Until the opportunity to visit the Zannier property in Vietnam landed in my inbox, it was virtually unknown to me, unlike some of the more gaudy, chest-beating resorts in Asia.
Zannier Bãi San Hô is secluded, boutique, and it isn’t flanked by a dozen resorts on either side. Instead, it stands alone among quiet seaside villages, rural farm towns, and the sparkling South China Sea.
You’ve definitely – even if unknowingly – come across the Zannier group before. The French hotel company has only half a dozen properties in its collection around the world; its lodge in Namibia did the rounds on wanderlust Instagram pages back in the early days of social media.
Having only opened in 2021, expectations were high for the relatively new addition to Arnaud Zannier’s hand-selected locale. Its modest size of 73 design-led villas makes it feel special enough that you’re not punching the ticket at a global resort chain, but not so boutique that the staff know the name of your dog or how many mimosas you had at breakfast. It’s resort vibes, but not those of your mother’s.
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Set the scene – where is Zannier Bãi San Hô?
Zannier Bãi San Hô gives a real Tracy Island aesthetic, and you do indeed feel very far away. Honestly, this remote slice of Phu Yen province could rival any Australian beach.
But being geographically secluded also makes Zannier a pain in the arse to access.
You need to fly to Quy Nhon (UIH is the airport code) from either Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, and then it’s about a 90-minute transfer from the airport. You’ll have to stop over in either city, as you can’t fly directly from Australia or even Singapore. To soften the blow, Ho Chi Minh has actually just opened a nice new domestic terminal to transit through.
How’s the vibe – and who’s this hotel for, exactly?
Zannier Bãi San Hô is sensual to the eye in every direction, and there’s a thrill in its design, privacy and remoteness. But if food and hospitality are high on your list, temper your expectations. There’s value to be found here in escapism, not culinary or cultural immersion.
But Zannier will do a commendable job of sucking you in with its charm, and in my opinion, it has a clear target clientele – slow seekers, design-loving couples, introverts, and young families. It can feel a little too sleepy if you’re the type who loves the extracurricular activities offered by many tropical resorts.
What are the rooms like?
Zannier’s villas are dotted far and wide over the peninsula; a dozen ‘Hill Pool Villas’ line the escarpment above the beach, another dozen ‘Beach Pool Villas’ front the sand, and then some ‘Terrace’ and ‘Paddy Field’ villas hide between the trees. Buggies cart guests all over the resort and are never more than 5 minutes away.
You’d have an entirely different experience in each room category. It’s essentially a choose-your-own-adventure across four unique settings. Entry-level stays start about $700 AUD for either a Terrace or Paddy Field Villa, which are nice if you want to escape the world to a little jungle den and soak in the tub, but why travel 13+ hours to stare at a tree?
If you’re going to do it, do it well. For those craving the ocean and maybe escaping the cold, there is magic to be found in the Beach Villas, which set you back $2,000 AUD per night. You literally wake up and step straight onto the sand or into your plunge pool.
It’s worth noting that they are not totally private, so if you’re partial to a roll around in the sheets of a morning with the curtains wide open overlooking the ocean, opt for a hill villa and thank me later. Ask for either villa 425 or 426 right on the edge of the ridge (also about $2,000 per night).
Naturally, I was invited to review the hotel, but my partner and I paid our way for two out of five nights, and were kindly upgraded to Hill Pool Villa 425 for the whole duration, which I’d argue had the best view across the entire resort. It was also the most private – you can’t even hear a whisper from neighbouring villas – and it gets bonus points for the outdoor shower, which saw 100% more use than the one inside the villa.
We loved the design, which draws inspiration from traditional Vietnamese fishing huts, mountain longhouses and thatched Chăm homes. The rough walls, bamboo floors, linen-draped beds, and vintage set pieces give the property personality and old-world charm, nailing the balance between tasteful and try-hard (which is actually quite hard to do).
The rooms are nicely appointed with SAN’s amenities, king-size linens, plush towels, and maroon bathrobes, while the lighting is perfectly moody – a welcome touch when you step out from the harsh sun.
How was the service?
What do Sydney and Zannier Bãi San Hô have in common? Step outside your front door, breathe in the beautiful air, and you’ve spent $100.
