There’s something about travel that resets the rhythm between mother and daughter. It’s something I’ve been doing with my daughter since she was four. Back then it was an annual trip to Hawaii where we stayed at the Halekulani Hotel, and for about 5 years, we would go back each year and meet up with friends we had made poolside. No kids clubs. No babysitters. Just the two of us. Just for the joy of connection. We both love spa and wellness travel and it’s always exciting to explore a new destination that welcomes us as a mother daughter duo.
Over Easter, Lilly and I took off to Vietnam for a week of sun, culture, food, and the kind of connection that only comes when you step outside the familiar. Our first stop? The breathtaking Intercontinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, a masterpiece of design, nature and old-world service that delivers glamour without the noise.
Tucked into 39 hectares of lush jungle on the Son Tra Peninsula, this resort is the vision of legendary hotel designer Bill Bensley, whose signature style blends theatrical architecture with deep cultural respect. (He also designed Thailand’s Four Season’s Koh Samui, the setting of White Lotus Season 3.) From the moment you arrive, gliding past jungle, sea mist and the sound of monkeys chattering in the trees, you know you’re somewhere rare. The seamless service combined with the frictionless movement between modern luxury and deep respect for nature and culture.
Our Deluxe Twin Suite had sweeping views over the East Sea, a deep, shaded balcony perfect for reading, eating the spectacular room service menu, since we checked in very late, and conversation, and interiors that balanced Vietnamese heritage with modern polish. Every detail, from the lacquerware to the carved doors and gorgeous oversized stone bathtub, felt deliberate, rich with story.
Our mornings began in the Club Intercontinental Lounge, where breakfast was a serene, elevated affair. Think tropical fruit platters, Vietnamese coffee, congee, and perfectly prepared eggs served with lobster and a view of the sea. In the afternoons, we had the option to return for the famed delicate pastries the Vietnamese are so expert at, and high tea or to join for aperitifs and pre dinner cocktails. It was polished, discreet, and indulgent in all the right ways. Meals were spectacular but never stiff. We were spoilt for choice with exquisite dining options.
Michelin-Star, La Maison 1888, Citron for all day traditional Vietnamese dining, Barefoot Seafood & Grill with a menu focuses on grilled meats and fresh seafood. Tingara Japanese Restaurant is elevated Japanese and the setting is out of a fantasy. The Long Bar celebrates with an Al Fresco dinner under the stars two nights a week and even poolside menu is a spectacular treat for the senses. This property knows how to surprise and delight.
The beach at the Intercontinental deserves its own love letter: wide, pristine, framed by green mountains and impossibly soft sand. We spent time swimming, soaking in tranquility, and simply letting time slow down. Watersports like kayaking, paddle boarding and traditional “basket boat” experience, known as thuyen thung, a small, round, bamboo boat traditionally used by fishermen for fishing, were all inclusive experiences to enjoy. The spa, tucked into a quiet hillside pavilion (accessible by cable car from our suite), offered world-class treatments in a setting that felt more sanctuary than salon. We enjoyed our treatment of traditional Vietnamese massage, deeply relaxing tuning forks and rebalancing facials side by side in what can only be described as a transcendent experience. The beautifully appointed Technogym was chic and suitable for all levels. Think bougie fitness studio rather than hotel afterthought. Again, there were plenty of inclusive fitness and wellness classes to enjoy including the aerial yoga, in the absolute beachfront yoga pavilion, which was one of the best hotel fitness classes I have ever experienced.
One of the highlights of our stay was the Vietnamese cooking class, where Lilly and I learnt to make a variety of simple to more advanced traditional and local dishes, with the resort’s chef. It was hands-on, joyful, and I would say expansive given our limited culinary skills. The result was flavourful 3 hour immersion into Vietnamese culture. We were in heaven.
We also spent a golden afternoon and evening in Hoi An, the UNESCO heritage old town that feels like stepping into a film set. Lanterns danced in the breeze, bicycles buzzed through cobbled streets, and every alley promised something delicious or beautiful. We wandered without a plan, ducking into temples, tailors, nail salons and market stalls. We both fell hard for the atmosphere and most of all the people.
The Intercontinental has always been a go to for me including hosting our first Ageless Radiance Club event at the Intercontinental Hotel in Double Bay, many trips to Hayman Island which is an Intercontinental property and our recent trip to Intercontinental Hotel Fiji, but this property in Da Nang, was out of a dreamscape and a place I hope we will return to again. It is simply breathtaking and judging by the DM’s and messages I received during our stay, it’s one of the most beloved hotels of the Ageless Radiance Club community. Add immediately to your travel bucket list.
From Danang mountains, we shifted pace and checked into the award winning TIA Wellness Resort, where the focus is curated, holistic restoration. We stayed in a villa with our own private pool, and surrendered to the rhythm of spa treatments, journaling, movement, and stillness. I took a solo morning to visit the Marble Mountains, Tai Chi at sunrise, followed by a guided exploration of ancient caves and shrines carved into stone. The experience left me grounded, grateful, and more than a little enchanted by the beautiful people, the landscape and deep history of Vietnam. Danang is a wonderful base offering the best of both new and historical Vietnam. We moved around, explored restaurants, shopping and cat cafes and felt remarkably safe and always so very welcome.
But the full story of our time at TIA Wellness deserves its own spotlight. I’ll be sharing all the details, our villa, the daily treatments, the transformative philosophy behind TIA, and why it’s a great wellness destination, in my upcoming feature for Spa & Wellness magazine.
Vietnam gave us so much more than a break. It offered contrast, beauty, immersion. A reminder of what it means to truly be together. Not as mother and daughter in motion, but as women in rhythm. We came home lighter, clearer, and with a new shared language of memories, scents, tastes, and small moments that stitched the whole trip together.
Lilly and I were warmly welcomed as media guests of Intercontinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort and TIA Wellness Resorts. #AD
