A visit to central Vietnam would not be complete without visiting the fascinating ancient capital of Hue. What’s interesting to me is that Hue has such a different atmosphere to Hoi An, the two small cities are quite different yet only 100km apart. Both cities sit on rivers the Perfume River which play an integral part in the atmosphere and pace of life in the city.
The Pilgrimage Village Resort and Spa
The Pilgrimage Village Resort and Spa has an ideal location just 1.5km from the city centre of Hue; this really offers the best of both worlds, with easy access to all the main attractions of Hue and a daily free shuttle that takes you to the city centre for visiting historical sites and restaurants.
Being away from the hustle and bustle of the city, you step into the tranquil, traditional vietnamese styled resort which seems to transport you to another place all together. The main buildings and structures are all made from wood, and in the restaurants they have used the traditional wooden pillars as they do in the large tribal houses in the north of vietnam.
The design and layout of the resort is beautiful and well thought out, set in wonderful gardens filled with natural architectural plants and trees that shelter the many pathways from the midday sun.
The family villa
We stayed in a family villa which, for a family of four with young children, it is perfect. With young children we prefer the kids to sleep in the same room as us. The bed set up was great with one king size and two single beds on either side of the double bed, we still had ample room to move around, we loved this resort and room so much we actually stayed an extra couple of days, this was completely unplanned.
With a huge bathroom, including a relaxing outdoor shower, I’d highly recommended a moonlit shower; we also had a good size outdoor area including plunge pool, which was perfect when we wanted to relax in the room and not go down to the main pool.
The breakfast
Just as you would expect from any 5* Hotel we had a sumptuous buffet style breakfast, which included a delicious mix of continental and asian breakfast options, of course we couldn’t resist the Pan au Chocolate and the bacon and eggs! I would like to add though we have completely converted to Vietnamese coffee options and turned down a cappuccino for our preferred Cafe Saigon!
The Spa
If you are wondering what made us stay the additional days at the resort, let me explain why. Well, for Marco and I it was the most beautiful and relaxing Onsen and Spa area!
We also both enjoyed a very professional massage at the spa and almost every day we booked the Onsen area, which included a Sauna, Steam room, cold plunge pool and jacuzzi. Because it had the cold plunge pool and we booked the area for our use only, the girls were able to join us. Marco would used this area twice a day!
The Pool
Now, the reason the girls loved this hotel was that their dreams came true when they saw the main pool with a huge inflatable unicorn and swans. Yes, kids are easy to please. I myself was swayed by this lovely pool nestled in the trees, it really did have the most relaxing atmosphere and was also huge, which meant I was able to swim some lengths, essential after the huge buffet breakfast.
The resort also has a small kids corner, a library with a huge array of travel magazines which I quite happily spent an afternoon flicking through. There is also a well equipped gym, they also offer private yoga and Tai Chi classes.
This is a short video taken with our drone.
Free Shuttle and Bikes
There is daily free shuttle to Hue City centre, which will allow you to see all the sites.
We enjoyed using the free city bikes from the hotel to explore the nearby villages and Tombs, we had so much fun finding our way around, and getting lost quite frequently.
What to See in Hue
The Citadel
Famously one Vietnam’s seven unesco world heritage sites, The Imperial City is a must see but we recommend visiting with a knowledgeable guide to explain the fascinating history of the Nguyen Dynasty.
Tu Duc Tomb
The Tomb with sophisticated architecture is considered one of the most beautiful tombs of the Nguyen Emperor.
Dong Ba Market
Located in the heart of Hue, Dong Ba market retains all typical features of a traditional vietnamese market.
Thien Mu Pagoda
Built in 1601 between a river and a pine forest. Thien Mu pagoda is one of the oldest and most beautiful religious buildings in Vietnam, this was one of our personal favourites during our last visit to Hue.
Abandoned Water Park
During a previous trip to Hue when we had visited all of the historical sites of Hue, so this time we decided to visit an Abandoned water park, which we had so much fun first trying to find, but then managed to arrive at the most beautiful time of sunset and capture these surreal photos.
Verdict
To book > The Pilgrimage Village Resort and Spa
Eternal adventurer and wanderlust seeker! Always thinking about (and planning) our next adventure, hence the name”Thinking Nomads”!
Wife to Marco and mamma to Isabella and Maya. India, Nepal and Vietnam are my top three countries!
Norway, Iceland and South Africa are top of my bucket list!
