Review: Four Seasons The Nam Hai Hoi An, Vietnam
Intro
During my two nights in Vietnam, we opted to stay at the Four Seasons in Hoi An. Rumour had it that the Four Seasons in Hoi An was one of the best in the world, and seeing as we had just stayed at the Aman in Bhutan, we decided to mix it up by throwing in the Four Seasons this time.
Needless to say, this hotel exceeded both of our expectations. I would personally rank this hotel number 2 in terms of the best Four Seasons in the world after the one in Jakarta.
Let's get into it!
How We Booked
Ordinarily, over the holiday period, a maximum of four nights is required. However, after some phone calls and some emails back and forth, we were able to secure a rate through Four Seasons directly for 7,113 USD for a one-bedroom pool villa.
Was it expensive? Absolutely. Was it worth it? Also yes. This rate included airport transfers, breakfast, a butler, and a few additional amenities.
Pick Up From Airport
We arrived bright and early at 6:30 am from Bangkok on the Vietnam Airlines A321neo in Business Class. Waiting right outside of customs was our kind driver, who immediately took our bags.
He showed us our beautiful BMW, which would take us on the 30-minute drive over to the Four Seasons. It was stocked with cold, refreshing towels, bottles of water, and a few snacks. He even offered to let us connect to the music!
Check-In
Waiting at the front when we arrived was one of the assistant managers informing us of some fantastic news!
She mentioned that we would be allowed to check in very early, at about 8 am. We had 45 minutes to kill, so she offered a golf cart to take us down to have some breakfast as we waited. Golf carts are available 24/7; all you have to do is call the front, and they will send one within about 5-10 minutes maximum.
Eventually, after breakfast, another golf cart showed up to take us to our room to check-in. Our butler was there and waiting to assist with our check-in.
Everything was swift and took a matter of minutes since we pre-paid everything. It's nice to have it done in the villa as well; it is a much more stress-free experience.
One-Bedroom Pool Villa
The one-bedroom pool villas are extremely spacious, clocking in at over 2,500 square feet (including outdoor space). It's not one of those villas which are small, this is truly gigantic.
First, at the entrance, there was a beautiful courtyard (shame there was bad weather), which led to the main "living room area" where I would sleep.
Inside the living room area was a big enough space to hold a small gathering. Enough seating on couches for 8 people, a dining room table with enough seats for 8, and one large sofa with a television.
This is where I ended up sleeping, and the butler made the bed very comfortable with a mattress on top of the sofa. Everything is blackout in here when it comes to sleeping, so if you have a kid, this might be perfect.
Following along, just a couple of steps across the walkway was the main "bedroom." Upon entering, there is a gorgeous bathroom.
And an outdoor shower just behind...
Luggage storage is prominent with two separate storages.
Moving back to the main bedroom, there is a comfortable bed right next to the bathtub. It's a very Vietnamese design and something that I thought was fantastic.
At night, the curtains provide the utmost privacy and comfort. While I didn't sleep on the bed, I did spend some time eating and found it to be in line with how good the Four Seasons bedding is.
Much like the Aman hotels, gifts were left every night either on the bedside table or on the bed.
Moving right along, there was a small relaxation area beneath the bed overlooking the beach and ocean. If you happen to have some in-room dining and don't want to be drawn into a 17-hour nap because of the Four Seasons bedding, this might be for you.
Heading outside, there are plenty of lounge chairs that come with the villa. Considering it's a one-bedroom villa, you shouldn't have to reserve a lounge chair by walking down at 7 am 😂.
Finally, we get to the pool. Holy smokes, this might be one of the nicest private pools I have been to up there, Amanyara. The pool is deep enough to dive in and plenty long enough to swim laps in. Thankfully, we got periods of sunshine, so we were able to indulge in some swimming
If that is not enough, there is even a private walkway down to the beach on the backside of your villa!
All in all, I was extremely impressed by every accent in this room. It seems like the Four Seasons put a lot of thought into every aspect, and it is shown.
Dining
We ended up only having one lunch/dinner at a restaurant during our time at the Four Seasons Hoi An, and the rest consisted of in-room dining or eating out in the town.
There are three main restaurants, which can be found below. If you are interested in the menus, feel free to check them out here.
