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Review: A restful retreat at Vietnam's Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai
The luxury Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai in Vietnam champions local cuisine and wellness treatments at its award-winning spa.
It's 5.30pm and almost dusk as I sit by a lotus lake, sipping green tea and scribbling down some thoughts in a notebook. I'm writing a “Love letter to the Earth” – a few words of thanks and hope while a lady plays three large crystal singing bowls behind me. I fold the piece of paper carefully in four, place it into a lantern with a tea light, then gently lower it into the water. With a gentle push, I send it across the lake to float away into the night.
It's a simple, yet powerful, ritual. This small act of gratitude and acceptance is designed to connect guests with the “Interbeing” philosophy and Zen teachings of Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh. Part of the “Goodnight Kiss to the Earth” ceremony, it's a chance to pause, reflect and let go.
The Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai – on the outskirts of the Unesco town of Hoi An – has long championed wellness and finding a sense of calm. The award-winning Heart of the Earth Spa has become central to the guests' experience, drawing on local traditions and ritual-based practices. Its programme of alternative therapies, ceremonies and expert-led workshops is underpinned by Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings, and takes place in the main spa building or in independent lakeside pavilions overlooking the water, where each treatment begins with a salt foot scrub and a cup of herbal tea. It's a real sanctuary and, for me, a welcome retreat from the noise and crowds of Hoi An.
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The tranquillity extends into the villas. Each night after dinner, I return to a candle flickering by my front door, and two more on either side of my bathtub. With no traffic noise around to disturb the peace, this is a rare luxury in a country that is seldom quiet. There's even a small singing bowl sitting on my desk.
This year marks the tenth anniversary of the resort's Four Seasons rebrand. The resort was originally created according to the principles of phong thuy (Vietnamese feng shui). Entrances sit to the side rather than the front, huge vases containing water represent the feminine, and sit on square bases that represent the masculine. A series of stepping platforms – tiered swimming pools, stairs and pavilions – cascade down toward the beach. Nothing follows a straight line, everything is flowing.
Sixty suites and 45 standalone villas are spaced across 67 ares, arranged in U-shape clusters to catch the sea breeze. The style references the country's vernacular architecture – dark wood interiors, plenty of stone and local handicrafts. My one-bedroom villa has a back garden with outdoor shower, an open-plan living area, marble bathroom, and bedroom with handcrafted furniture and colourful textiles. The bed – a four-poster in the centre of the room on a raised platform – is surrounded by silk curtains.
(Image credit: Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai)
Eat well at Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai
The resort's wellness-led approach is found in the dining options, too. Lunch at Lá Sen is a relaxed, open-air affair, where dishes span Vietnamese and French cuisines. I enjoy the “Buddha bowls”, which come with either salmon or tuna, and make for a refreshingly light lunch on a hot day, especially with a chilled glass of local kombucha. I try all the flavours – turmeric, spirulina, ginger and beetroot. I take a tour of the orchid house and the vast vegetable and herb gardens. Much of the produce makes its way to the resort's kitchens (a surplus of mangoes goes to the staff).
Afternoons pass in a rhythm of sea-swims and cycling – each villa comes with its own bikes and the resort's car-free paths make for unhurried pedalling between pool, spa and beach. Come dinner time, lanterns are glowing, candles are lit and the resort takes on a romantic atmosphere. I dine at Cafe Nam Hai, which is piloting a set menu of Indian dishes inspired by the royal Mughlai cuisine – aromatic pickles and sambals, delicately spiced salmon tikka, Cham Island prawn komar with coconut rice and a cooling buttermilk lassi. The tandoori pineapple for dessert is unmissable. It's one of the most memorable meals of the trip.
Another night, I sample the Japanese omakase counter at NAYUU, where chef Alex Moranda and his team prepare exquisite dishes according to the principles of gomi – the five elemental tastes of Japanese cuisine. Sushi and sashimi are prepared with fish and seafood from Tokyo's Toyosu Market, and paired with tea that balances the flavours perfectly.
(Image credit: Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai)
A new addition to the dining scene is Sol & Sao, which houses the largest collection of sherries in Vietnam. As I sip a dry fino, I chat to Maryia Kryshko, the resort's assistant director of food and beverage. Our conversation drifts from sherry production to wine-tasting in Santorini and the rigours of the industry's exams.
A regular shuttle runs from the resort into the old town of Hoi An, famous for its centuries-old architecture, tailoring shops and the Japanese Bridge. It's particularly atmospheric in the evenings when traffic is limited and the town is more pedestrian-friendly. After a few hours of wandering the night market, eating gelati and soaking up the thrum of pottering tourists and puttering lantern boats on the river, the calm and stillness of the resort feels even more pronounced when I return. I run a candlelit bath and soak in the silence. My love letter is still out there somewhere, floating on the lotus lake. Thich Nhat Hanh wrote that the present moment is the only one available to us. Here, at least, that feels true.
Katie was a guest of Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai. From around £500 a night, visit fourseasons.com/hoian for details.
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