La Veranda Resort Phu Quoc - MGallery

This year, 2022, for my birthday, my wife and I decided to spend two weeks in Phu Quoc, including two nights in a luxurious resort. We had the opportunity to choose from many 5-star hotels on the island, and as a fan of Indochine architecture, my choice ended up being La Veranda.

History

Founded by Madame Catherine initially as a refuge for her retirement and a monument to her family’s history, A family who was lured from China to Phu Quoc and its lucrative pepper crops. La veranda takes its inspiration from an authentic 1920s French colonial style.

Originally conceived as a home, everything from furnishings to artwork has been carefully picked to reflect her family story and their journey from this island to Phnom Penh and finally back to their maritime roots on Phu Quoc.

The Resort

Today, run by MGallery, part of the Sofitel Group, the resort is located in Long Beach (Bi Trng), the longest beach in Phu Quoc and also the most dense area for restaurants and activities. The resort counts 70 rooms, including villas with an ocean view, a fine dining restaurant, a pool, a boutique, and a SPA.

Entering La Veranda Resort

Indochine Style Architecture

As I mentioned before in this article, What is Indochine Style? I am a big fan of this type of architecture. The thing I like the most about La Veranda is how authentic it feels. It’s very close to what you would see in a French Colonial building still maintained in Vietnam, and even closer to what I saw in the movie Indochine by Régis Wargnier.

The Pepper Tree

The restaurant is simply gorgeous; it looks exactly like the mansion of Elia in Indochine, with a center room surrounded by a balcony and open doors giving a glimpse of the natural surroundings. It is absolutely perfect for a banquet.

The Chef Cooking Bò lúc lắc

The Pepper Tree is also one of the best restaurants on the island, not only because of the venue but also thanks to Chef Hunh Hoàng Sin and his cuisine. The restaurant has a cohesive menu, and some of the dishes can be cooked—or flambéed, should I say—in front of you.

We personally tried the Bò lúc lắc (Cambodian dish with beef and rice) and the Gambas flambés with tamarind sauce. Both dishes were delicious, and the selection of wine and alcohol were very good as well. They set up a special table for us that night and even made a cake for my birthday.

We tried the restaurant for the breakfast buffet as well. The dishes were diverse and delicious. Especially the banh mi and the fresh crepes. We liked that they had a selection of cheese, charcuterie, bread, and even a toaster conveyor to make them crispy. They also have some fresh juice ready in bottles in the fridge for us. The resort cultivates their own fruits, so everything is freshly made and without added sugar.

The breakfast buffet in La Veranda Resort Phu Quoc MGallery

The Rooms

The room, like the rest of the resort, was beautiful with a perfect marriage of colors and furniture. The room and balcony were very spacious. Again, with the Indochine style’s shades letting the light in and the baldaquin bed, you never feel disconnected from the outside nature and like you are still living in the 1920s (in a good way).

One of the pieces of furniture is a practical chest that can be used as a desk or for make-up. The armoire or cupboard with lights inside that turned on when opened was holding a minibar, a safe, and a fridge. Also inside, we found some bathrobes that my wife really liked and some nice flip flops. All of these items were available for sale in the boutique.

The bathroom was a continuation of the elegance of the resort, with a classic robinetterie and a stand-up shower with tiling that reminded me of some Mediterranean design. Healthcare products were disposed of in the shower and ready to be used. We loved the fact that they chose a natural product without chemicals. The towels provided were quite long and thick, a good gauge of quality.

Going to our room in La Veranda Phu Quoc MGallery

The Pool

The pool at La Veranda is located near the restaurant and is well shaded thanks to the trees. The pool size is ideal in my opinion—large enough for people to swim. They have a dedicated space for children and a massage spot. The color of the tiles is cyan, blue, and black, so this pool definitely has a classic look to it. The deck chairs were already arranged with big and heavy blue towels.

The Beach

The beach of the resort is nicely located near a restaurant and a nightclub. So during the day you’ll have plenty of tranquility with activities such as canoeing, and at night you’ll obviously have a festive atmosphere with electronic music. The beach is easy to access, with deckchairs and beach umbrellas. At the time of our stay, there were no waves nor rocks in the sea.

Verdict

Rating: 9 out of 10

One of the main elements of the experience of this stay was obviously the timeless architecture and interior design of the resort. Me and my wife shot tons of pictures in most of the areas inside the resort, and we can’t wait to see the film developed.

The personnel were very attentive to our needs and the needs of our baby. The restaurant is absolutely gorgeous and delicious at night, with some food prepared in front of you. The breakfast menu offers a diverse choice of locally grown products that will fit both western and eastern tastes.

Nice attention from my wife and from La Veranda Resort

For us, staying in La Veranda was a bit like having the power to go back in time and experience life from another era you only see in films. We would choose this hotel again in a heartbeat since we’re big fans of history and timeless design.