We ended up having our complimentary breakfast at the Vietnamese/French restaurant, which is the only place open for breakfast in the morning.
La Sen features a buffet or an a la carte menu with items such as eggs to order, pancakes, and pretty much anything you can think of. The Vietnamese coffee is delicious!
Even the bathroom looked beautiful!
A quick note: before I close up the dining section, make sure to book reservations in advance for the Japanese restaurant, as during our time there, we couldn't get in😞.
In-Room Dining
We opted to have in-room dining multiple times, probably due to the fact that we were exhausted from all of the activities.
The food takes about 30 minutes (give or take), and is truly excellent. Just give room service a call on one of the phones, and your order will be placed within minutes. Bonus points if you use the app!
If you fancy dessert, they even bring an ice cooler to make sure your ice cream doesn't melt. I am telling you, the Four Seasons Hoi An had thought of everything!
Prices seem to be in line with a nice hotel in a relatively cheap country (in comparison). A Wagyu beef burger will set you back about 25 USD.
Beach/Complex
As mentioned previously, the pool beach villas have direct access to the long beach that is privately owned by the Four Seasons. There are two sides to the villas, and the main area consisting of the restaurants/main pool separates them.
Once on the beach, you will see that it measures almost a mile of privacy before heading onto public ground.
Usually, there is a beach bar open down here, but it was under renovation when we were there. This is also where you will find water sports such as kitesurfing, kayaking, and paddleboarding...
And my favorite... jetskiing! The cost is about 80 USD for 30 minutes or 140 USD for an hour (give or take). In the winter time, you have to be flexible because the waves can get a bit rough, meaning they don't want to send you out.
Activities
The Four Seasons in Hoi An offers plenty of activities for any sort of traveler. Put it this way, they were able to arrange a game of football for me to join in under 24 hours. It isn't just a hotel; they go out of their way to make your stay pleasant. The FS was also able to arrange shopping in town with a local guide, as well as a trip to go Coconut boating!
If you are interested in other activities that are listed, here are a couple of the other options. If you don't see the activity but know it exists in Hoi An, Four Seasons will find a way!
Facilities/Amenities
Once again, the Four Seasons in Hoi An has thought of everything. They have a gorgeous spa with countless treatments ranging from sound baths to Swedish massages to amazing facials.
Combining that with a 24-hour fitness center, gym, and sauna, this hotel ticks all of the boxes.
One last thing: almost every day, the Four Seasons offers a complementary class such as Yoga to guests at certain times. If you plan on going, check out the website to find out when these classes are!
Service
From the second we were picked up at the airport to the second I left back at Da Nang airport, I experienced some of the best service I have ever experienced at a hotel.
Here are a couple of things that stood out to me:
Every staff member always said hello when walking by and asked if we needed anything
The FS crew was able to arrange some non-ordinary activities, such as playing football on very short notice
Manners, always a please and thank you, which goes a long way
The butler at our residence was sublime. I kept talking about taking a bath, and on my last day, she made me a rose-petal bubble bath, which put me into utter relaxation mode.
There was a driver whose name I won't disclose. However, he dropped me off at the airport, and since my flight was delayed, we grabbed coffee. Even though he didn't speak the best English, we went into Da Nang and enjoyed a lovely coffee together.
This shows me that the staff isn't just staff here; they treat you like one of their own. Simply because of this, I would head back in a heartbeat.
Leaving The Four Seasons
Unfortunately, after two action-packed days, it was time to head over to the airport. Waiting at the front was the driver I requested, and as mentioned above, we had a great afternoon due to my Singapore Airlines flight delay (Yes, Singapore Airlines can also suffer delays).
As always, the car was laid out perfectly.
Time to head off on the next adventure!
Final Thoughts
The Four Seasons Hoi An might be one of the best Four Seasons hotels in the world. I am trying to rack my brain to find a fault, but I cannot seem to find any at all. The rooms are gorgeous and massive and feature a gobsmacking view. The service is simply phenomenal, with some of the best I have ever experienced, and that is saying something.
In terms of facilities, amenities, and activities, there are almost too many to cover in a short period. Even if you stayed a week, I would doubt you could actually properly indulge in all of the offerings that this resort has.
I want to thank the Four Seasons crew at Hoi An for a truly excellent stay, and I truly hope I get to come back sometime ❤️.
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