Vietnam: Part 6: The Intercontinental Resort at Da Nang
- May 5, 2014
- 5 min read
We left Hoi An and travelled by taxi to our next destination - The Intercontinental Resort in Da Nang. We had seen a lot of poverty in the Vietnamese cities and in the rural areas during our trip. Most of the places we had stayed in so far ( apart from the Halong Bay Luxury Cruise Ship) had been budget or medium priced hotels. After the small homley, rural feel of the Homestay Villa in Hoi An, we were now about to experience real luxury.
When you arrive at the Hotel Reception, it is like being welcomed into a fairytale Oriental treetop palace, with wonderful views out to sea and lots of large open plan seating areas where you can just lay back, and do nothing but sip a drink and take in the spectacular view. The Intercontinental Resort in Da Nang is Vietnamese Paradise. It is so large, you need to call a hotel porter to your room, and he will then convery you to the cable car that takes you down the mountainside, to all the restaurants, bars, and beaches.
When we arrived we took the Golf Cart along the winding pathways, to our wonderfully secluded room. As we went past, various other buidlings - Secluded seating areas and other rooms and appartments, peeked cheekily out from inbetween the jungle treetops, and all around you could hear the sounds of tropical birds and insects hummimg. Each part of the resort is named for the elements, and to reach our room we went through our own oriental garden complete with bridge before descending the stairs to our room.
When we entered I was amazed. It was HUGE! We had a MASSIVE bed, with crisp white linen. One side of the room was glass pannelled and looked out on to the garden and balcony area. Their were double sliding doors which opened up onto a spacious balcony area, that had very large rattan furniture, and a marble table, complete with stone Pelican, where you could take in the breathtaking views out to sea and watch the fisherman catching their daily quota early every morning. And this was just a STANDARD double room.....
If you want to experience true luxury you could always stay at one of their Penthouse Villas! A truly sophisticated and secluded space, the 170 sqm Heavenly Penthouses are situated in a private enclave just a few steps away from the powdery beaches of Son Tra Bay. Guests can enjoy a private plunge pool with phenomenal panoramic views. A personal butler is on hand to ensure your stay is thoroughly relaxing, while privileges such as daily afternoon tea and your choice of dining venues make for a truly superlative stay.
I enjoyed a few amazing personal experiences right here on my large balcony . One morning I awoke very early and went outside to watch the sun rise over the mountains, while sipping my coffee. On another evening, a spectacular tropical storm was raging out at sea, and under the cover of the balcony, I watched forked lightining rip through the night sky, whilst the thunder rumbled overhead, and the heaven's opened. Put all this to the soundtrack of Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" and you have one truly amazing natural light show!
We also had an amazing Oriental round bath, in a bathroom with a floor to ceiling window overlooking the sea - and an open shower with double luxury sink. Not only did we have a mini bar and fresh fruit in our room - we had our own WINE FRIDGE set at the perfect temperature to keep it cool.
Eating and drinking at the Intercontinental
The main reason we had decided to stay here was for the ultimate "Luxury Foodie Experience". The Intercontinental has a number of restaurants and Bars but its crowning glory is La Maison 1888 - where three Michelin starred chef Michel Roux, has created French haute cuisine in the inspired setting of a fictionalized French colonial mansion. This signature restaurant has already become the number one gastronomic destination in Vietnam.
La Maison 1888’s setting tells the story of a colonial French-Eurasian family through it's architecture and interior design. The Private dining rooms reveal the characters of this fictional clan: from the sensible Accountant’s Room, to the thrill-seeking Traveler’s Room, to the risqué Le Boudoir de La Madame.
Setting the tone for the evening ahead, we relaxed amidst the spectacular setting of the Buffalo Bar which offers commanding views over the resort and the East Sea beyond. Starting with a pre-dinner glass of Michel Roux's champagne, we were escorted to our table in the Garden Room and enjoyed a meal that was truly "Out of this world". The attenttion to detail, the exquisite presentation and the superb flavours of each and every dish was second to none.
After our meal, we were given a complimentary tour of the Kitchen and all the private dinning rooms, which was the perfect way to end our spectacular gastronomic evening.
WATCH THE VIDEO WHERE MICHEL ROUX TALKS ABOUT LA MAISON 1888
The Barefoot Cafe
For a complete contrast and a very informal dinning experience, you must visit the Barefoot Cafe which offers well cooked food served with a touch of ocean breeze. Enjoy pizza, pasta, gourmet sandwiches and grilled meats and seafood served beneath a natural Balinese thatched alang alang roof or at one of the oversized “fishing boat” tables. In the evening, dinner is served by torchlight, with the soothing sound of the ocean lapping against the shore. Whatever the time of day, Barefoot offers the perfect setting to relax and unwind amidst an informal setting on the sand.
The L_O_N_G Bar provides
This extra-long bar blends contemporary style with colonial elegance on a tranquil beachfront setting. Behind black and white lacquered bamboo find an elongated surfboard table and nesting chairs loosely derived from Asian fishermen’s baskets. Or recline on beachfront day beds set with round wooden trays borrowed directly from Southeast Asian hill tribes. Above the bar, the ocean breeze is helped along by a fanciful row of electric-powered punkah fans. The cocktail menu is long as well, with a skillfully curated drink list executed masterfully by our resident mixologist. Enjoy refreshing wine, beer and a delicious assortment of light bites.
WATCH THE PROMOTIONAL VIDEOS BELOW WHICH WILL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT THE RESTAURANTS, BARS, LUXURY ACCOMODATION AND THE OTHER FACILITIES ON OFFER AT THE INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL DA NANG.....
One of the best advantages of being an Intercontinental Guest was that when we booked our car transfer to the airport, we had a few unexpected extra's thrown in. On arrival at the Airport we were met by 2 lovely members of the Intercontinental team who fast tracked us through Check-in and Security and then showed us the way to the Intercontinental lounge at the airport, where we could enjoy complimatary drinks and snacks whilst waiting for out flight to Ho Chi Min City - our final destination on the tour.
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