Review of Six Senses Hideaway Ninh Van Bay, by Caroline Major

Against the backdrop of a soaring rocky peninsula north of Nha Trang, it's difficult to see the 58 villas of the Six Senses Hideaway Ninh Van Bay. Their wood and ylang ylang construction camouflage the native scrub. The villa is accessible only by sea - pass the sentry standing alert to all entering the bay and the slowly the palm trees become obvious, along with the broad smiles and waving hands of the welcome team. The speedboat ties up next to the woven basket boats and your bare feet touch weathered wooden jetty and crunchy sand before you sink into an ice-cold fresh coconut. Outside, your butler is managing your luggage and adjusting a bicycle, yours for the duration to ramble between your villa, the restaurants, beaches and spa.

The hotel has a multitude of fun, adventurous activities for guests to enjoy during their relaxing stay. From the luxurious Six Senses Spa and steam and sauna facilities to a scuba diving school and motorbike tour, guests will surely stay busy and build memories along the way. There is also a library with Internet access on the grounds.

The villas with sea or forest views are set back from the beach, shrouded with wily vegetation, thick enough to give privacy for the open lounges of double storied hideaways and their beachside plunge pools. The water hides, sculpted into the basalt boulders bring a more unique kind of privacy shield from your neighbors. Watch out though for the breakfast traffic where the barges ferrying guests from villa to resort pass by in full view of your glass fronted bedroom.

Outside, the villas are all weathered wood and rustic chic. Nature is integrated both functionally and inspirationally in the indoor and outdoor living spaces. Rough chopped wooden pencils and coat hangers, woven baskets, and coconut wood accessories set the mood and are accentuated with weathered brass fittings in the bathrooms. Plenty of day beds and comfortable chairs with natural fibre covers and lamplight is a comfortably luxurious way to pass time on this beach hideaway.

One could scarcely imagine a more casually romantic evening than with the blinds up in the 'open at the sides' living room. The sky glitters in the dim light, the sound of the waves and the night beat of the insects. Polish off with some sexy sounds (courtesy of the well positioned bose systems) floating on a breeze which softly kisses your skin and your favourite person curled round your side. The maxi-bar fridge stocked with a good selection of full sized bottles of mostly antipodean wines and a nightly Vietnamese antipasto platter complete the fantasy.