Hiep Thanh Resort

The grounds are lush and beautiful, and the pool was clean while we were there. Cleaning in the bungalow was regular and done well. The location is excellent, and the little beach is comfortable enough, though how the sea is depends a lot on the season. We stayed almost a week, but the airport pickup we booked through Booking and had confirmed never showed up. The room was okay but worn, with uncomfortable pillows and mattress. Breakfast was honestly terrible, so after the first morning we ate at nearby restaurants. A big plus is that you can rent a motorbike without leaving a passport or paying a $100 deposit. The location makes up for a lot, but better breakfasts and more staff engagement could make this an easy 4+.

We were really disappointed and wouldn’t stay here again. We went on to six other hotels in Phu Quoc, and every one was cleaner, had 24-hour reception, and friendlier staff. The receptionist here was rude and unhelpful throughout our stay, the only person like that in our three weeks in Vietnam. She let the hotel down badly. On arrival, we were taken to a dark room instead of the bungalow I’d booked. After more than an hour, we were offered the right bungalow, but only for seven nights rather than the 18 we wanted. In the end, that was a blessing. The room was okay, but the old bathroom needed renovating and the bed was very uncomfortable. Mosquitoes made it impossible to sit outside, which hadn’t been an issue at any of our later hotels. The beach was nice, but the water nearby was murky and smelled bad. We walked 10 minutes south along the beach and found clear water. The location itself is good. One night we locked our key inside and got back just after 10:30pm. Reception was locked. There were three numbers to call, but none had WhatsApp, so I had to turn on data roaming. The first number didn’t answer. A man on the second said okay, but nobody came after 20 minutes. When I called again, he said okay and hung up. Five minutes later a young girl came out of the house. I used Google Translate to explain, and she went back in. After a while, with lots of shouting from inside, a young boy came out and let us into our room. Breakfast was terrible: cold tea and coffee, and the same small selection every day. With all the wonderful fruit on the island, they only offered bananas and melon. We went just twice, but checked each morning in case there was anything different. There never was. At checkout, they said we owed money for the complimentary water. The receptionist explained that small bottles cost extra, medium ones are free, and large ones cost extra. We’d used four small bottles. It was only a small amount, but nobody told us when we arrived, and nothing in the room explained it.

This was my third visit in two years, and I’ll be back again. Loved the bungalows, the staff, and the beach. What more could you ask for?

The beach bar and private beach were great. The rooms were very clean, and the service was polite and friendly. It’s also very close to the main street. A wonderful place.