Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An

Character and identity

Set on an 80-acre stretch of palm-backed beach between Da Nang and Hoi An, this Four Seasons occupies the site of a former fishing village and still keeps its preserved shrine in one corner. The look is modern Vietnamese: a temple-like lobby, three tiered infinity pools cascading toward the South China Sea, and 100 villas with peaked ceilings, dark wood, rain showers and bedside tubs. Four dining venues range from the French-Vietnamese Lá Sen to the 16-seat Nayuu omakase counter. The spa floats eight treatment pavilions over a lotus lagoon. Service is warm, intuitive and notably unforced.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What sets this place apart is the unusually genuine mood across staff and guests, paired with a spa and food programme that punch well above typical resort standard. Book a one-bedroom villa for couples, or a two-bedroom pool villa for families with teens who want their own wing. Reserve Nayuu and an evening spa slot before you arrive, and plan a sunrise run into Hoi An before the crowds.