ACCOMMODATIONS - Over $50
SAILING CLUB
Easily among Mui Ne’s best hotels, this 29-room resort is made of mustard yellow and bamboo-roofed bungalows and rooms on a thin slice of beach that attracts the most serious kite-surfers. Like many lots, it’s long and skinny, but the snaking path going through lush gardens hides the neighbors. All rooms are nice. The hotel-style Sapa rooms (US$60) aren’t much smaller than the US$75 bungalows – go for a top-floor one to get the vaulted bamboo ceiling, from which the towering mosquito net hangs over the comfy beds. Near the water are the bungalows, and an open bar/restaurant that overlooks both the beach and nice but smallish pool. The beach isn’t one of the best – a bit narrow, with only a few shaded seats. But food is excellent (seafood, lasagna, wraps – mostly US$5 to US$7.50). Rates including breakfast and Internet in reception.
Tel 062-847-440; www.sailingclubvietnam.com; 24 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St; rooms US$60, bungalows US$75-115
COCO BEACH RESORT
Coco give pretty much what you’ll want if money’s not an issue: comfortable, stand-apart thatch-roof bungalows on stilts, with dark-wood interiors and sofas on the covered porch. There’s a nice pool, a bar with free foosball and footy on the telly, and ample umbrellas on the wide beach that’s well maintained. The beach bar serves croque monsieurs and sundaes (45,000D; US$2.80).
Tel 062-847-111; www.cocobeach.net; 58 Nguyen Dienh Chieu; bungalows May-Oct/Nov-Apr US$85/105
VICTORIA PHAN THIET
At the west end of Mui Ne (only 9km from Phan Thiet), the Victoria has 60 bungalows and a protected beach wider than many hotels. It’s hard to beat Victoria anywhere (they have locations in Can Tho and Chau Doc in the Mekong too). Their big bungalows have a big terrace and padded deck chairs, vaulted ceilings and dark-wood floors, and an outdoor shower with pebble-stone garden. There are two big pools, a tennis court, a rustic beach-side spa, and a couple nice places to eat. Best is L’Oceane, with French dishes and a US$21-23 dinner buffet.
Tel 062-813-000; www.victoriahotels-asia.com; Km 9, Phu Hai; internet rates for bungalows US$110, US$130, US$155 & US$175
BAMBOO VILLAGE
Not all of it is bamboo really, but the 65-room complex is an OK back up if Sailing Club or Coco are full. There’s two nice pools and well-maintained beach front. Bungalows by the beach are best (from US$118), the rooms away from the beach are hotel-y (from US$88). Extras like pool tables, a spa, restaurant and cats to play with. It’d be great if just US$50 or so.
Tel 062-847-007; www.bamboovillageresortvn.com; 38 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St; rooms US$88-108, bungalows US$118-190
DYNASTY/HOANG TRIEU RESORT
A bit formal from a laid-back beach resort, the Dynasty has some nice touches – the palm-lined pool is gorgeous, hotel-style rooms all look out to water and have porches, but the beach could be better kept up and it can’t compare with the jungle feel of others in this price range.
Tel 062-847-816; www.dynastyresorts.com; 140 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St; rooms from $60
No!
TERRACOTTA RESORT
Opened in October 2006, the Terracotta isn’t ready for the big leagues despite its fancy looks from the street. It’s resorty, and eyeing package tours surely, but there’s some burps already (no business cards or brochures, some bungalow doors not opening without a hard tug, gray-tile floors instead of the namesake terra cotta!). Time, or dropped prices, may help.
Tel 062-847-610; rooms US$70, bungalows US$85-120SAIGON MUI NE RESORT
Saigontourist’s local post is fine, but resorty in that big, stiff, overly produced way. There are covered walkways by a big pool and good open-air restaurants, but they seem to care a bit less about keeping up the beachfront. Considering the group tours and price, you can do better.
Tel 062-847-302; 56-97 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St; rooms US$70-220PANDANUS RESORT
One of a few unexciting places offering stiff ‘luxury’ at laughably high prices just south of Mui Ne village – all should be skipped – with 134 rooms geared to many Chinese and regional tourists on package trips. One staffer whispered: ‘Lots of Chinese people here… no good, the people are no good.’ So there’s a lack of, um, professionalism perhaps too.
Tel 062-849-849; www.pandanusresort.com; rooms from US$119
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