Thanh Kieu Beach Resort

This is our second visit, and the value, location, and atmosphere still suit us perfectly. It’s ideal for families, especially if you prefer a bit of peace and quiet to a lively scene. The picturesque pool sits right on the sandy beach, and the resort’s beach bar and restaurant are pretty good. WiFi works well throughout, and the rooms are cleaned every day. Staff are incredibly friendly. Breakfast has a good, varied selection, though items are put out in small batches. When the coffee or tea runs out, there can be quite a wait, and the lovely woman handling eggs and pancakes can get under pressure. We’ll be back a third time.

We meant to stay four nights and ended up finding a way to add four more, even though Booking and the other sites said the hotel was full. We’d gladly return. The staff made us feel at home right away, and breakfast was very good. In our experience they kept refilling everything, even near the end of breakfast, despite some comments I’d read about limited choice. The resort has just the right charm and feel, so I don’t agree with the reviews calling it tired. The beach was the best we saw on our shoreline walks, there were always loungers free, and security kept passersby from using the hotel’s loungers, leaving guests plenty of room. My only small suggestion is to keep the dinner restaurant open a little longer.

The reception staff were consistently friendly and useful, especially for advice on trips and motorbike hire. The resort is centrally placed near the beach and plenty of restaurants, minimarkets, bars, massage places, and more. Its beach was much cleaner and nicer for relaxing than the others we saw. The rooms are lovely, though some equipment could use replacing. Our shower head had weak pressure, which was annoying with long hair and sand on our feet, but manageable. I’d definitely book again.

The pool was a good size and very clean, though there weren’t many loungers. There were plenty on the clean beach, with shade from palms and umbrellas, and a guard making sure only residents used them. The sea was calm, warm, fairly clear, and shallow. Not Caribbean-level beautiful, but still really nice. You can rent paddleboards or double kayaks by the hour, and the sunsets are beautiful. The staff were pleasant and friendly, and the resort sits right on a private beach with a bar and restaurant. It seemed to attract mostly Russian guests, with only a couple of other Westerners we heard. Other restaurants with a great food selection are a short walk up the road. Our deluxe garden bungalow was as expected, rustic with gaps around the doors, but well equipped with a fridge, kettle, air conditioning, mosquito nets, and a comfy bed. The small terrace, hammock, and lovely gardens were a treat. The bathroom is open to the elements, which felt a bit strange, and toilet paper can’t be flushed. There were definitely mosquitoes hiding in there. I liked having a jug to fill with drinking water in the room. Laundry is charged by the kilo and you have to drop it off and collect it at reception. It took two days, which felt too long, and we had to keep going back to ask about it instead of having it brought to our room. Breakfast was pretty good, with fruit, yoghurt, cake, omelettes, and bacon. The options changed a little each day. The bar and restaurant food was good too, and most servers were friendly and polite, though the woman behind the bar was a bit stern. Ordering was confusing: sometimes we sat down and ordered at the table, other times we went up ourselves. I’d recommend staying here, but make sure you know what to expect from the bathrooms.