I care more about service overall, and for my partner, the kicker is the food and wine – but they’re inextricably linked, and more noticeably so when they’re average and expensive. Zannier may transport you to a slow, relaxed island state of mind, but with it, expect island service, awkward staff and disjointed interactions. All the tools are there, but it’s like they’re struggling to put it all together.
We, as five-star hotel guests, create the demand for cold beers, fluffy beach towels, and satay skewers in the middle of absolutely nowhere. You have no other options but to use the services at the hotel. You’re spending $9 AUD for a beer that costs 40 cents in the village down the road – this is all fair in love and resort-based war. It’s the crux of remote hotel economics. What I don’t love is paying big bucks for below-average service.
A daiquiri becomes decidedly less enjoyable (with a Sydney price tag attached) when served with no passion 15 minutes after you ordered it. Especially when you’re the only people at the bar. I could continue with a dozen anecdotes, but one size does not fit all, so that feels unfair.
The staff driving the buggies, for example, are prompt and super friendly. Actually, the whole roster of staff are smiley and pleasant, but on the food service front, when the choreographed dance with the guests goes off script, any query or concern goes nowhere.
Zannier has so much going for it, but unfortunately, the soft product falls short of the mark. We expected more attentiveness and personality for a 5-star hotel.
We’re feeling peckish, what’s on the menu?
By now, it’s clear we travel (in part) for food culture – the colour and personality when globetrotting is all part of the fun. After many culinary delights in Hanoi, we arrived at Zannier expecting to level up.
There is one main restaurant at Zannier where you will have breakfast every day and dinner most nights. Breakfast is the star of the show, and ironically, it’s the one you’ve already paid for in your rate. Expect delicious build-your-own Banh Mi banquets, a free-flowing mimosa bar, thoughtful Vietnamese pancake stations, and the staff encouraging you to try the local favourites.
Dinner, unfortunately, fell flat. The actual produce was great, particularly anything from the ocean, but it was the same menu every night, and the staff weren’t confident in what they were serving.
Cocktails were hotel bar classics, and while the wine list piqued my interest, incredibly, there were only four wines available by the glass across the whole resort. If you’re partial to a drop, by day two, you’re already sipping by the bottle. This isn’t a comment about spending money, but more a frustration of not being able to try new wines, which we absolutely love to do. Cheekily, three of the four grapes by the glass are Arnaud Zannier’s own, and we left each dinner feeling less excited about the next.
Both the beach restaurant (open during the day for pizzas, fried squid, etc) and Bai Hai (the “cultural” dining experience in a thatched straw hut on a rice paddy) market special dinners every few days to shake things up. With a bottle of wine, you’re up for $400 AUD as a couple.
It’d be our honest recommendation to give one a go and then skip the rest. There are better dishes to be found on the à la carte menu in the main restaurant. It’s nothing you haven’t had before, but this time you’ll enjoy it with a guy playing a kitsch, flute-like instrument as entertainment (at a level a little too loud for conversation).
Once the sun sets, go hard on the room service and enjoy it in the comfort of your pool villa. There is a surefire happiness to unlock when eating a cheeseburger in your robe and having nowhere to be, and these ended up being our favourite nights.
Tell us about the activities, then…
The spa was chic and easy on the eye, with a dark pink clay staircase winding down to the moody, cool, minimalist bathhouse. All the usuals are on offer – Hammam steam rooms, a sauna (free to book in), and treatment menus that play into sound healing, chakra realignment, and crystal therapy.
Be prepared for nearly every experience to come with a price tag, and if I’m being honest, the activities felt a little disingenuous. Zannier markets “cultural enrichment,” but there’s a bill to sign for at every turn when you try to unlock it. Each day, there’s one complimentary activity, like a nature hike or yoga, but it makes you cringe when they try to charge for it the next.
A wider roster of complimentary activities at a remote resort would be appreciated for the cost to play here.
Final thoughts, and any other must-knows before you book?
The design and location are really the standout for this stay. It’s clear Arnaud Zannier spent a lot of time scouring Vietnam, handpicking everything from the grains of sand to the antique furniture from local flea markets. I’d stay at another Zannier property should I have the chance.
The value to be found in the villas is worth writing home about, as I have done here. Compared to some of the prices commanded closer to home in the South Pacific, it’s compelling, but stay mindful of what you’re signing up for: a visual slam dunk with the soft skills in beta. Make sure you book villa 425.
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