JW Marriott Phu Quoc – The Best Island Resort in Vietnam
Introduction
The JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa is a category 5 Marriott Property located on the Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam. It is an amazing Island Resort which is ranked amongst the Top Resorts in the Asia Pacific region and for good reason. Let’s find out.
Getting Here
JW Phu Quoc is located on the picturesque Khem beach which is located on the southern end of the Phu Quoc Island. The Phu Quoc international airport has direct flights from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur & Bangkok all of which are under 2 hours. The cheapest way to reach here from India would probably be via KL using Air Asia on the KL to Phu Quoc leg of the journey. The hotel is located approximately 20 km from the Airport. While Grab is not ubiquitous, we did manage to find one for approximately 300,000 VND (~13 USD). The cab was small and since it was a short trip we managed to somehow squeeze our luggage. JW Phu Quoc will charge anywhere from 900,000 VND (~39 USD) to 1,350,000 VND (~58 USD) plus a 15% service charge for a large vehicle with plenty of storage space.
How we Booked the Hotel
This is a category 5 marriott property and we used two free award night certificates of 35,000 points for our stay. We earned these two award nights by simply completing 2 paid stays as part of a targeted Marriott Promotion (Details Here). We spent less than 200 USD to earn our certificates in total. Read more on this here. This is outstanding value considering the fact that minimum flexible rates tend to hover around 400+ USD including taxes during the off season.
The Concept
While you may have had your fair share of luxury resorts and spa’s, Marriott has really taken things to a different level here. The storytelling concept is the brainchild of architect Bill Bensley. This newly constructed hotel is a fictional refurbishment of Lamarck University which existed in 1880. There are multiple academic departments in the resort covering guest rooms, facilities like gym, bars+restaurants and you are treated like resident students. While everything is new, it is built to give a feel of a refurbished university. The staff is also dressed like students and senior staff like professors. My favorite part though was the hotel mascot which is the Phu Quoc Ridgeback dog. The attention to detail is stunning. Even the soft toys I received had the same dresses worn by the staff.
Pre Arrival Communication
We received an email from the Hotel 3 days prior to our arrival. While seeking additional details from guests like expected arrival time, dietary restrictions, housekeeping requests seemed like normal things, what really surprised us was the 34 page Student Book. It covered almost every aspect of our upcoming trip to Lamarck University and you really should book some activities beforehand. They have limited slots and we ended up missing quite a lot of them.
Arrival & Check-In
The Hotel is located inside a larger complex which has a few more properties from the Accor Group. The entrance is grand with two large Phu Quoc Ridgeback dogs on either side of the entrance road. There is plenty of greenery everywhere you look.
You arrive at a smaller entrance lobby with plenty of seating. The Staff escorts you to the lobby and collects some initial details and there is a short wait here. The concept of the University starts hitting you right at the entrance with the Ridgebacks as the sports team of the campus with lots of logos. Someone with an attention to detail can really appreciate the amount of effort put in.
You are later escorted to the main lobby area. The main Lobby of the hotel is simply super impressive. It seems like you have been transported to another world altogether. All of the stuff looks antique and Marriott has put in an incredible amount of effort to make it look antique. It is really hard to believe that the hotel is only a year old.
The main lobby is super large with plenty of seating area. The entire lobby is decorated with artifacts and you can’t help but explore each and every item. The decor is really compelling. The reception is right next to the main lobby and we were greeted by 3 staff from the Hotel for our check in.
We were presented with a cold towel (It was super hot and humid) and a welcome drink. It was made from hibiscus and super refreshing. A senior staff member then started confirming our details and gave us a brief explanation of the property.
Marriott Gold Benefits
As a gold member in Marriott we were offered the following benefits. While the list of benefits is not super awesome every benefit counts. Marriott Gold Members also get an “Enhanced Room Upgrade” subject to availability. We were upgraded to a room which opens up next to the pool. We requested for twin beds at the last minute which was honored at a different floor but really knowing if you were upgraded or not is difficult to find out especially in a property like this.
We were then escorted by a staff member to a buggy. He took us on a short ride to our room which was located in the “Department of Fine Arts”.
The Room
Our Room was located on the first floor. The rooms are literally gigantic. The smallest rooms on the property are 53 sqm / 570 sqft which is huge. All rooms have 1.5 bathrooms which is really nice. The Twin beds are a Queen each. Guest Rooms are split over around 15 departments. Each room in the property has around 70% design which is common and around 30% of the design is based on the department it belongs to.
These were some of the most comfortable beds we have slept it. They were so comfortable, we ended up missing breakfast on one of the days. This is a place where there is so much to do and enjoy/relax. We did not even realize that there was a large flat screen TV in the room. The bathrooms are gigantic with a sofa inside it. There is a large tub and a shower area as well.
Most of the cosmetics were from Aromatherapy which is a luxury brand based in London. The marble bathroom looks very royal. There were some local fruits which were stocked every day during our stay. There is plenty of storage area in the room with two large cabinets which also contain a safe. We also enjoyed the use of the Vietnamese Straw hats during the afternoon when the heat was blistering.
