Bliss Hoi An Beach Resort & Wellness

The location is something to keep in mind if you want to explore Hoi An often. Although the hotel says it's 20 minutes away, the drive is really 30 to 35 minutes. It's in the middle of nowhere, beside a very poor local area, and the shuttle only goes into town four times daily, which can feel limiting. The resort itself is gorgeous, and the staff were exceptionally friendly and did everything they could to make us comfortable. Special thanks to Quyen, who looked after us constantly and made the stay memorable. The main restaurant is beautiful and breakfast was lovely. Dinner was nice, though nothing special and somewhat expensive compared with local prices outside the resort. The rooftop bar was a letdown: it felt dull, and the man working there wasn't very welcoming.

We left feeling hugely disappointed and relieved to be going. The service never felt genuine or relaxing, and we won't return or recommend the resort. At checkout, the staff were cold and dismissive again. They sent us to wait, and we felt laughed at; there was no urgency. The gardeners and groundskeepers were genuinely friendly and greeted us warmly. The greenery was beautiful and healthy. Restaurant staff were attentive and sincere too. Breakfast was a good buffet that changed every other day. But other parts of the stay fell short. We paid for the previous day and still waited for our room; when we raised it, the concierge team treated us like an inconvenience. On the buggy ride, our bags fell onto the road. The driver seemed annoyed when we asked to stop and collect them, and didn't apologize. Our room was clean and lovely, with good air conditioning, a great view, comfortable beds and a very cold fridge. The pool looked beautiful, but the water was too hot to be refreshing. Something in the water or on the loungers stained white clothes orange, so don't wear white. There were plenty of towels, but pool service was inconsistent: some days there were buzzers, on others we had to go ask. The gym was tiny, and both treadmills jolted and didn't work above a certain speed, which felt dangerous. The place is truly beautiful; I hope the service can one day match it with the right team.

The food and drinks were good when we used the restaurants and bars, and the two-bedroom pool villa, number 888, was lovely, spacious and well equipped. Its pool was beautiful and clean. But it didn't feel private. There were no signs saying the villa was private, and guests repeatedly walked through. Several times a day people used our hammock, although we'd been told it was for our own use. We paid almost £3,000 for a week, and didn't get the level of service we'd expect, especially for our honeymoon. Loud music and karaoke from a neighboring property started at 7 a.m. and went past midnight, shaking the villa. On Sunday we went to Taco night at the rooftop bar, due to start at 6 p.m. When we arrived at 7 there was no staff around; we waited until 7:30, then left without food or drinks and ordered room service. We'd provided our flight information and emailed before arriving to check the return transfer was arranged, but on our last day reception said we hadn't booked it. The driver was odd, fidgeting and shouting “oi,” and we felt very uncomfortable. The resort was okay, but its service wasn't five-star, and I wouldn't recommend it for a honeymoon.

Bliss Hoi An was a peaceful escape from busy city life, with a calm atmosphere and beautifully maintained grounds. The beachside setting was lovely for unwinding, especially in the morning and evening. Our room was spacious, clean and comfortable, and the food was well prepared with a good range of choices for different tastes. The staff were courteous and attentive and always ready to help. Trinh at the restaurant was especially lovely and made us feel very welcome. We'd recommend it to families and couples looking for a quiet, relaxing stay, and we'd be glad to return.