Nha Trang Marriott Resort & Spa, Hon Tre Island — Hotel in Nha Trang City

Positives: The hotel organizes a transfer from the airport and to the airport. Solid hard product for the price. Proximity to the mainland and a relatively big city. There is a complementary boat shuttle every 30 minutes which runs 24/7. Ms. Thao B. at the concierge desk is a great win for the property from the competition. She speaks excellent English, is knowledgeable about the area and generally a very kind person, which sincerely cares about guests and takes her time. Titanium choice benefit: (i) 1000 points, (ii) breakfast certificate for 2 people, (iii) evening drinks with Canapes from 4:30PM to 6:30PM. The beach is very nice, you can do long beach walks. Sand is cleaned, only rarely I saw pieces of garbage. Overall, the property is very well maintained and it is a pleasure to walk around. Breakfast buffet is pretty decent with combination of western and local dishes. There is a main building (you definitely want to book a room with a sea view) and there are options to book a villa if you are coming with a larger family, with kids or a group of friends. Hotel provided a pair of flip flops for every guest. Nice touch. Hotel provided mineral water every day. You can see crabs on the beach. Multiple Lifeguards on duty. Once arrived at the port, check-in was easy. I saw some activities for kids and a kids corner. Did not impact me personally, but definitely nice offering for visitors with kids. Invoice can be sent over email. International electricity sockets accepting UK and EU plugs. I did not check for the US plug. New year cake was a pleasant surprise.

Neutral: I asked if there is any possibility for an upgrade. I booked “Deluxe Guest room, 1 King, Ocean view”. The property offered an upgrade to a suite, with a garden view, which we thankfully declined. I saw a cockroach on a transfer boat. One day we had to wait for the afternoon canape (see above) for about one hour after ordering. After informing the customer relationship desk things improved. Vin Wonders discount was not available in January. Consider a multi-year agreement with them. English of the staff at the reception might need some improvement. My credit card was charged for the whole stay before I arrived at the property. There is only one towel per person in a room. Our safe needed to be fixed twice. An ATM at the property would be really nice. “Do not disturb sign” was not provided in the room. We created our own version from paper, subsequently a do not disturb sign was provided by the hotel. Thanks. Probably there is a need for a sign “please be quiet” in the corridors of the main building as some guests appear to think that it is OK for their children to scream in the corridor at any time and wake-up other guests (early morning).

Negative: On December 24th around 23:00 we identified a massive insect (about 4 cm) in our bathroom, which I killed with a complementary bottle of water. It looked like a cockroach to me. This was reported to the hotel for investigation. Upon inquiry per App, we received a written statement that it is a harmless local insect, therefore we have nothing to worry about. We also received compensation for troubles (fruits plate and sweets). However, verbally we were told that it was a local cockroach. In any case, action was taken by the hotel and there was definitely “pest control in action” on our floor during the next day. We are still scared that we might have imported some undesirable guests into our flat. Time will tell. The charge for the stay is reflected as “Other purchases“ on my credit card. For those who have a Marriott Bonvoy associated credit card this means that they will not automatically receive bonus points. I already spent a substantial amount of time chasing my bonus points with AMEX and I am still not done yet (January 21, 2024). I think this is absolutely not acceptable for a Marriott property. Wi-Fi connection is very poor at the beach and literally anywhere outside of the...

HIT & MISS EXPERIENCE

During my stay at Marriott Bonvoy – Hon Tre, Nha Trang, I had rather mixed feelings about the overall experience. While the property boasts an impressive location on Hon Tre Island and carries the globally recognized Marriott brand name, I found that the actual service and facilities did not quite live up to the price point or the prestige it suggests. Coming from a hospitality background myself, I fully understand the immense pressure and constant demands that come with serving large numbers of guests every single day. At a destination like Hon Tre, where crowds of tourists are arriving and departing nonstop, staff members face long hours, repetitive tasks, and the challenge of maintaining energy and positivity under demanding circumstances. It is not an easy job, and I genuinely respect the effort that goes into managing such a busy operation.

While the property has a strong brand name and a reputation to uphold, what I encountered did not always reflect the professionalism and guest-centered hospitality that one would expect from Marriott. The most striking example was at the mainland check-in hall, before boarding the speedboat to the island. First impressions are powerful, and this was an opportunity for the staff to set the tone for the entire stay. Instead, the reception team appeared robotic and disengaged. Responses were short and mechanical, with no genuine smile or attempt to make guests feel welcome. More concerning was the fact that when I passed through the main doors carrying my luggage, the two staff members on duty—a male and a female—looked directly at me while continuing their own conversation, making no effort to offer assistance. While this may seem like a small detail, first impressions are powerful, and such moments can leave guests feeling undervalued. In the hospitality industry, such moments can leave a lasting negative impression, not only of the individuals involved but of the brand as a whole.

