JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay
Khem Beach, southern Phu Quoc, Phu Quoc, Vietnam
A 244-room resort on Khem Beach built as the restored campus of a fictional colonial university, with every detail in character.
Why we recommend it
This is one of the most complete examples of narrative hotel design in Asia. The story is fiction, carried through with seriousness and craft in the buildings, the furnishings and the names of the restaurants. It could have been kitsch; it works because the rooms, the beach and the service hold up without it.
The beach has fine sand and calm water, which makes the resort suitable for families as well as for travellers who come for the design. Our guide to Bill Bensley's hotels in Asia places it beside his other work, and the Regent Phu Quoc offers a quieter contrast on the west coast.
Location
The resort stands on Khem Beach, at the southern end of Phu Quoc, an island off the south-west coast of Vietnam.
