VIETNAM – Luxury stay: Intercontinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort review

I’m a huge fan of Intercontinental hotels as you probably know. When I saw that the Intercontinental Phu Quoc opened early summer I added a 4-night stay there to the summer family holidays. It was a perfect fit as I had a 4-night gap in south Vietnam which I had to fill anyway. The kids love luxury resorts and I wanted to add a few days away from everything on my 2-3-week Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap itinerary. It was too packed with sightseeing otherwise. There are dozens of flights to Phu Quoc daily and as it was rainy season they were cheap. It’s hit or miss during July through October, but I had 4 days of sunshine. In this Intercontinental Phu Quoc review I’ll show you why this is the place to stay.

The hotel

When I arrived at Phu Quoc airport the private luxury transport was already waiting. It’s just 20 minutes from the airport to Intercontinental Phu Quoc which is located on long beach. As the name says, a long beach. The main town is located 25 minutes from the resort but as the resort has too much to offer this distance doesn’t matter. When I arrived the staff took care of my luggage and escorted me to the club lounge. There, check-in was smooth while I enjoyed the evening canapés.

As mentioned the Intercontinental Phu Quoc just opened a week or two before I visited with my family. Most facilities were open except the rooms in the main tower and what will be the highest rooftop bar on the island. The resort is built in a U-shape with the main tower between two wings. In the middle is the pool with another pool on the other side of the right wing. The latter has more facilities for small children.

Intercontinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort blends with nature as the roofs are all green and colors are as the beach. It’s a resort made for the future as it takes the environment serious. All common area’s have huge ceilings with floor to ceiling windows which makes the hotel bright even on a cloudy day. Having stayed at many hotels around the world I can say that the Intercontinental Phu Quoc is the perfect place to relax on Phu Quoc island.

The rooms at Intercontinental Phu Quoc

I travelled with my wife and two kids (11 and 15 at that time) so I needed two rooms. I never book two suites as this makes a family holiday expensive. At the Intercontinental Phu Quoc I booked one standard room for two persons to just sleep and a suite with sea-view balcony for the family to use during the day. These suites are so spacious it’s no problem to use it with 4 people during the day.

The sitting area has enough space for 4 and the terrace is huge where we all could take in the sun if we weren’t at the pool. The bed was so comfortable I slept like a rose. The suite, but also the regular rooms, have a huge bathroom with bath and rainforest shower. My wife and daughter really enjoyed the huge free-standing bath overlooking the beach and ocean. The amenities were all high quality which is necessary for me as I don’t carry any myself when I travel. The girls did; of course.

Being a Royal Ambassador at IHG a well-stocked minibar is always a good thing as it is inclusive with the status. The same applies for the daily fresh fruit and water. It’s a good reason to stay at one brand to get benefits. For me that’s Intercontinental. I had a lovely time in this spacious suite.

Facilities at Intercontinental Phu Quoc

Intercontinental Phu Quoc has so many facilities I don’t know where to start. Of course, business facilities, laundry, gym, and such are standard, and the resort has them all. The HARNN Heritage Spa just opened the day before I arrived and of course I tried it out. Their staff is professional, and they only use the best products for treatments. I left totally relaxed.

The kids loved the game rooms where they played chess and other boardgames but mostly they were behind the game consoles in the evening. If you travel with smaller kids you can use the secondary pool with slides and more facilities for small kids. I didn’t visit it as my kids found themselves to old for that. Let’s look at the main pool and beach activities.

The main infinity pool is huge with plenty of canopies around it plus even more sunbeds. It has two levels which both have amazing views towards the beach and sea. You will have privacy as palm tries and other plants will hide you from other guests. The beach is just a few steps away!

At the beach of Intercontinental Phu Quoc there are various activities including basketball, volleyball, and others. I must say the beach is not the best during the rainy season. Although it was mostly sunny during the day it was a bit windy and the sea rough. It’s however a great place to do some exercise and watch sunset throughout the year.

With all the facilities my wife, the kids and I had a lot of fun. We didn’t get bored at all as there was so much to do.

Dining & Drinking at Intercontinental Phu Quoc

Intercontinental Phu Quoc has three restaurants. I had lunch both at Sea Shack and Ombra. Ombra is the poolside bar & restaurant and serves Italian inspired dishes and refreshing drinks while you’re at the pool. My daughter says the pizza from their wood fired oven is delicious. Sea Shack is located at the beach and serves comfort- and BBQ-food. I highly recommend their fish basket! Both restaurants serve their food at both the pools and the beach. My son and wife have allergies and the staff was very knowledgeable about it. They took care of it by adjusting dishes which shows they care about their guests.

Sora & Umi is the all-day dining restaurant of Intercontinental Phu Quoc. It serves a buffet for breakfast and Japanese and Vietnamese dishes for lunch and dinner. One night I had dinner with just my wife as the kids were not hungery after all the canapés in the club lounge. We had delicious sashimi and sushi. A great choice.

I highly recommend adding club lounge to your booking. Why? Because you can have breakfast, high tea, and evening canapés in a private setting. The club lounge of the Intercontinental Phu Quoc is one of the best I have seen. Plenty of a la carte choices at breakfast, high tea with too much treats and evening canapés & cocktails served for a very long time. It’s worth the extra money.

I didn’t visit the rooftop lounge bar as it wasn’t open yet. It’s said to be the highest on the island so a good reason to return one day to the Intercontinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort.

Conclusion

If you plan a 2-week Vietnam itinerary or a 2-3-week Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap itinerary I highly recommend adding a 4-night stay on Phu Quoc. The Intercontinental Phu Quoc is a destination on itself and a must go to. It has so many facilities that you will be relaxed if you return. The pools are amazing and the direct beach access perfect. Make sure to visit the spa to fully unwind before going for dinner in one of the 3 restaurants. They serve Vietnamese, Japanese, and Italian dishes. The suites are spacious enough for a family and have great views over the ocean. A perfect place to watch sunset. I hope to return one day and so does my family.

If you would like to know what you can do in and around Phu Quoc then see one of these options: Add Phu Quoc to a 2-3 week itinerary Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap or a 2-week Vietnam itinerary. I will add more destination information over time.

For more hotel information and booking options please visit the website of Intercontinental Phu Quoc or subscribe to the Facebook page of Intercontinental Phu Quoc to receive the latest hotel news.

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Gallery of Intercontinental Phu Quoc

** All opinions are based on a genuine stay, flight or experience. I’m not affiliated with the hotel, airline or tour operator but I might be (partially) sponsored – or paid. **