Six Senses Ninh Van Bay

Thao made this stay unforgettable. Across the luxury resorts we’ve visited in Thailand, Bali, Mexico, and Japan, she stands out as the best hospitality professional my wife and I have met. She remembered small things, anticipated what we needed, and made each part of our time here feel personal. Her warmth and attention even got me thinking about how I could serve my own clients better back home. The wider team gave the resort a welcoming, sincere feel. We felt more like family than passing guests, and the thoughtful service never felt scripted. The bay is breathtaking, too, but it was the genuine care in every interaction that made the place special. We’d recommend Six Senses Ninh Van Bay without hesitation to anyone looking for a personal, once-in-a-lifetime kind of stay. Thank you to everyone we met, especially Thao, for your kindness and professionalism. We hope we get the chance to return.

A quiet, restorative escape with real privacy. The villas are beautifully designed, and the service is discreet and intuitive. The private bay and its stunning natural setting make it a lovely choice for romance, a reset, or a proper luxury break away from everything.

The setting and villas are remarkable. I’ve never seen villas with so many magical little spaces, pools, and varied communal areas. Breakfast was also impressive, and the soap-making session at the Alchemy Lab, along with simply walking around the property, felt unique and wonderful. The Wagyu grill dinner was superb and worth the price. Our GEM genuinely cared and tried hard, room preparation was immaculate throughout the day, and the boat crew and staff around the property were superb. But the stay didn’t feel exceptional overall. Prices were already very high, and even after an expensive set-menu dinner we were charged for filtered water. Staff were polite and meant well, but often promised more than they delivered. Buggy rides took longer than quoted whether we booked ahead or called when we needed one. With a busy activity schedule, the delays meant missing several small experiences, and they added up. Before a long spa visit, we were told we could stop for ice cream. The buggy was late, and by the time we finished at the spa the stand had closed. Before beach drinks, we were told we could order a snack first, then wait for it in our villa. We were warned it might take 20-30 minutes, but it took an hour to arrive. We had to sign for the extra charge before even seeing the food, and the buggy delays meant we missed the beach drinks. On our last day, after the snack issue, they offered a complimentary drink instead of deducting the snacks, which cost 30€. We had time to settle all our other extras at reception, but the late buggy meant there was no time for that drink before departure. The room rate was perhaps twice that of other luxurious hotels in Vietnam, but the location and facilities could justify it. The extra prices for spa treatments, dinners, and activities were more than twice comparable places, without twice the quality, and left us feeling a little swindled despite everyone smiling. All in all, it was good, with plenty of potential, but management and service issues kept it from being exceptional. Worth considering for a special occasion if you’re in the area. Whether it was worth the detour on our honeymoon is debatable, and I wouldn’t make it the main part of a Vietnam trip yet.

The bay and weather were beautiful, and swimming across the bay was a highlight. The setting is easily the resort’s greatest asset, and staff generally tried to help. But for somewhere marketed as “six-star” and priced that way, too many parts of the stay missed the mark. We chose a Rock Pool Villa for easy access to the pool and ocean. Instead, getting around meant several steep staircases, which felt exhausting and sometimes dangerous. That made even a quick swim or drink less appealing. Bikes were available, but weren’t practical in many parts of the property. The gym was good, though its high location and many stairs could be hard for guests with limited mobility. The operation felt amateurish, with little sense of direction or strong management. Communication was difficult because few staff spoke much English. Food took a long time to reach the villa and was disappointing overall. Several meals made us feel unwell, a concern we later saw in other reviews. Breakfast felt limited and not very international. The Rocks restaurant was a little better, but they removed the fish from my meal even though I had only asked to exclude shellfish. The by-the-glass wine options were poor. There were smaller signs of a lack of polish, too: low-grade coffee in the room, a sticker hiding the coffee machine’s brand, frequent upselling, and charges for both still and sparkling water at restaurants. That water seemed to be the same filtered water provided free in the villa, supposedly for charity, but no one clearly explained how that worked. Even if the explanation were true, charging for it felt inappropriate. I’d told them well ahead that it was my partner’s birthday, but there was no recognition during the day. I only got a small cupcake at dinner after specifically asking, following conversations that had mainly focused on paid activities. Staff also often approached us with scripted chats that felt impersonal, even after we’d been there several days. We’ve stayed at many luxury resorts around the world, and this is one of the rare places I wouldn’t recommend. The personalized, high-end experience we expected just wasn’t there, and there’s better value and service elsewhere. We’re now at the Four Seasons Nam Hai, which really is 6-star quality, and that makes Six Senses seem even more unprofessional and overpriced.