If you are staying or holidaying in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and you are looking for a beach destination that is both great and not too far away, you will be looking at Ho Tram Beach. For tourists, this destination is often overlooked in favour of Nha Trang, Da Nang, or Phu Quoc island, all destinations that are a flight away from Ho Chi Minh city.
After spending two weeks in hot and humid Ho Chi Minh City I was keen to find out more about Ho Tram Beach and especially the Melia Ho Tram Beach Resort. I booked a two-bedroom private pool villa with its own garden, a welcome change from living in Ho Chi Minh City with its ubiquitous high-rise buildings.
This is a fairly new resort that only opened its doors in March 2019 and consists of 152 rooms and 83 individual pool villas. It has a totally private beach frontage of 1.1 kilometers giving plenty of privacy on the beach for its guests. My family and I took the free courtesy bus which leaves District 2 in Ho Chi Minh City and takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes to get to the resort. Would this be the holiday where I can chill out and my children are entertained all day?
View over Melia Ho Tram Beach Resort from the hotel tower.
Reception
The luxuriant peacefulness of the surroundings is matched with calming colour tones and clean, contemporary forms. From the moment I entered the resort, the view gave me an excellent ambiance awaiting me to explore. Plenty of seating areas to wait for check-in and a refreshing welcoming drink after a long journey from Ho Chi Minh City.
As I was a The Level guest I had a private check-in with complimentary snacks, alcohol, and nonalcoholic beverages, including Nespresso coffee and luxury Dilmah. As soon as check-in was completed I was transported on a golf-style buggy to my 2-bedroom private pool garden villa. The immaculate gardens both day and night are wonderful to walk through.
The Level
My The Level 2 Bedroom Private Pool Villa came with a host of extra privileges and experiences. The Level of experience included.
- Access to The Level Lounge, located next to the reception, that offers complimentary alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and snacks. The Level lounge is open all day till 22:30
- Access to The Private Level Pool, with complimentary snacks and cocktails daily between 15:00 and 17:00.
- Late checkout at 16:00
- Use of a meeting room for three hours.
- Nespresso capsule coffee maker and tea station
- In-room amenities like newspapers, a pillow menu (my favourite was lavender), high-speed WiFi, slippers, and a bathrobe.
The Level 2-Bedroom Private Pool Garden Villa
The short ride from reception to my villa took no longer than 2-3 minutes. I stayed in C038, which is a 2-bedroom 220 m2 private pool villa overlooking a gorgeous large pond filled with lilies. The garden comes with a private plunge pool, ideal for cooling down. The resort has a variety of 2, 3, and 4-bedroom villas with some of them directly fronting the beach.
This has to be one of the best garden views – look at that lily pond.
This tale atmosphere captured the very essence of Vietnam. This villa has a contemporary design with all the bells and whistles a family would need during their stay. At the entrance, a kitchen dining area greeted me, if I dared to cook, I had everything I needed. The kitchen was nicely tucked away from the rest of the villa. I liked how there was a toilet right near the entrance that any outside guests could use.
The round dining table was useful when I ordered a takeaway from Breeza Beach Club. Ordering was very easy and could all be done from an app that you can download. I liked how I was greeted by a delicious welcoming array of chocolates and towels to take a swim in the pool. A private pool is always wonderful to indulge in, especially very late at night.
The lounge was very comfortable and had a big TV and a large selection of channels. I preferred looking out to the tropical garden with the pool and the lily pond.
The Bedrooms With A View
All of the contemporary amenities of each villa fulfill the requirements of international guests, complete with independently controlled air conditioning, a minibar, a spacious work desk, and a hair dryer. With a distinctive an All-in-one service; I could access all the resort’s services by pushing a single button.
I had an amazing sleeping experience, the only noises I could hear were from mother nature. This was even better when I looked outside and saw tropical plants and again that beautiful lily pond. I had an endless selection of towels, pillows, slippers, and beautiful bed linen to indulge in. The tile-inspired flooring meant dropping water on the floor after a swim was not stressful.
