The UTW (“Under Ten Words”): Beachside chalet-style relaxation and aquatic frolic in Danang.
The must-dos (if any): Exhibitionist bathtub soaking, swim in one of the many pools within the resort, dinner at Pool House.
Intro: In February 2018, during my trip to Danang, I checked into the Regency Suite at Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa. Boasting access to a private beach, multiple swimming pools, dining concepts which cater to different needs and occasions, as well as its own convenience store/deli bakery, the sprawling beachside property makes for a suitable destination for those who seek either a disconnect from the hustle and bustle of city life, or sun and water-based relaxation.
THE ROOM
The Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa comprises of guest rooms (42 sq m), suites (84 sq m), residences (up to 197 sq m) and villas (307 sq m). Residence blocks are typically three-storey in height, and the Regency Suite is usually situated on its own on the top floor, overlooking the beach and some beachside villas.
The living room plays it like a cross between a minimalist Asian apartment and a family-style chalet, with mysterious dark, burn-esque stains on the wall of my room adding mystique and character. (The resort is spookily pitch dark outside after hours, so timid folks who find similar stains on their living room walls should stay in their bedrooms for safety.) Elsewhere, the bedroom’s generously timber and earthy tones assist in making the space feel decidedly cosy (is the forest lodge aesthetic a Hyatt signature?) and the bathroom includes a sizeable and deep bathtub big enough for roleplaying the Rub-A-Dub-Dub nursery rhyme. The bathroom is connected to the balcony, which is good for those with exhibitionist tendencies who wish to indulge in their vices whilst soaking and/or let their bits breathe in some healthy saltwater breeze.
THE HOTEL
The Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa boasts access to a private beach and multiple swimming pools. The sprawling main pool is surrounded by residence blocks as well as three of the resort’s dining concepts – Beach House (grill and seafood), Pool House (Vietnamese and casual Western comfort food) and Green House (Italian and Vietnamese, and where breakfast is served if you opt for breakfast). The buzziest part of the beach is where the sands connect to the main pool, which is also where guests enjoy greasy nosh and alcohol al fresco at the Pool House. Quieter, hammock-ed sections of beach are accessible closer to the different residence blocks away from the main pool.
The sprawling main pool is one of the resort’s draws – think various deck chairs for your sun worship needs, a semi-circular pool near the beach for languorous book reads as you sip cocktails from the adjacent Pool House, numerous lovely swaying trees for your Instagram-esque island fantasy getaway photos, and a water slide for the kids (out of curiosity and a sense of childhood nostalgia, I tried to go down the slide and, due to my bottom being the size of Brazil, squeaked all the way down). I observed a Korean couple dressed in very conservative swimwear (the man showed no flesh apart from his feet, hands and above the shoulders, while the girl wore a marvellous straw hat), posing for and taking photos and videos non-stop for one hour at different locations around the main pool in manner of sexy Youtube featurettes.
Club guests can opt for the Regency Club Pool for a more private dip in the waters (as private as it can get at a resort anyway, given that certain second-floor rooms directly face the Regency Club Pool). Apart from the usual deck chairs, there are also multiple pavilions with big sun-beds for the poolside relaxation pleasure of holidaying buddies and polyamorous partners alike.
Perhaps the most private pool I visited was the Fitness Pool, situated within the gym premises. “ADULT POOL – Relaxation in Progress, 18 and older please, thank you,” reads a big circular red sign, which signals sweet relief to both guests wishing to escape the running and screaming Chinese and Korean children at the main pool as well as those who seek quiet corners within the resort to practice public PDA and naughty underwater play. Perhaps people enjoyed lively buzz over privacy – I was so cold that I ran a few rounds around the Fitness Pool to warm up when I was there, but nobody ever turned up to witness my embarrassing bouncing and heaving.
For couples who wish to indulge in a Vietnamese luxury spa experience, the VIE spa offers another pool for your aquatic relaxation pleasure as well as intriguingly named treatments such as Mountain Air (to energise and uplift) and Expansive Sea (to calm and de-stress).
The resort has its own convenience store/deli bakery, Baguette, located near the main entrance. Apart from fresh pastries, guests can purchase coffee, wines, cheeses, beverages, snacks and even fruits.
For those who love cats, the Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa is positively overrun with cats, especially at the Regency Club. I smell corporate meow-bership.
The beach closer to the rooms.
THE CLUB LOUNGE
The Regency Club is where club guests can complete their check-in privately away from the madding crowds. Club guests have access to a private lounge where they can enjoy daily complimentary continental breakfast, all-day refreshments as well as cocktails and canapes in the evening, and they also have access to the Regency Club pool.
The food on offer at the Regency Club across the various dining hours is fairly limited in selection, and serviceable at best. The Vietnamese element across the offerings is fairly restrained – think beef pho, spring rolls and traditional cakes. Alcohol by the bottle during cocktail hours – this includes wines and bubbly – is self-service and free-flow, which is good because the cocktail prepared at the daily cocktail station was not. (The tequila-based “Brave Bull” gave my noggin a vicious knock on the head, and not in a pleasurable buzzy way.) Baguette and the Pool House are available for affordable further alcoholic shenanigans and bites if necessary (which I suspect it might be).
POOL HOUSE
Of the three dining options around the main pool, I found the menu at the Pool House most appealing in terms of comfort, accessibility and price point. Both indoor and al fresco seating are available, with the latter being nice for night-time beer guzzles beneath the illumination of bulbs, gazing at the pitch black shores and hearing the crashing of waves. Pool House’s menu comprises of cafe and bar beverages, as well as both Western comfort nosh such as burgers and sandwiches and Vietnamese and South-east Asian starters, noodles and rice dishes. The “Nasi Goreng” spicy seafood fried rice with chicken satay and fried egg – like many of their dishes such as their crispy fried chicken – hits the spot in the way that only the greasiest and saltiest of supper pleasures can, whilst elsewhere the “Singapore Sling” was a work of mixology genius in comparison to the “Brave Bull” at the Regency Club.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
As a choice of accommodation whilst in Danang with plans to explore the nooks and crannies of the city, Hyatt Regency Danang Resort & Spa offers an affordable and fairly pleasant proposition, with its strength lying in the sun and aquatic-driven facilities and its idyllic and relaxing beachside setting. If, however, you are looking for the best hotel in Danang, you would be hard pressed to find a better option than the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, which is truly everything and the kitchen sink in terms of sheer grandeur, majesty and indulgent excess.
Hyatt Regency Danang Resort & Spa
5 Truong Sa Street, Hoa Hai Ward
Ngu Hanh Son District
Danang City, Vietnam
Comments are closed.