Emeralda Resort Tam Coc

The lake views never got old. We could watch boats pass from our spacious room, which had the modern amenities you'd expect and a very comfortable bed. The grounds sit across two islands, with the lake all around, and it was wonderfully peaceful after Hanoi's traffic. You're close to the Tam-Coc boats, though we preferred Trang An, and local restaurants. The large heated pool was often quiet; we didn't get to use it, but would have liked to with more time. Breakfast was better than I expected, with an egg and Pho station, make-your-own Bahn Mi, hot dishes, plenty of choice, and very good coffee. We skipped the hotel's other food because its restaurant was always quiet, and ate instead at local places that were fantastic, including chef hien. The spa had extensive facilities, and our two massage therapists were very friendly. They didn't seem to speak much English, but that wasn't a problem. The service was friendly, though a bit unrefined. We had no complaints, especially given how far this is from the main cities. The concierge arranged return transfers to Hanoi without any trouble. A few parts of the property already look worn despite it being quite new. The 'gym' is one example, and the fish tank above the main restaurant seemed to have really poor water quality. There were also big water stains on the spa carpet near the entrance. Management should consider improving upkeep in those areas.

We only stayed one night, but had such a good time that I'd come back in a heartbeat and stay longer. The room was huge and well equipped. We loved the two hats and bag provided, so handy for carrying things around, and the bathroom was a good size. My friend especially liked the wooden bathtub. The resort has beautiful design inspired by ancient imperial Vietnamese interiors. The lake, or maybe river, with the cliffs behind it was breathtaking. Staff went out of their way for us and let us check in three hours early. The woman at the costume rental was so kind and lent us accessories for free when we hired the Nhat Binh costume. Taking photos in it was a blast. We felt regal, lol. The breakfast buffet was okay and had a good range, although some items, like steamed buns, fresh tomatoes, and cucumber, hadn't been replenished.

The restaurant was really disappointing. At 8 pm on a Wednesday there were plenty of staff and just one table of eight, with me as the ninth customer. I ordered carbonara, but it came with a raw egg and bean sprouts on top. That's not an Italian dish or presentation. The egg should be blended into the cream sauce, not served on top of warm cream. The waitress took away the cutlery and didn't bring any for the meal. The food and service were both poor.

We liked it enough to add another night. The rooms were large and clean, breakfast was great, and Daniel at reception was very kind and helped us a lot with tour suggestions. We were very satisfied. You should go.