Hip Apartments in Vietnam You’ll Want to Call Home

Nautical shades and prints all point to the view at this ocean-spying apartment in buzzy Da Nang. The apartment has two bedrooms, a spacious kitchen and a balcony overlooking the sea, decked out with Acapulco chairs. However, you may not spend too much time inside as the hotel has a host of facilities to explore, including front-row access to Man Thai Beach on the Son Tra Peninsula, a lantern-strung Sky Bar with city views, various restaurants, a spa and a rooftop pool. Sea Shore Hotel can also arrange tours of the Central Coast, including Hue and Hoi An, and offers free bicycle hire if you want to pedal at your own pace.

Escape to a green oasis right in the middle of Hanoi. A striking contrast to the capital’s erstwhile architecture, this aparthotel is covered in well-tended tropical plants from the ground floor to the top. On the seventh floor, there’s even a garden with bonsai trees where you can sit and relax. There are 70 studios with kitchenettes and facilities, and amenities include Café 64, a convenience store, a gym and a handy team of receptionists who are ready to steer you to the city’s best attractions 24/7.

The Somerset Grand Hanoi is a cool, calm and uncluttered complex – the perfect antidote to the capital’s sensory overload. Rooms range from one-bedroom apartments to luxury penthouses, all with a kitchen, living room and dining area. Also, it’s a great choice for families, with facilities such as a playground, babysitting services and a children’s paddling pool. For the grown-ups, there’s a gym, sauna, jacuzzi, swimming pool and tennis court. Outside, the downtown neighbourhood of Hoan Kiem is home to casual bars and street-food vendors selling classics such as bánh mì and pho.

On the border between District 1 (with its palaces and presidential homes) and District 3 (with its dining scene, including cafes and coffee shops), Aurora Serviced Apartments is primed for exploring the centre of Ho Chi Minh City. The Scandi-style studios here have simple wood details and white walls, with either city views or a snapshot of Tao Dan Park through the window. At the park, you’ll uncover gardens, play areas and a Buddhist temple.

Fraser Suites Hanoi is a luxury apartment complex in the Tay Ho district – home to the city’s largest freshwater lake. Sitting inside the Syrema Tower, the stylish studios and sophisticated multi-bedroom apartments have all the expected trimmings, as well as either garden or lake views. The in-house extras include a gym, jacuzzi, sauna, rooftop bar and pool. A free breakfast is also available each morning.

In District 3 of Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon Apartments is surrounded by hip cafes, trendy coffee shops and the low-key street-food stands that define dining in Vietnam. The apartments here are within walking distance of the famous Tan Dinh Church, too, known for its shockingly pink façade. In addition to its great location, its two- and three-bedroom apartments offer home-like comforts, with a separate living area and a large kitchen with all the gear.

A stay at Dolphin Hotel and Apartment in Da Nang puts you within minutes of My Khe Beach – some of the studios and two-bedrooms apartments even come with sea views. With turquoise and blue tones, each unit features a fully equipped kitchen, and you’ll also have access to the rooftop pool, surrounded by tropical plants, for a private slice of Da Nang paradise.

At the Wooden Apartments near the Hanoi railway station, you’ll feel like you’re staying at a stylish friend’s place, thanks to the house plants, artwork, scatter cushions and cosy couches dotting each unit. There’s a selection of room sizes, from smaller studios to deluxe two-bedroom apartments – all with access to a small terrace. Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter are within walking distance; you can lose yourself meandering down entire streets dedicated to selling stationery, shoes and silk.

The Prana Boutique Hotel and Apartments combines the service of a hotel with the privacy of an apartment and the on-point interior design of a magazine spread. Indoors and outdoors, you’ll find blonde-wood furniture, rattan touches and whitewashed walls artfully draped with hanging plants and foliage. The Prana also has a restaurant, sauna, gym and refreshing pool that overlooks Da Nang’s beaches.

Christina’s Hotel and Café is a small hip apartment building with 22 rooms in District 1. Common areas and co-working nooks include a vegetarian cafe and juice bar, communal kitchen, balcony and rooftop area. It’s a five-minute drive from Bui Vien Street – the main tourist area of Ho Chi Minh City – but far enough away to ensure some quiet. As this is Vietnam, street-food vendors wait to serve you right outside the door.

In Vietnam’s Central Highlands region, Dalat was once a resort city for Europeans looking to escape the searing tropical heat of the country’s coastal destinations; many French colonial villas are still laced around the town today. You’ll find N’Queen Villa right in the centre of the City of Eternal Spring (so-named for its cooler, year-round climate). With an old-world style, the building hides 10 apartments, including the Wooden Studio on the top floor. It’s clad in natural pine, hinting at the hinterland of forests, lakes and waterfalls in Dalat’s rural reaches.