Our room had a very large balcony with a sofa to relax. This was probably our only crib about this place. With a room on the first floor, our views of the beautiful ocean were below average. Ask for a room on the higher floor. The view will be worth it.
Marriott has really tried to go the distance with their concept of a university. There was a hand written note in the room for us from the Hotel Manager which looked something like this.
Another benefit of being a Marriott elite member was the two complimentary welcome drinks at the Resort Bar which is aptly named the “Department of Chemistry”
While we had an enjoyable sleep, we saw the pillow menu only when we were checking out. I’ve never seen a bathtub pillow before. Should have at least tried that one.
Activities
While we have stayed in other luxury resorts in India and abroad before, the range of activities on offer is simply mind boggling. After have settled into our rooms (read as taken enough photos and videos for our Blog and Youtube channel) I was glancing over the student handbook when i stumbled upon this page
We were already super hungry and there was a Pizza Making Activity which had just started 5 minutes ago. We requested a booking but were politely denied as other guests had already started them. We requested for the University tour but it was fully booked. In the end we settled for Hand Spa Therapy and T Shirt Painting which were scheduled over the next 2 days.
The Hand Spa Therapy was for couples and they taught everyone how to give a proper hand massage. It was a half an hour session and you got to practice with your other half. I’m still waiting for my personal pampering session from my other half. Overall the session was helpful and well conducted. Got to learn some new things.
The T Shirt Painting activity was something I was really looking forward to. I used to paint earlier but adult life got the better of our hobbies. This was a chance to relive those moments and find out if I still had that magic touch. This was a paid activity and was conducted in their lantern workshop.
Staff was really helpful and gave me a T Shirt and a wide array of designs to choose from. An animal lover cannot really skip over something like that. While I did face a lot of hiccups in the beginning, I don’t remember the last time I was this focused for 2 hours at a stretch. While the initial design was not looking very optimistic my other half and the staff were super pleased with the result. I really loved it.
While this was an activity for an hour, I easily ended up exceeding my time. There was a magic show which started after the first hour was up. A lot of kids had come to see the magic tricks and the magician knew how to hold his audience.
This is a family resort and Marriott has made sure that the kids have a wonderful time here. There was a separate activity calendar for kids which was quite big as well. They even had a huge creche over two floors for toddlers. A little bit of me time is important as well.
The Beach
The Resort is located on the Khem Beach which is the most beautiful beach on the island of Phu Quoc. While walking on the beach I was able to see small fishes with the naked eye. It was a bit difficult to capture them in the camera but this was amazing.
The beach has super soft sand and the water is super clean. Marriott is also trying to preserve the marine life around the bay. There is an army of staff who cleans this property and you can find them at all times, just cleaning the property. There are a lot of beach activities on offer like Beach Volleyball, hoops etc. Loungers / Sofas / Hammocks are spread throughout the beach with plenty of space for everyone. There are 2-3 lifeguards on duty and i tried my hand on paddle boarding. Initial attempts with the surf board failed massively but the paddle board was super stable and I enjoyed a quick workout.
Staying at this resort allows you to appreciate the incredible beauty of the beach during sunset and night time. The lights start to come on and the views are still spectacular. This is also the time when the beach has the least amount of traffic. Great for a romantic walk.
What really stole the show was the view in the night. You could clearly see the reflection of the moon in the water and the pictures don’t do justice to what we saw. It was a sight to behold.
Quick Property Tour
This is a really massive property and you need to stay for a minimum 3 days to explore everything. When you arrive at the property, the Ridgeback dogs really stand out with their presence everywhere. While these dogs are present on the island, I wish there were a few on the property for guests to cuddle.
The main road of the property is the “Rue de Lamarck” which has the Lounge, Spa, Gym, Local Shops and most of the restaurants and the Bar. The entire road is decorated with Lanterns and looks really beautiful during the night.
The Lamarck lounge is a great place to unwind and relax. It has a huge array of games to play and we found quite a few unique ones (especially board games) as well. There is plenty of seating area but this place was mostly empty. I guess everyone comes here for the beach.
The resort has a super large gym aptly named as the “Department for Physical Education” for the fitness enthusiasts. The gym also stocks bicycles which you can use to roam around the property if you don’t feel like walking or waiting for a buggy. The gym is open 24×7 and a trainer is there during the day. I was a bit surprised to see quite a few people there even in the night.
There is a lantern workshop right next to the gym. You can learn how to make your own lanterns, paint on t shirts or attend the magic show which is held here. A good way to spend time on some arts and crafts.
A little further down the street is the Pink Pearl Restaurant. This is a french Fine dining restaurant for dinner only which is ranked amongst the best in the Asia Pacific Region. They have a strict dress code and we did not really use this restaurant.
We saw a lot of crowd at the beach side barbecue restaurant “Red Rum”. These were the two restaurants we did not really use while at the resort but the restaurant is famous for its seafood.
In line with the university theme, Marriott has built an athletic track right in the middle of the property and a football ground inside it. There is a small stand build for an audience as well and we saw quite a few guests playing football late into the night.
