkway linking the foyer, bar, restaurant and ballroom |
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| Soaring ceilings in the lounge bar |
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| A corridor in one of the guest room wings |
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| Junior Suites feature an open air brass bath, the huge timber sliding doors are operated by a decorative pulley system |
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| Resembling a Moscow subway station, this is another hotel corridor |
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| No television, just admire the room (internet is fast though) |
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| Perhaps the most elegant wheelchair access ramp? |
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| Toilet overlooks a brick lightwell |
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| Restaurant urinals |
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| The first cable car station is a 15 minute walk or a complimentary e-trolley ride from the hotel. |
