David Shectman
Google
Exceptional by Any Standard
It’s a tall task to approach writing about the Legacy Yen Tu, for it is hard to believe that something this breathtaking actually exists in real life. This is the kind of property featured in The White Lotus, maybe, or highlighted on an elite travel documentary playing on a 13-hour flight. A property generally can’t really look like that, and must be Photoshop or AI, or perhaps exists only in a fevered dream.
But the Legacy Yen Tu is real. And it is as exquisite as it appears.
There indeed exists an elite category of hotels that are so fine that assigning them 5 stars is woefully inadequate; at this level, not only are the traditional markers of excellence—rooms, housekeeping, dining—flawless, but the whole property fuses into a seamless, transcendent experience greater than the sum of its parts.
The Legacy Yen Tu sits firmly in this ultra-elite category. It is, quite simply, a destination in and of itself.
Southeast Asia has no shortage of Bill Bensley properties, yet Yen Tu remains perhaps his most ambitious triumph. It’s no accident that the hotel is showcased on the front page of Bensley’s online portfolio.
Vietnam has ambitions to stand alongside the world’s great wellness destinations, and the Legacy makes a compelling case that it may already have surpassed them. The spa and wellness offerings were actually the highlights of my stay: Hang’s sound-bowl session bordered on transcendental, while An (“Amy”) shared Qi Gong and meditation with rare knowledge and joy. I would return to Yen Tu for their classes alone—made all the more unbelievable as they are complimentary for guests.
The spa service itself rivals, even exceeds, what one expects at Thailand’s famed spas. Huong gracefully walked me through options, and Nha became my therapist of choice—after my first 90-minute Aromatherapy treatment, I requested her literally every single afternoon of my five-day stay. Pricing is actually modest by international standards, while the quality and ambiance are truly world-class.
Food and beverage are similarly of a high international standard; I particularly valued the focus on healthy, vegetarian-forward cooking, with seitan, tofu, and mushroom-based dishes widely available. Accor elites will be invited for a gorgeous platter of afternoon canapés (see photos) and signature plum-wine cocktails.
Also, it can be tricky in the region—particularly in rural areas—to maintain professionally trained staff fluent in English, but the level of English spoken throughout the property was high. At no point did I have difficulty communicating with the staff anywhere on the property.
Miley, the Front Office Manager, was responsive, professional, and helpful throughout my stay. Finally, I was assisted by Doreen at both arrival and departure; she was gracious, warm, and unfailingly kind—perfectly suited to a career in hospitality.
Although I only left a few days ago, I am already dreaming of my return to the Legacy. It is an exceptional property that truly must be experienced to be believed.
PS: As part of their nightly turndown service, they leave a small bottle of house-made kombucha in your room—and it is divine!
PPS: I didn’t even mention the pool, an experience in itself. The water, drawn directly from a sacred spring at Yen Tu mountain and shared with the spa, adds a feeling of purity, cleansing, and wonder to your stay.