Oceanside luxury in Nha Trang

While there are more than 20 Meliá properties in Vietnam, there are no two Meliá that sit so close to one another as Villa Le Corail, A Gran Meliá Hotel and Meliá Aurea Nha Trang. They are literally a hop, skip and a jump from each other but worlds apart in terms of their vibe and appeal. More on that later. 

The one-hour van ride from Cam Ranh International Airport to the properties allows me as a Vietnam first-timer plenty of time to take in the views: the enviable 6km stretch of Nha Trang Beach where people come out in droves to enjoy themselves; the palm trees along the promenade whose trunks are painted with a white lime mixture to ward against pests, disease and harsh sunlight and the traffic islands with so many spiral topiaries.  

Towards the last stretch to the two Meliás in North Nha Trang, we crossed the Cai River on the Trần Phú Bridge with a fascinating view of fishing boats and densely developed islands in the middle of the river on the left-hand side. Just after the bridge on the right-hand side is Chùa Từ Tôn, a Buddhist temple located on its own islet, and, as a lax Buddhist, I paid my respects with a quick wai from the van.  

Upon arriving at the open check-in lobby at Villa Le Corail, the first thing you see is a sweeping, open view of the main pool and the blue ocean just beyond the seating area. Your nose picks up on a signature gentle scent that permeates the room as you sip on cabbage tea to refresh.

Villa Le Corail consists of two main parts: the three-storey oval-shaped building where all the facilities are located and a village of 92 villas built among lush and verdant greenery. 

Your villa stay starts large and lavish at 120 m² inside a Coastal Suite, where your sea-facing private balcony can accommodate another room.

The sizeable closet room near the entrance has enough storage space for you to move right in, while the low L-shaped plush sofa in the living room beckons you to lounge on it while enjoying the lagoon view with some faraway islands on the horizon, with a hot brew from your in-room capsule coffee machine in hand.

The bedroom matches the living room in size and understated luxurious vibe.  With curtains drawn, you can easily appreciate the sea view from your big comfy bed but there's also a four-poster daybed next to the floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors. The en-suite bathroom boasts two sinks and a tub big and deep enough to luxuriate in. A surprise bathing ritual awaits in the bathroom after sunset but I won't spoil it. 

The concept of living large has been stretched to the extreme with four-bedroom villas boasting more than 600m² under the Gran Ocean Villa category.

The crown jewel of the accommodation range is the Feroce (Italian for ferocity) Villa, which is fully furnished with opulent decor from Roberto Cavalli Home Interiors. Living up to its name, the villa feels like you walk into a maximalist gallery with motifs and patterns derived from tigers and other wildlife.

Each room features different wallpaper and an eclectic mix of exotic patterns and prints that somehow come together as ultra-stylish. Every little detail isn't left to chance, down to the choice of throw pillows featuring the bejewelled logo of the late Italian designer.

Wallpapers deserve close inspection for you to really appreciate how intricate their patterns are. A habitable artwork, if you will.

What makes the unit even more indulgently luxurious is a sizeable private pool with massage nozzles, a garden and an outdoor dining table with a gorgeous ocean view, all to yourself. There are two more designed-by-Italian-brand villas for the 1%. Two Vitesse (speed) villas are inspired by the elegant lines of a superyacht designed by Porsche. The furniture has been curated by the renowned design brand Minotti.

More indulgences await at the facility building. The all-day dining restaurant Natura offers an extensive breakfast offering, featuring Vietnamese and international flavours. Some of the dishes will remind you of what you're used to from a Thai cookbook.

What I love about the breakfast service at Natura is the pre-prepared coffees of several varieties in stemless wine glasses that guests can help themselves with. I went with Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk, of course. You can help yourself to pre-made dishes like Steamed rice rolls or Korean beef bulgogi or order a Beef pho from the noodle station. Those with a sweet tooth should be pleased that Natura takes their pastry and bakery offerings seriously. Do save room for desserts like Spanish orange cake, churro, croissants and madeleines dipped in chocolate. Wash them all with juice from a coconut. Do come back here for lunch to enjoy Vietnamese beef salad, Prawn spring rolls and Braised pork belly, which basically is moo palo but with quail eggs.

