Legacy Yen Tu Hotel Uong Bi - MGallery Collection — Hotel in Uông Bí

First, the check in experience was not great. Check in is at 3pm which is much later than usual and as a result gave us less time to do any activities the resort claims to have including horseback riding, archery, kite flying, etc.

Second, our group had a total of 6 people and 3 rooms. They initially gave us 2 rooms that were completely separated from the 3rd room. So we asked if it was possible to change to consecutive rooms so we could be next to each other. They were able to change it but why not do that in the first place? I dont understand. All 6 of us checked in together, they knew we were all together, is it not common sense to maybe keep us all together?

Third, the scenery and the rooms itself were nice and I admit very beautiful. However, the outside and around the resort was dirty (possibly from the recent storm, not a big deal) and had bugs everywhere. The rooms and buildings at the resort were so dark. The lighting was terrible especially at night. It looked nice at first but was horrible once you realize how dark it was.

Fourth, the location of the resort was far from the city and as a result we could not venture out to grab dinner, stop by a convenient store for basic necessities, or even get a grab driver to go to the city.

Fifth, the only restaurant available at the resort was way over priced for the food it out out. Basic, bland, and overall just bad. Once for dinner, myself and a friend each ordered a beef stew noodle dish. When the food came out, it was clear that the pot it came in was a different size even though we ordered the same thing. We asked the waitress, had her look, and she said it was the same. So I literally placed both pots together side by side and showed her. She then agreed it was a different size but said it was the same portion. If both pots are identical and filled up to the top, how is it the same?? Doesnt make sense. We didn't complain any further because it seemed pointless. Soup was bland and tasteless as well.

Sixth, the resort used QR codes to provide guests with information on activities throughout the resort, the restaurants and cafes, etc. We based our plans off the QR code and confirmed that the times and schedules were correct with reception. The receptionist told us that we also did not need reservations for any activity because a resort employee would be waiting in that area at all times until 6pm. The first activity we wanted to do was either horseback riding or kite flying. Since we checked in around 3pm and got our rooms and then had to switch them around, it wasnt until maybe 430pm when we decided to do some activities. Around 5pm, we went to the area but no one was insight. We contact the receptionist and she tells us that the activities for the day ended early at 5pm. However, no employee thought to tell us this when we checked in? They also argued with us telling us to go off the information on the QR code. Which is exactly what we did but it was wrong...what? We ended up doing nothing else that evening. But we still decided to give the activities another try the next day.

The next day after breakfast, we go out to the area for archery and horseback riding. A guy was sitting there on his phone. He had no uniform or any clothing identifying himself as an employee. We spoke to him, figured out he was an employee, and talked about pricing for the activities. The whole time he was non chalant, gave us attitude, and seemed upset that he even had to speak to us. No professionalism at all. We left without doing anything. I noticed that no other guests were around and no other employees at the other activity stations.

Also side note, this resort makes you pay an extra fee for each activity so it is not included in your stay (another horrible aspect of this resort).

TLDR - Overall, staying at this resort was a horrible experience, had absolutely terrible service, was overpriced, definitely was overrated, and ruined our vacation experience in Ha Long Bay. Please do not waste your time here. I don't normally write reviews but this experience was...

Exceptional by Any Standard

It’s a tall task to approach writing about the Legacy Yen Tu, for it is hard to believe that something this breathtaking actually exists in real life. This is the kind of property featured in The White Lotus, maybe, or highlighted on an elite travel documentary playing on a 13-hour flight. A property generally can’t really look like that, and must be Photoshop or AI, or perhaps exists only in a fevered dream.

But the Legacy Yen Tu is real. And it is as exquisite as it appears.

There indeed exists an elite category of hotels that are so fine that assigning them 5 stars is woefully inadequate; at this level, not only are the traditional markers of excellence—rooms, housekeeping, dining—flawless, but the whole property fuses into a seamless, transcendent experience greater than the sum of its parts.

The Legacy Yen Tu sits firmly in this ultra-elite category. It is, quite simply, a destination in and of itself.

Southeast Asia has no shortage of Bill Bensley properties, yet Yen Tu remains perhaps his most ambitious triumph. It’s no accident that the hotel is showcased on the front page of Bensley’s online portfolio.

Vietnam has ambitions to stand alongside the world’s great wellness destinations, and the Legacy makes a compelling case that it may already have surpassed them. The spa and wellness offerings were actually the highlights of my stay: Hang’s sound-bowl session bordered on transcendental, while An (“Amy”) shared Qi Gong and meditation with rare knowledge and joy. I would return to Yen Tu for their classes alone—made all the more unbelievable as they are complimentary for guests.

