In this year’s special edition dedicated to extraordinary stays, the world-renowned travel magazine Travel + Leisure unveiled its selection of the top 500 hotels across the globe. To make the cut, each hotel had to meet rigorous criteria: distinctive design, exceptional service, and above all, a memorable experience. “When a hotel truly feels special, our readers won’t easily forget it,” the magazine noted.
Vietnam boasts 10 entries on the list, with five of them developed by Sun Group. These include Capella Hanoi (Hanoi), Hotel de la Coupole – MGallery Sa Pa (Lao Cai), InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort (Da Nang), JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort (Phu Quoc), and New World Phu Quoc (Phu Quoc).
Hotel de la Coupole – MGallery Sa Pa evokes a French château in Vietnam’s northwest highlands
Perched in the majestic northern mountains of Vietnam, right in the heart of Sa Pa town known for its poetic beauty, Hotel de la Coupole – MGallery Sa Pa has been hailed by international writers as “redefining highland luxury.” Designed by the famous American architect Bill Bensley, the hotel is adorned with hundreds of fashion illustrations, photographs, props, and handcrafted ethnic artifacts from local minority communities. Recently, leading publications from South Korea and Australia have called it “a masterpiece amid the clouds.”
Capella Hanoi stands out with its prestigious 5-star rating from Forbes
Just a five-minute walk from the iconic Hanoi Opera House and the city’s Old Quarter, Capella Hanoi blends Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles to recreate a glamorous inn for artists and composers from the golden age of Opera in the 1920s. It is also one of only two Vietnamese hotels to receive a 5-star rating in the Forbes Travel Guide Star Awards—often referred to as the Oscars of the global hospitality industry.
InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, Da Nang’s premier luxury retreat, often hailed as a “dreamlike paradise” on Son Tra Peninsula
Nestled in the unspoiled nature of the Son Tra Peninsula, InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort has redefined Vietnam’s presence on the global luxury travel map. It made history by being named the World’s Leading Luxury Resort three years in a row by the World Travel Awards. Thanks to Bill Bensley’s visionary creativity, the resort combines a stunning cliff top location with a seamless blend of Vietnamese heritage and contemporary design. From its 197 rooms and villas offering panoramic sea views to the meticulously curated, vintage-inspired interiors, every detail evokes the feeling of living within a work of art.
The Shell Pool at JW Marriott Phu Quoc is among the most iconic check-in spots on the island
On the southern coast of Phu Quoc, JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort stands out as a one-of-a-kind concept—a fictional 1920s French university designed by Bensley. Each wing is themed around an academic department, with 231 rooms, suites, and villas showcasing an imaginative fusion of scholastic charm and refined aesthetics. Its acclaimed restaurants—Tempus Fugit, Pink Pearl, Red Rum, and the Chemistry Department bar—have been likened to culinary classrooms, where each dish is a crafted masterpiece made from premium local and international ingredients. Meanwhile, also located at Kem Beach, New World Phu Quoc emerges as a 21st-century “seaside resort village” that feels both familiar and sophisticated, offering luxurious private villas complete with individual pools.
Inspired by traditional coastal villages and three-room Vietnamese homes, New World Phu Quoc offers a warm yet refined retreat
The recognition by Travel + Leisure underscores the elite positioning of Sun Group’s hotel brands. Since their inception, these resorts have consistently appeared in prestigious international rankings such as the World Travel Awards, World’s Best Awards, Travel + Leisure’s Luxury Awards, and Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards—firmly establishing their place among Asia’s premier destinations.
Such international accolades are not only a source of pride for the individual properties but also reaffirm Sun Group’s pioneering role in shaping Vietnam’s high-end hospitality landscape. With their inclusion in the list, combined with top-tier service, one-of-a-kind design, and relentless innovation, these Sun Group resorts continue to represent the pinnacle of luxury travel and must-visit icons for any journey to Vietnam.
