HOTEL REVIEW

BEL MARINA HOI AN RESORT

Type: 5-Star Riverside Resort
Location: Hoi An, on the Thu Bon River
Old Town: ~7 min walk
Cost: NZ$150–260 / night

Sorry to say it again, but this one was great too. We had a ground floor room overlooking the pool — good enough that you could sit on the balcony and watch how busy the swim-up bar was before deciding whether to bother heading down. Staff were great and friendly the whole way through, and the location put us right near the action without being in the middle of the noise.

It felt like two hotels connected as one. Our side had the ground-floor pool with the swim-up bar; the other side had a rooftop pool with its own bar and views over the town. We just went back and forth between the two whenever we felt like a change of scene. One night we stumbled onto a conference party up on the roof — you never know your luck, and we weren't about to turn down a good atmosphere.

Breakfast overlooking the river was a highlight — nowhere near the scale of the Sala's spread, but they'll make you pretty much anything you want, cooked fresh, and it's well worth it for the setting alone. There's a live cooking station with a noodle bar and an egg station, so you're not stuck with a buffet tray that's been sitting out.

100% would stay here again. No complaints.

THE VIETNAMTRIPPER VERDICT
Would we go again?
YES
Would we recommend it?
YES
Best thing: Two pools, two vibes — a relaxed swim-up bar on one side and a rooftop party pool on the other, plus a genuinely great riverside breakfast setting.
Worst thing: Breakfast selection is smaller than the Sala's — though what they cook fresh to order more than makes up for it.
NZ$150–260 / night
Current going rate for this 5-star riverside resort, depending on room type and season. Book direct or compare on Booking.com/Agoda for the best rate on your dates.
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