Best hotels in Vietnam

As if someone had dropped a Parisian mansion into an oft-walked street in Hanoi, the Metropole is a delightful blend of hidden history and lavish design. Grab cocktails named after famous guests above an old bomb shelter and satisfy your sweet tooth at the chocolate library where the first movie in South East Asia was played. With Franco-inspired elegance, the hotel is a scenic stroll from the sights of the French Quarter but a night at the opera can easily be swapped for a wander through the ancient citadel. After discovering Hanoi's cacophony of old and new, return by limo for a well-deserved massage!

Step into rustic bliss at this peaceful resort, leaving worries firmly at the door. Once a gallery itself, art is everywhere including the over-sized stone birds who seem to drink from the indigo pool. Rest is a priority in this leafy corner of Hue, and the Vedanā Spa keeps the herbal tea flowing and the body scrubs in full force. A scenic shuttle into town opens up a world of history to discover - after all, this is the spiritual heart of Vietnam. Drift off to sleep each evening after reading the handwritten story left on your pillow.

The South China Sea stretches out in front of you on a leisurely stroll down the platinum sands of Ha My Beach, before cobblestone pathways lead you back to a sanctuary of your own. The Four Seasons takes your serenity very seriously with tranquil ponds to stop at and reflect on a walk through the tropical garden, hammocks swaying in invitation and blissful moments spent at the overwater spa suites. It wouldn't be a holiday by the ocean without an abundance of water sports and kayaking down the coast is a spectacular way to start. So, kick off your shoes, grab a lychee martini and toast to another glorious sunset.

Mere steps from the shore, the sherbet-yellow abode looks like a slice out of time - the 1920s to be exact. Refined French overtones mingle with mellow island charm, and breezy verandas provide pretty views across the Gulf of Thailand. Beach attendants rake powder-fine sand to perfection where drinks are served on canopied day beds. And it wouldn't be true R&R without a sea salt scrub at the incense-infused spa. Away from any mention of a crowd, Phu Quoc island has stellar hiking, diving and sunning spots to enjoy - and watching the sunset over a beach BBQ is a winning end to the day.

Like a secret held between the forested mountains and the lapping turquoise water, Six Senses has all the castaway appeal without losing any of its signature luxe. One part of a constellation of islets in the South China Sea, Con Son is just the place to swap fast-paced for easy-breezy. Take unlimited walks along the beach, enjoy lavender oil baths at the spa and laze on a leather swing as you sip on a Con Dao Sunrise. The resort sits inside a marine reserve so there's no shortage of beauty spots either. Go diving with green sea turtles or hike through the jungle where long-tailed macaques frolick.

Enfolded by fields as green as Spring itself, this eco-friendly lodge is the picture of country living the Mai Chau way - being as close to nature as possible. Wake up to mind-clearing views of paddy fields, get lost in conversation with the staff (who all grew up in local hill villages) and simply let tranquility wash over you on a walk through the gardens. The aura of the valley draws visitors back again and again, and with its amazing caves and wild spaces, it's easy to see why. In quaint thatched cottages overlooking soaked rice paddies, it'll feel like you're stepping into an ancient scene where the world seems to go a little slower.