The spa service itself rivals, even exceeds, what one expects at Thailand’s famed spas. Huong gracefully walked me through options, and Nha became my therapist of choice—after my first 90-minute Aromatherapy treatment, I requested her literally every single afternoon of my five-day stay. Pricing is actually modest by international standards, while the quality and ambiance are truly world-class.

Food and beverage are similarly of a high international standard; I particularly valued the focus on healthy, vegetarian-forward cooking, with seitan, tofu, and mushroom-based dishes widely available. Accor elites will be invited for a gorgeous platter of afternoon canapés (see photos) and signature plum-wine cocktails.

Also, it can be tricky in the region—particularly in rural areas—to maintain professionally trained staff fluent in English, but the level of English spoken throughout the property was high. At no point did I have difficulty communicating with the staff anywhere on the property.

Miley, the Front Office Manager, was responsive, professional, and helpful throughout my stay. Finally, I was assisted by Doreen at both arrival and departure; she was gracious, warm, and unfailingly kind—perfectly suited to a career in hospitality.

Although I only left a few days ago, I am already dreaming of my return to the Legacy. It is an exceptional property that truly must be experienced to be believed.

PS: As part of their nightly turndown service, they leave a small bottle of house-made kombucha in your room—and it is divine!

PPS: I didn’t even mention the pool, an experience in itself. The water, drawn directly from a sacred spring at Yen Tu mountain and shared with the spa, adds a feeling of purity, cleansing, and wonder...

It’s a tall task to approach writing about the Legacy Yen Tu, for it is hard to believe that something this breathtaking actually exists in real life. This is the kind of property featured in The White Lotus, maybe, or highlighted on an elite travel documentary playing on a 13-hour flight. A property generally can’t really look like that, and must be Photoshop or AI, or perhaps exists only in a fevered dream.||But the Legacy Yen Tu is real. And it is as exquisite as it appears.||There indeed exists an elite category of hotels that are so fine that assigning them 5 stars is woefully inadequate; at this level, not only are the traditional markers of excellence—rooms, housekeeping, dining—flawless, but the whole property fuses into a seamless, transcendent experience greater than the sum of its parts.||The Legacy Yen Tu sits firmly in this ultra-elite category. It is, quite simply, a destination in and of itself.||Southeast Asia has no shortage of Bill Bensley properties, yet Yen Tu remains perhaps his most ambitious triumph. It’s no accident that the hotel is showcased on the front page of Bensley’s online portfolio.||Vietnam has ambitions to stand alongside the world’s great wellness destinations, and the Legacy makes a compelling case that it may already have surpassed them. The spa and wellness offerings were actually the highlights of my stay: Hang’s sound-bowl session bordered on transcendental, while An (“Amy”) shared Qi Gong and meditation with rare knowledge and joy. I would return to Yen Tu for their classes alone—made all the more unbelievable as they are complimentary for guests.||The spa service itself rivals, even exceeds, what one expects at Thailand’s famed spas. Huong gracefully walked me through options, and Nha became my therapist of choice—after my first 90-minute Aromatherapy treatment, I requested her literally every single afternoon of my five-day stay. Pricing is actually modest by international standards, while the quality and ambiance are truly world-class.||Food and beverage are similarly of a high international standard; I particularly valued the focus on healthy, vegetarian-forward cooking, with seitan, tofu, and mushroom-based dishes widely available. Accor elites will be invited for a gorgeous platter of afternoon canapés (see photos) and signature plum-wine cocktails.|Also, it can be tricky in the region—particularly in rural areas—to maintain professionally trained staff fluent in English, but the level of English spoken throughout the property was high. At no point did I have difficulty communicating with the staff anywhere on the property.||Miley, the Front Office Manager, was responsive, professional, and helpful throughout my stay. Finally, I was assisted by Doreen at both arrival and departure; she was gracious, warm, and unfailingly kind—perfectly suited to a career in hospitality.||Although I only left a few days ago, I am already dreaming of my return to the Legacy. It is an exceptional property that truly must be experienced to be believed.||PS: As part of their nightly turndown service, they leave a small bottle of house-made kombucha in your room—and it is divine!||PPS: I didn’t even mention the pool, an experience in itself. The water, drawn directly from a sacred spring at Yen Tu mountain and shared with the spa, adds a feeling of purity, cleansing, and wonder...