Zannier HOTELS Bãi San Hô

Vietnam, served on a silver platter

Author
Daniel Bauchervez
Copyright
Frederik Wissink
Release
December 2022

On Vietnam’s central coast, where the South China Sea stretches toward infinity, Zannier Hotels Bãi San Hô has carved out a sanctuary of serenity and purity on the edge of a memorable beach.

It is a raft of sand: fifteen kilometers of shoreline tethered to the Asian continent by an isthmus so slender it could almost be an island. On one side, a long bay ripples, its edges dotted with aquaculture ponds. On the other, a beach unrolls to the horizon — powdery, as broad as a boulevard, as empty as a Robinson Crusoe tale. At its southern edge lies the fishing village of Song Cau, where basket boats strand themselves by the dozen at low tide. Behind it, a fringe of forested peaks rises gently, enclosing a secluded haven apart from the world. It is here, above the crescent of Bãi Biên Tràm, facing the South China Sea, that the latest addition to the Zannier Hotels family has taken root. A small but distinctive name in luxury hospitality, the group operates only five properties worldwide — from the deserts and savannas of Namibia to Angkor Wat and the alpine landscapes of Megève — each one designed to embody timelessness and dreams of grandeur.

In search of harmony
Vietnam elevated — the phrase says it all. Like its sister properties, Zannier Hotels Bãi San Hô is conceived as a proud messenger of local culture, without compromising Western notions of comfort. Guests reside in villas of one to four bedrooms (49–304 m²), designed with bamboo mats, woven loungers, rattan furniture and lighting, earthen hues, jute cushions, silk accents, and objects sourced locally. Some, built on stilts in the style of traditional Vietnamese houses, open onto rice paddies. Others, nestled on hillsides or by the beach, add a touch of indulgence with private pools — a cool prelude before diving into the ocean. The largest villas, inspired by the longhouses of the Ede people from the Central Highlands, rise over two floors and boast sweeping panoramic terraces.

Dining, too, is an invitation to travel. Nhà Ở, the pan-Asian restaurant, enjoys the same breathtaking views of dragon-like mountains unfurling over the sea. Làng Chài, a thatched pavilion by the surf, offers the catch of the day grilled over open fire. For an even deeper immersion, Bà Hai occupies a soaring bamboo-and-wood hall overlooking the rice fields, serving four different set menus — each a culinary journey through Vietnam’s rich regional cuisines.

When the tropical sun peaks, when the humid air weighs heavy and still, the resort itself seems to pause. Time slows into siestas, lizards bask in silence, and couples drift into the cool shade. The Hoa Sen Spa continues the rhythm softly, with its repertoire of bathing rituals, holistic therapies rooted in the five elements, marine elixirs, hot stone treatments, meditation, yoga, and acupressure. Here, yin and yang are gently realigned — leaving guests restored, renewed, and ready to dream again.

zannierhotels.com