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From Hanoi (you can read about our stay here) we continued on to another Bill Bensley project, the very posh InterContinental Sun Peninsula Resort. All it took was was a quick flight on Vietnam Airlines and before long we were settled in to our car for the short drive from the airport to the truly spectacular resort. Similar to our journey from the airport to Hanoi we drove through some truly depressing neighborhoods, causing slight anxiety that we might be disappointed. Thankfully once we arrived on property we breathed a sigh of relief, it was truly stunning.

There was no shortage of flowers to welcome us, though we didn’t have much chance to appreciate them as we were quickly whisked off the the Club InterContinental Lounge to complete check in.

The highlight of check-in was a glimpse of the most incredible primate I have ever seen, the Red Shanked Douc Langur, also known as the Queen of the Primates. The Douc Langur’s are not only exceedingly rare, but also an endangered species. They can be found only in Laos and North and Central Vietnam and the InterContinental has been key in protecting them and encouraging their survival. Please note that this photo taken on my iPhone 17 is not enhanced in any way, these primates are unbelievably cool.

With regards to room selection we opted for a One Bedroom Heavenly Penthouse which is one of the resort’s most special accommodations (taking advantage of the affordability of Vietnam, this Penthouse seemed like a great deal). The Penthouse included round trip transfers from the airport as well as unlimited use of the lounge (a lovely perk) and complimentary non-alcoholic drinks from our small kitchen.

Standard in the Penthouse Villas are private pools, a panoramic view from just about every room, a wrap around porch and a Villa Host (aka Butler). In our case we were lucky to have Jadon helping us with just about every aspect of our stay from checking us in to making sure our activities and reservations throughout the resort were confirmed; he was a smiling presence who was anxious to make sure our stay was perfect.

The Resort is divided into four distinct areas, Heaven, Earth, Sky and Sea, and our room was located in Heaven which offered a panoramic perspective as well as proximity to many of the restaurants on property as well as the Lounge. A quick tour of our room(s) left us quite pleased with both the interiors and exterior views.

Outside we found a very calming set up, and even a large praying mantis (?) to welcome us. Sadly the weather was a bit unpredictable during our stay with gusty winds at times, as well as periods of rain but that didn’t dissuade us from enjoying drinks and a cigar (procured by Jadon) outside.

Following an exploration of our suite we were anxious to investigate the rest of the property. In order to quickly get to the beach there is an adorable funicular that makes the trip a breeze. Of course you can also opt to walk or take one of the ubiquitous buggies that are roaming around the expansive property.

The design details found around the resort are pure Bensley, though more monochromatic than some of his other projects, but that doesn’t make it any less fabulous. The stark black and white design elements provide quite a bit of drama set against the lush green forest and gorgeous seascape. We attempted to get a glimpse of just about every area of the resort, but it is truly sprawling.

Our agenda during our stay in Da Nang was essentially relaxation so we made sure to schedule some time in the Mi Sol Spa whose menu of services was very extensive. Honestly it was hard to decide what to choose, but ultimately I opted to indulge in a facial , body scrub and massage while my husband signed up for a lengthy massage. The spa “pods” were quite extravagant, the therapists highly professional, and the services not only restorative but relaxing as well.

Lest you think we did no activity at all, my husband took an early morning yoga class and made good use of the gym while I on the other hand was happily sedentary

I mentioned the InterContinental Lounge earlier, but wanted to stress what an important role it played during our stay. We found ourselves popping in at all hours of the day whether for breakfast (more serene than the breakfast offered in the larger Citron Restaurant where most guests dined) or afternoon tea (yummy pastries and small bites) or cocktail time (complimentary drinks and snacks). It was a perfect place to connect with Jadon and make sure that we were taking advantage of all the resort offered. The service was exceedingly friendly and very attentive.

There are six restaurants “on campus” though sadly we only had the time to sample two of them, Tingara which is Japanese and Terra Mare which is Italian (my husband craved pizza). The extreme humidity along with the heat and the constant grazing in the lounge made it so neither of us had much of an appetite in the evening so I can only report on the two. There is a Michelin starred French Restaurant La Maison 1888 which is supposed to be terrific but alas we weren’t up to such a significant meal.

Taking into account that the resort is very remote the breadth of the offerings is quite impressive, and the food and service were very good.

We really enjoyed our short stay at the InterContinental and were glad that we made the effort to experience this fabulous beach resort. I am not normally a beach person, nor is my husband; but this was really a memorable stay. Again many thanks to Jadon, pictured below who went out of his way to make our time here special.

To close out this post I need to leave you with some more monkey business; they are the true ambassadors of the resort.

If you have a fantasy of a romantic beach getaway where the accommodations and staff are top notch I would definitely consider the InterContinental Da Nang Sun Peninsula. It is not particularly intimate or easy to get to (depending where you are coming from) but it is an exotic, idyllic destination and a relative value.

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