The world felt upside down when we left. But when Four Seasons Preferred Partners invites you to a three-day meeting, and your granddaughter agrees to come along, you pack your bags.

The Flight: Vietnam Airlines Business Class
We flew Vietnam Airlines, an airline I regularly recommend to clients heading to Europe. The price point is significantly lower than competitors, and both Business and Premium Economy are perfectly acceptable. One caveat: the food. For a country whose cuisine is world-class, the in-flight catering is genuinely puzzling. Pack snacks.

Danang & Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai
Landing in Danang, that familiar Four Seasons calm washes over you the second you spot the driver. I have loved Vietnam since my first extensive trip in 2007. It should not suit me. I am a Europe person. But it does. Cycling through paddy fields, riding pillion on a Vespa through the Imperial City of Hue, wandering lantern-lit Hoi An, taking cooking classes, hiking Sapa among the technicolour hill tribes. Vietnam offers something for every traveller, and I never tire of it.
But this trip was about The Nam Hai. I had forgotten how magnificent it is. We stayed in a newly renovated family villa: a king room plus an additional bedroom and bath. Australians, a hotelier once told me, are obsessed with bathrooms. He was right. It is the first thing I check. The Nam Hai delivered: spacious, with indoor and outdoor showers. But what separates Four Seasons from everywhere else is the service. Being greeted by name on your second morning by the breakfast host, who asks where your granddaughter is, is not a gimmick. It is the reason clients still tell me about the girl in Vail who asked for their name every morning for ten days.

Hoi An: Lanterns, Tailors, and a $150,000 Photograph
Hoi An remains my favourite Vietnamese city. By day it charms; by night it transforms. Brightly coloured lanterns bob on the river, trees sparkle with fairy lights, and the French photographer Rehahn’s gallery stops you in your tracks. His limited-edition prints now sell for $25,000 to $150,000, and once you have stood in front of his portraits, the price makes sense. Four Seasons displays one piece in the resort; I walked past it daily and never hurried.
This was also the trip where I finally cracked Hoi An tailoring. Previous attempts were mediocre. This time I took the hotel’s recommendation. The pants were perfect.

The Vietage Train: Champagne at 8 a.m.
Then came the experience that defined the trip. The Vietage is a private carriage attached to a regular Vietnamese train, fitted with just twelve exquisite seats, a small spa, and a bar that whispers Orient Express. We were met at Danang station, escorted to a VIP lounge, then boarded around 8 a.m.
The staff cannot do enough for you. Champagne flowed from the moment we stepped on board. My granddaughter Bashi raised an eyebrow at my morning drinking, but there is something irresistible about watching the countryside blur past with a glass of good bubbles in hand and nowhere to be. Travel is about collecting experiences you have never had and cannot replicate. This was one of them.

Quy Nhon & Anantara
We arrived in Quy Nhon, a coastal city I had never heard of, south of Danang and roughly midway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The Anantara resort, just twenty-five villas set directly on the beach, felt like a secluded Hawaiian cove. This is disconnection as a luxury, something almost nobody has anymore. The stillness is hypnotic. Yoga, a gym, kayaking, and a snorkelling spot forty-five minutes away fill the days if you want them to. The food is good and reasonably priced, so there is little reason to leave.

Zannier Hotels Bai San Ho: The Real Reason We Came
The entire itinerary was built around a single photograph I saw in a travel magazine: an advertisement for Zannier’s Bai San Ho property. It looked like Aman. I needed to know if it was.
It is.
The resort sits near the Vietage’s final stop, which made the logistics effortless. From the moment you arrive, the villas give you an immediate sense of place, something I value above almost everything in travel. You should always know what country you are in.
Zannier was founded by Arnaud Zannier, whose father is a force in French fashion, and the design pedigree shows. We stayed in an ocean-view pool villa with uninterrupted sightlines: lush vegetation, white sand, and still blue sea to the horizon. The interiors, every shade of brown, crafted by Vietnamese artisans using native timbers, blend so harmoniously with the landscape that the room feels grown, not built.
It was worth every mile. Bai San Ho is the kind of property that makes you plan your next trip before you have unpacked. I am already looking at Zannier’s other locations, and I will be recommending it to clients who want serious style in seriously remote places.

They also offer e-foiling, a battery-powered board with a propeller that lets you fly above the water. Bashi, who is young and should know these things, had never heard of it. My teenage clients will lose their minds.

The Verdict

Vietnam keeps rewarding the curious. Fly Vietnam Airlines but eat at the airport. Let Four Seasons handle your arrival. Take the Vietage at least once. And if you can get to Zannier Bai San Ho before the rest of the world discovers it, do it now.

About the Author

Miriam Rosenman is a seasoned luxury travel advisor with decades of experience curating journeys for discerning travellers. Her passion for travel is rooted in a lifelong love of discovery, storytelling, and the joy of sharing extraordinary places with others. Whether uncovering hidden gems in a remote countryside, securing exclusive culinary experiences, or guiding clients to the world’s most beautiful destinations, Miriam believes that travel is about more than seeing; it is about feeling.

When she is not on the road, Miriam can be found reading about new destinations, exploring art and culture, or designing bespoke itineraries that transform her clients’ dreams into unforgettable realities.