Sunset Beach Resort & Spa- Beachfront Pirate Fire Show

The hotel is in a handy spot, easy to reach from the airport, right by the beach and close to some excellent bars and restaurants. Our room was clean, the bed was comfortable, the sea view was great, and the pool area was spacious with lots of loungers. Breakfast had plenty of choice and the staff worked hard, but the four salad options were empty every day during the last hour, and food wasn’t refreshed often enough after 9am. There were a few frustrations. The room we booked smelled strongly of damp. Staff suggested perfume would fix it, but this sort of smell doesn’t go away quickly. We chose to move, and the replacement room was much smaller. Some pool loungers had no cushions, and the ones with cushions were claimed early by people who didn’t show up for hours. I never managed to get a bed at the beach either, where loungers were also reserved. I still enjoyed the stay, but management could address these issues to earn a five-star review.

There’s plenty to reach nearby, including money exchange, laundry, and local food restaurants, and the resort is in a good location. It’s a proper four-star resort, with friendly, helpful staff and a breakfast selection that sets you up for a day at the beach. You can also rent a water motorbike. The beach is right outside the room, and there are two clean pools, one with an infinity view.

The reception, bar, and catering teams were amazing and went out of their way to help. The rest of our week at Sunset Beach was a struggle, and I can’t recommend the hotel or resort. We spent the week in three different rooms. Room 508 smelled damp on arrival, and the laminate floor was buckled, as if it had been wet for a long time. They were replacing random floor planks in the next room, which had the same problem. The sea-facing rooms seem to get water ingress in heavy rain, and leaking roofs and rising damp make it worse. Room 706 was better, but had water marks on the walls and a mild damp smell hidden by strong lemongrass air freshener. Room 809 had similar issues. At least it was on the top floor, but the shower drained so slowly that we had to stop halfway to prevent overflow. There was little silicone around the screen, so water ran into the rest of the bathroom. The walls and curtains were grubby, and the hand wash had a very unusual fragrance. Breakfast had a decent selection, repeated every other day, but the room was loud and short on tables. There were only about 25 tables for 119 rooms, with very little soft furnishing to absorb the noise. It got chaotic, and some guests’ table manners made it unpleasant. Once, we had to share a small table with another family. The beach and pool setup was also a mess. There were 50 loungers on the beach and 21 by the pool for 240 guests, so most people had nowhere to sit. Non-residents claimed and used some loungers early in the morning. The pool decking was broken in places and could catch your feet if you weren’t watching, so I wouldn’t recommend it for children. The swim-up bar was never open. We were surprised to see TripAdvisor and Booking.com certificates in the lobby rating the hotel “superb,” “outstanding,” and 9/10. Looking through who wrote some of the reviews made us wonder whether standards differ between continents and don’t match those in the West. Save your money and choose somewhere else, perhaps Thailand, Bali, or even the mainland. If you decide to stay, good luck.

The staff were warm and helpful, and they were always ready with local recommendations. Breakfast was tasty, with fresh fruit and Vietnamese choices. The resort also had beachside seating and fun activities, with a peaceful atmosphere that made us want to stay longer. The beach was clean and calm, lovely for an evening stroll or just sitting with a coconut. Our spacious, very clean room had a nice tropical feel, and the sunsets really do live up to the name Sunset Beach Resort. A great place to unwind as a couple, with friends, or on your own. I’d love to return.