Still, it is important to acknowledge that there were positive highlights. One staff member who exemplified true hospitality was Toan, who managed the buggy queue station. His service was both friendly and professional, and he made the effort to remember me as a guest, which instantly created a sense of personal connection. What impressed me most was his willingness to go above and beyond—he even helped repair my luggage when it was damaged, a gesture that was not required of him but made a world of difference. Toan demonstrated what hospitality should be: attentive, proactive, and genuinely caring.

The accommodation was spacious and comfortable, which at first glance created a promising impression. However, closer inspection revealed areas that were not well maintained. Some corners and surfaces were dusty, and a few spots felt neglected in terms of cleaning standards. For a property under the Marriott name, I had expected a higher level of upkeep.

On the brighter side, housekeeping staff did a commendable job in general cleaning and daily maintenance once requested. The transport services, especially the team handling guest transfers and assistance, were also very efficient and welcoming, of course, kudos to Toan.

The breakfast buffet, unfortunately, fell short of expectations. While the restaurant team was friendly, attentive, and quick to respond to guests, the food variety itself was limited. For a resort that charges at this level, I anticipated a wider selection of international and local dishes. The quality wasn’t bad, but it simply lacked the “wow” factor you’d expect from a Marriott property.

In conclusion, while I understand the challenges and stress of working in such a fast-paced environment, I believe service at this property could be elevated to better reflect the Marriott standard. My experience should not be seen as representative of the entire team, but rather as feedback to highlight both the shortcomings and the shining examples—like Toan—that show what true...

We stayed at Vinpearl Golf Land Resort and Villas for the 11 nights of 28 April to 8 May 2018. The resort is on a separate island, called Hòn Tre island, across Nha Trang Bay. You need to take either a speedboat or the cable car to the resort. There are four resorts on Vinpearl, namely Vinpearl Golf Land Resort and Villas (where we stayed), Vinpearl Luxury, Vinpearl Resort and Spa Nha Trang Bay and Vinpearl Resort Nha Trang.

We booked a 2-bedroom villa for the 11 nights of our stay. One thing to note is that the 2-bedroom villas are one row back from the sea-front, so you do not have a direct view onto the ocean. The larger 3-bedroom 2-storey villas are the ones that are in front with the best views of the water. The 2-bedroom villa is more than adequate for two people (and could be shared by two couples if required, though the second room has two separate beds).

We stayed in Villa 1230. This is towards the end of the island which requires a golf cart ride to anywhere you want to go. What you have to do is call the service line every time you want to go somewhere, to the hotel or restaurants, to the mainland, to the other resorts, to Vinpearl Land or to the golf course. The walk, at a fast pace, from the villa to the hotel, takes eight minutes. The usual wait for a golf cart is 10 minutes, so plan accordingly.

We booked the half-board accommodation since we like to make our own plans for dinner. The breakfast was the same every day. But I suppose when you are catering for a massive resort (we had breakfast in THREE different areas while at Vinpearl Golf) the selection cannot change too much every day. The staff were always kind enough to offer us a cappuccino and a cold chocolate milk drink each morning. The breakfast selection was average but certainly not the best that I have seen in the many hotels at which I have stayed. Being in Vietnam, the breakfast selection is definitely geared more towards the Asian palette. There is a sufficient selection of ‘western’ food but the choice is not as extensive as you would expect in hotels outside of Asia.

We had dinner a few times at the hotel, once at the Aqua Bar alongside the large pool and twice at the Lobby Bar while listening to the wonderful Filipino band. The food is good with large servings. The drinks are by no means cheap but not expensive either by international standards. Go early and order a selection of their cocktails before dinner while enjoying the sunset.

The pool at Vinpearl Golf is honestly the biggest I have ever seen. It is sparkling clean and just the right depth (not too shallow and not too deep). You have a wonderful view of the ocean and the hotel from the pool. You could easily spend your entire vacation relaxing around the pool, stopping only long enough to grab a drink from the ‘Aqua Bar’ alongside the pool.

MY RECOMMENDATION ------

If I had to choose again I would select Vinpearl Luxury for the following reasons: I) it is on the other side of the island from Vinpearl Golf, facing the mainland, so the views are better II) Vinpearl Luxury is more private than Vinpearl Golf – the golf resort is HUGE and caters more towards families, whereas Luxury caters more towards couples III) the spa at Vinpearl Luxury is situated over the water so you get a great view of the ocean, and IV) you can play the golf course no matter which resort at which you are staying. But Vinpearl Golf is wonderful too and you will have a fantastic vacation if you choose either of these resorts.

All in all we enjoyed our vacation at Vinpearl Golf Land Resort and Villas and would definitely consider it again for a future visit.

CHARLES ARNESTAD (Luxury...