A decadent weekend escape at InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula - review

Escape the daily grind with a stay at one of Asia’s most glorious resorts. Carolynne Dear packs a bag (and her husband) for a mini-break in Vietnam

InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula review - dreamy beach days in the private bay

Danang is very much the darling of holidaying families in Asia right now. It’s easy to reach (just an hour-and-a-half from Hong Kong), it has lots of sandy beaches, plenty of culture - and a plethora of quality resort options.

But if you want to take your trip to the next level, InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula is perhaps the jewel in Danang’s accommodation crown. The luxury resort sits in its own private bay around an hour north of the international airport, sprawled across a mountainside and with killer ocean views.

The Bill Bensley-designed property has the ‘wow factor’ in spades. Swept along the palm-fringed driveway in the hotel’s airport limo, I’m welcomed into the hotel’s dramatic monochrome lobby and invited to refresh with a cool drink while soaking up sensational views over the shimmering bay. 

According to the Bensley design team, the hotel was a special project for Bill as, at the time, it was the most extensive he had worked on. The team was handed a blank canvas by the client, resulting in a ‘whimsical realm’ over four levels that makes the most of the dramatic views. According to Bensley, to research the project he visited 50 different Vietnamese temples. “Because in any Asian culture the temple is where society puts its effort,” he explains. “So I brought the idea of a temple into the resort in a very light-hearted, innovative way.” 

Meet the monkeys

InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula review - join a wildlife tour to discover the resort's.monkey populations

The resort has been designed in tiers, cascading down the slopes of Son Trá mountain to the South China Sea and private beach below. So steep is the drop, the resort is served by the cute ‘Nam Tram’ boat-shaped funicular train with stops at Heaven (lobby level), Sky (where we alight for our room), Earth and Sea (the beach). The funicular makes travelling around the resort super easy and the members of staff manning the carriages are a wealth of information about the resort and surrounding area and for pointing out the native wildlife as we gracefully slid up and down the forest slopes. 

The resort is set within the 2,500 hectare Son Tra Nature Reserve, an area rich with ancient forests, more than 1,000 species of plants and a haven for birds and animals, some of them critically endangered. The resort employs its own naturalist, Trung Quân, who leads a raft of environmental projects at the resort, in particular to protect the world’s last remaining populations of red-shanked douc langur monkeys. Quân runs regular wildlife expeditions of the resort by golf buggy and it’s well worth taking time out to hop on board. 

If you look up, you’ll notice that trees are strung with monkey bridges across roadways. This is to enable the mammals to swing around the resort without exposure to predators on the ground. The monkeys are so prolific that guests are encouraged to keep their balcony doors closed. Bensley has also run with the primate theme; look out for monkey fountains, monkey portraits and monkey statues throughout the resort. 

Guest accommodation includes room, suite and villa options. We were hosted in a Club Terrace Panoramic Ocean View suite which was generously sized with sliding doors opening onto a large balcony with dreamy views down the mountain to the beach below. The room is a wealth of rich textiles and snowy white bed linen and the large bathroom features granite sinks and a freestanding tub made from locally quarried marble. 

Delicious dining

InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula review - colonial Indonchine chic at La Maison 1888

On our first evening, we are hosted by celebrated French chef Christian Le Squer at the stunning La Maison 1888 restaurant. This is the only Michelin-starred restaurant in Danang and is ably helmed by Le Squer, who divides his time between La Maison 1888 and Le Cinq at the Four Seasons George V Hotel in Paris where he maintains an impressive three-Michelin-star status.

Dining at La Maison is a sublime experience. Each course is delivered to our crisply naped and draped table on gorgeous porcelain and glassware, with explanations from Florian Stein, La Maison’s chef de cuisine. We’re  invited to enjoy the Michelin Dinner Set Menu, starting with amuse bouches, moving onto Perigord black truffle and gnocchi, a gleaming plate of foie gras en galets, Parisian-style gratinee d’oignons, lamb with vegetable ravioli and Vietnamese ‘ot sung xanh’ sauce and a malt whisky and chocolate ice cream in a hazelnut crisp. It’s a truly memorable experience and a reason in itself for staying at InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula.

Further dining options at the resort include Citron for a fabulous breakfast buffet and authentic Vietnamese dishes later in the day (head over early to bag a seat - and an Instagram shot - in one of the outdoor dining pods that ‘float’ over the mountain). On our second night we dined at Barefoot, a beach-club style restaurant by the water with grilled meats and seafood the highlights of the menu. 

The resort has recently opened Tingara, a Japanese omakase teppanyaki and sushi restaurant perched at the highest level of the resort and with dramatic views over the bay. It has also been imagined by Bill Bensley and features a live kitchen and robata grill and table and counter seating with stunning ocean views. Diners can also enjoy the theatre of live teppanyaki cooking. Tingara is derived from the Okinawan word for the Milky Way, or ‘river of stars’. Michelin-starred chef Junichi Yoshida hails from Okinawa and helms the space alongside teppanyaki maestro Tetsuhiko Isozaki and sushi master, Tsuneyoshi Taira, using fresh seafood and Kuroge wagyu beef to conjure up a dining experience to remember.

We also enjoyed a couple of fun lunches at the Long Bar, a relaxed space featuring huge day beds, from which you can dine like a Roman Emperor, and swinging dining seats. 

Pool time

InterContinental Sun Peninsula review - splurge with a stunning beach villa

There are two pools at the resort, including a family-style ‘Garden Pool’ at beach level and an adults-only infinity ‘Long Pool’ on the roof of the Long Bar. Unfortunately the weather during our stay was a little inclement and we spent our time on the tennis courts and in the spa. But under normal circumstances it is without doubt the glorious, private beach and turquoise ocean waters that would take centre stage of a stay at InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula. 

If you need to work off some of those yummy meals, there’s a full gym and the Mi Sol Spa provides a deliciously relaxing respite. We enjoyed full body massages one afternoon, meeting at the spa reception before being ferried by buggy to the treatment rooms on the far side of the resort.

InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula is one of Southeast Asia’s premier resorts and ranks amongst the best I have experienced in the region. Its isolated position means it is a good hour from the cultural attractions and restaurants of Hoi An and if this is your reason for visiting Danang, I would probably recommend staying a little closer. Having said that, the hotel can arrange transport into Hoi An and even has a digital tour for guests to follow. But for a decadent beach break, this resort should be firmly on your bucket list.

Asia Family Traveller was a guest of InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula.

Read more about our dinner with legendary French chef Christian Le Squer