For a refined (but not strictly) Japanese flavour and presentation, Shibui serves a special omakase course in an enchanting atmosphere. Think wavy chain-link curtains over the teppanyaki station and sushi bar.

Head chef Danny Yong showcases his edible artworks through Kanpachi ceviche, Chawanmushi topped with foie gras and monkfish liver sauce, Nha Trang lobster tempura topped with wasabi mayo aioli, Robata (charcoal grill) madai served on edamame purée and more. 

Epicureans should definitely stop by Spanich restaurant Hispania, which launched a new à la carte menu in late July. There are four Hispania restaurants in the world, with the one at Villa Le Corail being the only one in Asia.

At the helm of Hispania's culinary direction is chef Marcos Morán. He's known for the Michelin-starred Casa Gerardo in Asturias, which has been run by his family since 1882. 

Morán, also a celeb chef in his country with many TV appearances, including Spanish version of Next Level Chef and MasterChef, attended the launch to present his new creations for Hispania Nha Trang.

The new highlights include Potato salad pani puri with tuna confit, Baby prawns on toasted corn sauce and caviar, refreshing Crab and clam salad with green apple and pistachio salted cream, scrumptious Lobster slices served with tomato hearts, almond and seaweed and succulent Fisherman stew with breaded red snappers and crunchy prawn head.

For a quick caffeine fix or afternoon tea, there's Theia Bar on the ground floor while Sal Bar freshens you up with light tapas and drinks after some laps in the main swimming pool.

If you want to melt away in bliss, Song Spa can relieve physical tension with its signature treatment and they get a bonus point for a natural stone foot scrub before the main event. 

For serious Z's, Song Spa offers two new sleep-focused journeys. The three-hour Sleep & Serenity Ritual blends yin yoga, sound therapy, aromatherapy and a traditional herbal tea ritual to encourage emotional balance and help you unwind. The six-hour Sleep Recovery Journey combines mindful movement, thermal wellness and therapeutic treatments. The day begins with morning stretch and breathwork, followed by Turkish Hammam and Japanese-style onsens. Then, a 90-minute relaxing therapy is complemented by sleep-focused nutrition, with the journey concluding in yoga nidra.

With all these indulgences and pampering, you may wonder where to stave off some vacay calories. The well-equipped fitness centre opens 24/7 for serious sweating or you can check the activity schedule for classes to join. 

Depending on the location of your villa, you can even go kayaking or sunbathing in a lagoon in front of your own villa. It feels like having a mini beach with calm water to yourself.

There are three lagoons in total and Lagoon 3 is a must-visit as guests can enjoy eight onsen mineral pools overlooking the sea there. 

While there are plenty of things to do on site, Villa Le Corail also offers various experiences for guests who are up for a bit of an adventure.

Catamaran Voyage is a five-hour private sea excursion with a remote island visit, snorkelling, refreshments and plenty of photo ops for your new profile pictures. Their four-hour cooking class is pretty hands-on as it entails a local market visit for paella ingredients, actual cooking at Hispania's kitchen, lunch and refreshments. 

While Villa Le Corail has stood since July 2023, Meliá Aurea Nha Trang became its new neighbour just last month, on Aug 12 to be exact. Meliá Aurea Nha Trang stands 30 floors tall as a lifestyle hotel, boasting 207 rooms across eight categories, three of which have access to the Level Lounge. 

The room size ranges from 35m² for a Deluxe Room to 81m² for The Level Grand Suite Panoramic Ocean View. Most rooms feature private balconies facing panoramic sea views.

Guests can expect several F&B offerings, including Ciao Ciao, which prides itself on handcrafted pasta and a fusion of Italian and Vietnamese flavours. With the new hotel being positioned as family-friendly, guests can also expect a full-on kids' club (called Kidsdom) with a nursing area, a climbing wall, reading nooks, board games, video games and a full schedule to keep the little ones busy.

Besides a 24/7 fitness centre, guests can burn some calories at an infinity swimming pool situated on the eighth floor that overlooks the beautiful bay. With the hotel being brand-new, both Level Lounge and Yhi Spa are scheduled to open on Oct 1.