This room was cosy with sleek modern furnishing and plush amenities. I liked the extra two chairs which allowed me to take in the view privately from the rest of the family.
The second bedroom with two single beds had access to a gorgeous tropical private garden. Which also had a coffee, and tea area as well as another mini bar. This meant my teenage girls had their own private access to their own little oasis, they even had their own private front door. The room came with its own bathrobes and wardrobes in which to hang their clothes and keep the room nice and tidy.
Throughout the villa, there are so many lighting options you can always create a mood that suits you.
The Tropical Bathroom
On entering the ensuite bathroom, I was greeted by the oval bathtub with ceiling-to-floor views of a tropical garden. This is what I would expect from a wellness resort such as Melia Ho Tram Beach Resort. With bath salts to relax and the side windows which I could open, I could hear the wildlife and feel the nightly breeze, It was wonderful. I liked how there was a natural stone storage for all my luggage in the bathroom too as well as a hanging wardrobe.
A separate rain shower and toilet with frosted glass doors allowed much privacy if needed. The double sink and large mirror meant with natural lighting I could take in what I was wearing. The scales were a nice extra for those weight-conscious guests like my husband.
In the second room, the extra bonus was the outdoor shower with a bamboo design. Again this resort offers all the outdoor experiences I could ask for when in the tropics.
The Swimming Pools
A Beach Resort is nothing without a choice of swimming pools. At Melia Ho Tram Beach Resort, I had three options. The first one was the private plunge pool that came with my villa, ideal for cooling down or enjoying some privacy.
My private pool
Then there is the main huge pool area with plenty of cabanas, whirlpool areas, an infinity edge, and a pool bar. This is the social area that binds all the guests together. It is huge and it is beautiful. Next to this pool is Breeza Beach Club which caters to Western food lovers, satisfying my hungry family when they wanted a quick bite, a refreshing drink, or a full-course meal. From here you can also enjoy the beach which has its own lifeguard and where you can use paddle boards and kayaks, the sea permitting.
Lastly, there is The Level Private pool which can only be used by guests staying in a private villa. This rectangular pool is smaller and has more of a chilled-out atmosphere with some “Cafe del Mar” style tunes and plenty of cabanas to lounge in around the pool. Every day between 15:00 to 17:00 free cocktails are served as well as some accompanying snacks. I lounged here every day in the afternoon from 15:00 till dawn.
The Level Private Pool
Breakfast With Sasa
Breakfast offered all the culinary options I could ever ask for affording all the indulgence of baked goods from the East and the West, with plant-based ingredients readily available. My palette explored a lot of Vietnamese flavours. As guests are seeking healthy options here at Melia Ho Tram Beach Resort the buffet offers a delightful journey of fresh fruits, pho soups, sushi, and endless beverage options.
The fresh drinks include coconut juice, fresh orange juices, and an array of coffees including traditional Vietnamese coffee.
Melia is a Spanish company so it was so refreshing to delve into high-end Spanish cuisine here in Vietnam. I loved the excellent quality Iberico Ham and the Manchego cheese with truffles. The setting is an excellent way to take in the morning of a pure luxury stay.
Conclusion
There are endless ways to enjoy my time at Melia Ho Tram BeachRresort. There are buggies to take you anywhere around the resort. You can also take advantage of complimentary bikes for an adventure around the resort, it is so much fun during the day or night. There are plenty of activities for kids to endure, including movie nights with fresh popcorn at the outdoor cinema. There is a place right next to the resort called The Hamptons which has plenty of restaurants and a lovely pier to stroll down. You can also order a buggy at the resort to get you there and back. This resort offers so much luxurious entertainment for couples as well as families, Thank you for a wonderful relaxing, and entertaining stay.
Details
- Villa Reviewed: The Level 2 bedroom private pool villa
- Website: www.melia.com/en/hotels/vietnam/vung-tau/melia-ho-tram-beach-resort
- Address: Hamlet, Vũng Tàu – Bình Châu Phuoc Thuan Commune, Coastal Road, Xuyên Mộc, Vietnam
- Phone: +84 (0)254 3789 000
