Muine Bay Resort

With its simple rooms and average beach and food, the Muine Bay Resort doesn’t quite stand out among the many upper-middle-range hotels in the area. It does, however, offer a comfortable, hassle-free stay in a relaxing environment. The grounds are pleasant and sprawling with big lawns, stone paths lined with small lights, and palm trees throughout. The main building -- featuring a few Cham-style accents such as stepped arch-shaped windows and brick accents -- houses the bulk of the hotel’s 103 rooms. The bungalows are set in the gardens, closer to the beach and the pool. The beach isn’t the prettiest around, with just a few loungers placed in a single row under straw umbrellas, and a steep slope towards the water. During our sunrise walk along the beach we saw some trash that had washed up overnight, but staff had removed it before the first guests arrived.  

Large and pleasant, the pool has a quiet vibe even in the winter months, when most guests spend the day sunbathing there instead of at the beach due to the strong winds and choppy seas. Guests -- most of whom are couples and families from Russia, the former Soviet republics, and Europe -- seem to prefer the comfort of the main deck, which offers easy access to a bar with a snacks and food menu. In the afternoon, the seafood restaurant was the most popular of all, and a band playing international hits kept the atmosphere lively until after dinner. 

The Muine Bay Resort offers good value, especially for those looking to relax by the pool, take advantage of the happy hours, and enjoy some mild entertainment in the evening. However, its isolated location a 20-minute drive from the heart of the action may not be ideal for those seeking to explore the area’s nightlife and restaurants. Travelers looking to stay closer to Ham Tien’s main drag may want to compare rates at the Bamboo Village, a slightly more upscale hotel with a lovely beach, a pleasant spa, and simple but comfortable rooms. For a little more money, the Pandanus Resort has better food and a full spa, but it's even farther away from the city center.

Muine Bay Resort is located on a small cobblestone street right off the main road that runs along the coast. There are a few other beachfront resorts in the area, but no restaurants, bars, or shops within easy walking distance. The sand dunes, one of the area’s attractions, are just a five-minute drive away, as is the center of Mui Ne, known for its quaint fishing harbor and seafood restaurants. The hotel offers free shuttle service to Mui Ne and Phan Thiet daily. The Fairy Stream, a creek famous for its red and white walls, can be reached in about 10 minutes by car. Ham Tien -- home to the area’s most famous bars and restaurants -- is about 15 to 20 minutes from the hotel. The historic Cham Towers are just a little farther away. The nearest airports are in Ho Chi Minh City and Dalat, each about a five-hour bus ride away.

The hotel has 103 rooms, including a number of bungalows in the gardens. Starting at 400 square feet, even the smallest room feels spacious and airy, and large windows open to small furnished balconies for lots of visual space. Decor is simple throughout, with generic dark wood furniture, white tile floors, and bare walls with one or two small paintings (that can be purchased). Champa-inspired touches such as exposed brick accents, small wood carvings, and embroidered pillows, bed skirts and runners, and chairs add some local charm, but rooms are a tad bland overall. Deluxe units have big traditional regional arches built into the wall behind the bed, making these rooms feel a little more upscale. Bungalows are particularly appealing, with more ornate Champa-style accents on walls and floors, and a number of traditional statuettes placed throughout. 

Beds, with thick pillow-tops and soft pillows, are some of the most comfortable we’ve experienced in the area. In-room amenities are on par with other similarly priced resorts, and include free Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, minibars stocked with a wide array of snacks and drinks, electric kettles, and safes. Flat-screen TVs, though, get poor satellite signal, and international channels were grainy for the most part. 

Bathrooms are smallish and average in rooms, but beautiful and upscale in bungalows. Family Rooms and bungalows have separate showers and tubs, but all other room types have glass showers. Our Superior Room bathroom was dimly lit and rough around the edges, with a faulty showerhead pointing in the wrong direction, and shower doors that wouldn’t close all the way. We also didn’t get any hot water in the shower in the morning. Bathrooms in bungalows are sleeker and sexier, with deep soaking tubs, separate glass showers, dark gray tiles throughout, and glass walls opening onto a small garden with stones and plants.

Features provide minimal entertainment for families and couples. The hotel’s beautiful pool is a popular spot during the day, with a spacious deck dotted with cushioned loungers and umbrellas, a bar with happy hours, and a separate kiddy section. There's a playground with swings, monkey bars, a slide, and a seesaw nearby, along with two massage huts offering an array of body treatments and salon services.

On-site dining options are varied but overall average. Hoa Su is housed in the main building and features a small dining room and additional seating in a quiet courtyard. A small breakfast buffet with Asian and Western options is served here daily, and the lunch and dinner menus offer an array of Vietnamese and international specialties. Our noodles were fine, but nothing special, and food at this restaurant gets mixed reviews from past guests as well. Breakfast and afternoon tea are included in the rates. The beachfront restaurant opens for dinner only and serves regional cuisine in a gorgeous Champa-style building with soaring thatched ceilings and outdoor seating with an ocean view. In the evening, the hotel also offers a seafood market on a big lawn with tables, where guests can pick their favorite fish and have it grilled. Our fish was fresh, but we found it a little plain, as it was just grilled with no condiments and came with a two pieces of tomato, a couple of slices of cucumber, and three leaves of lettuce.

Wi-Fi is free throughout the property.