Coming to Da Nang, there are options galore for every type of traveler. From hostels to Airbnb to high end hotels, there is certainly a property for every type of traveler. I stayed at the Sheraton Grand and was not disappointed.
Located on the beach, the property is massive with 2 hotel towers, a convention/meeting building, a huge multistory lobby building, and an infinity pool that looks like it goes on forever. It also has access to the beach so if the pool doesn’t do it for you, the beach is right there.
Location
I think most people who come to Da Nang are going to fit into two categories. The first is expats or digital nomads who are location independent and need a cheap place to live and work. The second is couples or families looking for resort to spend a few days on a vacation. That said, the Sheraton Grand is definitely a resort that is catering to couples as well as families with little ones in tow.
The hotel is located on the beach so if you’re into surfing or water sports, you could certainly take advantage of that. It wasn’t really an option when I was there since there was a storm coming and a rip current warning.
If your main desire is to enjoy the resort, you really can’t go wrong. The resort has numerous dining options so you don’t have to leave the resort at all if you choose not to. However, if you want to go into town, you’ll need a taxi or a Grab to take you. It’ll take about 15 mins and should be around $170,000VND (about $7USD). There are plenty of food stalls within walking distance of the hotel that will force you to walk down local streets (although that means going down dark streets and really explore). That can certainly be intimidating especially if you don’t know the language and aren’t sure what is being served. And no, you can’t expect locals to speak or understand English.
If you’re like me and you hate eating at the hotel, this is going to suck pretty hard. The restaurants on the property close at 10 so you’re either have to get something while you’re in town or order room service. The first night I arrived, I didn’t know about all this and couldn’t find the room service menu so I just made due with what I had. After, I learned my lesson and just made sure to get some food and bring it back just in case. You’ll certainly pay a lot less for a meal (even though the quality of food at the resort is very high).
First Impressions
This resort is MASSIVE. When my Grab driver pulled into the driveway, I was stunned and honestly thought there was a mistake. It certainly makes a remarkable first impression. I also thought the building where the lobby was located was the actual hotel. Not the case. It’s actually where some of the restaurants, bars, gym, spa, and childcare are located.
There are 2 hotel buildings which are currently open that flank one side of the massive infinity pool that bisects the property. There are also homes/vacation rentals that are currently being built that are also part of the property. I don’t think I’ve ever stayed at a property that is to this scale (even though I heard other properties in the area are larger which makes no sense to me at all). For me, if the property were trying to make a big first impression, it succeeded.
Room
Because of my platinum status with Marriott, I was upgraded to a suite. It was a one bedroom suite with 2 balconies, both with views of the ocean. It was certainly spacious and comfortable. It had a 4 person dining room table as well as a full size fridge and a wet bar with a Nespresso coffee pod thing (whatever they’re called). The bedroom had a massive bed with a desk tucked behind it which was perfect for working and watching TV (since it had all the outlets right there). There was also a walk in closet with everything you’d expect to find. The bathroom had a shower with a rainfall showerhead, a separate tub and toilet. It really had everything you could possibly need.
My only complaint was that there weren’t any outlets close to the living room area where you could plug in your laptop and work while watching tv on the sofa. Honestly, I didn’t see any outlets anywhere which was a shame because the tv in the living room had an audio system tied to it so it was much better than the audio from the tv in the bedroom.
Amenities
The property has a massive pool so you can (in theory) have a large portion of the pool to yourself and feel like the only one there. I didn’t see too many people in the pool but I imagine it’s pretty popular during the hot, humid summer months in Vietnam.
There was also a jungle gym where kids could play as well as what looked like a kids water park sort of area (where water comes up from the ground and kids can run through it type of thing) even though it wasn’t on when I walked by.
The main building has a gym on the first floor with classes as well if you’re interested. Or you can just go in and use the equipment there. This is where you’ll find the bulk of restaurants and bars on the property (even though there is a restaurant with a bar on the beach if you’re in that area). The third floor also had a spa as well as a business center. I think it’s referred to as the “retreat” but it looks like a large executive lounge that you’d find at other properties with food, drinks, and computers as well as a multiple seating areas. I happened to stumble upon it without trying and the man working the front desk (Phuong) was really nice. There was no one there using the room so he was more than happy to give me a tour of the room.
I guess I didn’t quite understand why the resort would say they don’t have an executive lounge when they clearly have something that resembles one. I’m not sure if that’s by design or what but I was clearly told that since this was a resort, it did not have an executive lounge. Not that I needed one but it is nice to go to sometimes to grab a quick snack or a drink. That’s how I feel at least.
Restaurants
The morning buffet is at Table 88 and it is massive (a common theme here) but I guess it would have to be large for the number of guests this property could accommodate. It had every single type of food imaginable and I really enjoyed eating there in the mornings (probably more than I should). The menu also changed daily so don’t expect everything to remain the same day to day. Of course there are things that don’t change (like the omelet station) but many of the options actually changed, which surprised me a bit.
I had one other meal on the property which was at La Plage. It was a low key dinner and I was just too tired to leave the hotel so I just decided to eat there. The menu seemed to have a bit of everything from seafood to steak to burgers so it had something for everyone for sure.
Hotel Staff
I can’t say enough about how helpful and kind everyone I met who worked there was. Everyone was so willing to help that it was refreshing and surprising. I appreciated the fact that many of those who worked there proactively made it a point to speak in English and made the initial contact in English to avoid the awkward “I don’t speak Vietnamese” situation. It also seemed like many enjoyed the opportunity to practice their English and many went through great pains to be understood and hold a conversation. As a traveler, I will always put the onus on me to make myself understood in the native language. But any time I can simplify my travels even a little, I’ll gladly take it.
Final Thoughts
The Sheraton Grand is a great resort to stay at in my view. It had everything I needed and then some. Although the location is a little out o the way from “downtown” Da Nanag, it’s only about a 15 min Grab ride into town. Also, since it only costs about $5 it makes it really simple and affordable to go back and forth into the city if you need a break from the heat or humidity. Once this property is fully open and functional, I ‘m not sure how much it’ll be able to hold this high level of service. To be honest, it felt like the hotel was overstaffed at times (maybe it was the lack of customers since this was low season) which obviously elevated the staff’s service. But for now, all I can say is this is a great place to stay and I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to stay here again.