While we did not explore all corners of the property (Had to leave something for next time right) the “Le Jardin” room was our favorite. This is just a normal room but we loved the exteriors. They do have suites on the top floors and there are Luxury Lamarck houses (two of them) on the property for those who want to experience the pinnacle of luxury here.
The resort has 3 stunning swimming pools which is really a bit too much in our opinion. There is a Sun Pool which was located right next to our room. In addition there is a Shell Pool which looks stunning. Wish we could have taken a picture from above but there is a military base nearby and using a drone/flycam is not permitted. The third is a Sand Pool where you can enjoy water polo. Most of these have a kids area and a jacuzzi area as well with plenty of seating.
The Spa
The Chanterelle Spa by JW recently won the “Worlds best new Resort Spa” at the World Spa Awards. I really loved the way they conducted the “Hand Spa Therapy” session.
I loved it so much that I booked a Spa session for both of us and we really enjoyed our experience. The Spa Rooms are located one level up and are very well done. Our rooms had large balconies with superb views of the entire resort.
The Bar - Department of Chemistry
We spent most our time at the Bar which looks something like a chemistry lab. They have great seating options both Indoor as well as outdoor and it has a very cozy atmosphere with amazing staff.
We were presented with quite a few options for our complimentary drinks and I chose traditional Vietnamese coffee which is served with condensed milk and on the sweeter side.
The bar is a great place to relax and unwind irrespective of the time of the day. The bar is open from 4 PM to midnight. You really can’t beat the cool breeze and the ocean view below.
The Bar looks especially beautiful during the night. We loved it so much that we had all our dinners at the bar itself. The best part about the resort is that the staff genuinely wants to take care of you. When we first came to the bar we were hosted by Sunny who took great care of us. Upon finding out that we were vegetarian, the news traveled quickly to the Head of the Food and Beverage Department (Varun) who came and met us personally and gave us some helpful pointers.
On our first night we reached the bar a bit late and they had stopped taking orders for food. They still accommodated us and we had an incredible Pizza served with amazing mashed potatoes.
The second night was one to remember as we had an amazing live Jazz performance and we experimented a bit with Veg Vietnamese food which was not so great. Cold Broccoli and Spring Rolls were a bit difficult to eat and we survived on the fries.
The Bar also had a central seating area which was set up like a communal table and had plenty of board games to spend the time.
French & Co
French & Co is the resorts signature bakery. It offers a vast array of signature dishes and looks really beautiful. They have a really vast menu to choose from and you are literally spoilt for choice.
We decided to go for their signature afternoon tea experience. I swapped my tea for the Vietnamese Coffee (The one in the bar was better) and we had to swap some non veg dishes for veg ones.
It was a bit too indulgent and sweet. The food bites were small and tasty but we struggled to finish this. Had to go to the gym in the night to burn off those extra calories.
Tempus Fugit - Dept of Architecture
Tempus Fugit is the all day dining multi-cuisine restaurant. This is a beautiful restaurant with enormous space and the breakfast is also served here.
The most impressive thing about this restaurant is that they have a separate menu for Vegetarians. It is great to see the hotel catering to vegetarians and the Vegan movement is also catching on. Food was neatly labelled for those with allergies and it was really appreciated.
The Veg food was super tasty. Pizza is a safe option when traveling and even the Noodles were awesome.
The Breakfast spread was immense. Even that is an understatement. You have a huge array of choices from Vietnamese / Asian / Continental breakfast. Almost everything is freshly prepared in front of you including some breads. I liked their fruits counter where a staff will peel the fruit right in front of you.
The F&B Managers had realized that we had skipped breakfast the first day and wanted to ensure that we do not miss out on the highlights today. They have a dedicated Japanese sushi counter as well. On finding out that we were vegetarian, the chef made some veg sushi especially for us and it was super tasty.
The number of juices on offer was mind boggling with so many to choose from. The staff was very helpful and this is one breakfast spread that is not to be missed.
The Staff
The amount of effort put into building this kind of infrastructure is not funny but it requires a great set of people to give it life. The staff on the property is absolutely wonderful. Wherever you are on the property you will always be greeted “Xin Chao” (Hello in Vietnamese) with a lot of respect. Any request that you make will be quickly addressed. We were presented with this stuffed toy on our last day.
As an animal lover this is one of the best gifts that I could have asked for. I really liked it and while speaking to the staff at the bar about how happy I was to receive the dog, she simply said “The female dog is cuter”. I went to the reception in the night and requested if I can change my toy and the staff was more than happy to give me a pair. Sometimes little things like these make a lot of difference.
Overall Property Impression
This property is only a year old and is maintained at extremely high standards. Guest comfort is top priority. The weather is a bit humid and unpredictable. Umbrellas are omnipresent throughout the property and so many things to do but so little time. The property even has a dedicated JW Phu Quoc app which can be used for navigation and booking activities. I really liked this concept of a themed hotel. For those of us who live in large metropolitan cities, it is a great feeling to move into a different environment and relax.
Conclusion
JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa is an incredible holiday resort. We thoroughly enjoyed our time here and would recommend this property. Whatever your likes, there will be something for you here. If you’ve read till here, thanks a lot for bearing with this long post but this property deserved it. If you still want to know more, check out our video review below.
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