Ho Chi Minh City is a very vibrant place and it’s hard to escape from the crazy traffic jam and the pollution. An Lam Saigon River is one of those place where you find quietness and serenity, a great weekend retreat in Vietnam.
Settled along the river at the very end of a dirt road, An Lam Saigon River offers a gorgeous and truly five-star luxury boutique resort with only 19 suites & villas and amazing views over Ho Chi Minh City background. There, you can hear bird’s songs, pamper yourself at the award-winning Spa or just relax in your private pool staying away from the busy city a couple of days ; definitely a good place for a weekend retreat whatever you come from Vietnam or a surrounding country.
Living
An Lam Saigon River – Main pool
Immediately after arriving at An Lam Saigon River, you are caught by the Wow factor. At the end of a small road and in the middle of nowhere, you cannot expect to get in a very well designed resort – pure, modern and Asian inspired – brilliantly integrated into nature with a smart-chic atmosphere and breathtaking views over the river. Honestly, my surprise was huge!
The resort itself is quite small – that’s why I call it boutique resort – but the overall place is perfectly arranged with a large restaurant and lounge area, a common pool with sun loungers as property’s heart and finally a Spa with a fitness center and three lavish treatment rooms. There is far enough space regarding the number of rooms – 19 – and the peaceful ambience is really a proposal for relaxation ; but in case you want to go to downtown, a complimentary shuttle boat is available at anytime which is very convenient.
Room
An Lam Saigon River – Riverfront Pool Villa
The Riverfront Pool Villa I had is ideally located at the corner of the resort and straight along the river, offering full privacy to its guests thanks to the vegetation and wood panels. Whatever you wake-up, eat on the terrace or relax in the plunge pool, you are always overlooking the stunning Saigon River and its endless stream of plants. Here again, I have been impressed by the quality of furnitures and interior design of the villa – a Four Seasons resort wouldn’t have done better – while the layout is very efficient ; I especially love the direct access to outdoor shower, few steps away from the pool. One tip: to benefit 100% of the experience, I highly recommend to book a pool villa, not a suite.
Another good point is the TV entertainment system, allowing to access a huge movie and music database on complimentary basis, including recent content. Thank you An Lam!
Dining
An Lam Saigon River – Breakfast
The unique wooden restaurant and its large terrace, all along the river, are built like a lounge and invite to spend time just enjoying the view with a drink. I had a-la-carte breakfast there, where selection and quality of meal – both Vietnamese and western – were very good and served quite fast ; from what I saw, kitchen looked really efficient and skilled.
Level of exigency
This is why I love luxury boutique hotels and resorts: you feel like at home. At An Lam Saigon River, all the staff know you and greet you by name because there are only few guests, and after a couple of hours you also know everyone. They are proactive, anticipate any of your potential needs and build a friendly relation with you, still keeping the necessary distance. At the end, that makes a unique family-cosy-smart-chic feeling. Bravo!
Stay from October 3th to 4th, 2015 – Sponsorized media visit, but this article reflects 100% of my opinion and thoughts.
The An Lam Saigon River opened in September 2011 and is composed of 19 suites and villas. I stayed in a Riverfront Pool Villa – around 150sqm – which public rate is 505 USD/night.
Book at An Lam Saigon River
