REVIEW: ALMA RESORT, CAM RANH, VIETNAM

Tell us what you’ve got

While a resort so vast you need to whiz around on a golf buggy isn’t for everybody (and, let’s face it, 30 hectares is bloomin’ large), it takes a hell of a lot of stress out of single parents looking to relax on holiday.

Resorts don’t get much bigger – or comprehensive – than Alma, with (wait for it….), 14 bars and restaurants, 12 pools, a private beach, a cinema, a kids’ club, a science museum, an 18-hole golf course, an amphitheatre, a cinema, a VR games room, a water sports centre, a waterpark with slides, a mini market, a youth centre and a conference centre. I mean… All rooms, suites and villas face the ocean.

Where do we sleep?

Our one-bedroom Pavilion suite was spacious and mid-Century in design, with a large hallway with cupboards; double bedroom with en-suite tub and shower room; huge lounge with kitchen area; private terrace with lounger, private infinity pool and beach views; and a second bathroom.

Head to the mini market to stock up on family favourites to cook/snack on in the fully-equipped kitchen, which has a large fridge/freezer, a fancy coffee machine with pods to use (buy more from the shop), four hobs, an oven and a microwave. Our ‘help-yourself-to’ cold beers (for us) and chocolate bars (for the offspring) gave us that holiday feeling.
Don’t fancy braving the heat? Watch the kids cool off in the pool from the comfort of your terrace or – with the doors open – the large sofa with chaise. The water is deep so not ideal for toddlers without inflatables.

Wine and dine us

We lunched at The Food Court, a casual dining spot with rotating food trucks for an easy-peasy self-serve meal. On our visit: Little New York, The French Bakery and The Noodle House. We made a beeline for Little New York and ordered Southern Fried Chicken, chips and coleslaw with a glass of coke.

Other dining options (for fussy eaters) includes Chilli’s Snacks & Bar (two American food trucks set up outside the amphitheatre, which shows movies under the stars), La Casa (an Italian restaurant serving wood-fired pizzas), and the Beach Bar (with its menu of soft drinks, cocktails, beers and light bites). Order a coconut and sip the juice straight from the fruit with a straw.

Alma Garden is the place for breakfast, a huge space with many different cooking stations for everything you could wish for – and more – including pastries, hams and meats, eggs to order, Vietnamese noodles and a machine for help-yourself pancakes (a hit with kids). Or stock up at the market and eat what you want - when you want it - in the comfort of your villa.

Shall we spa?

Considering the size of the resort, Le Spa is modest by comparison - but no less striking - with 13 individual treatment villas separated by botanical gardens, each named after a Vietnamese flower; separate male and female changing rooms with steam room/sauna a piece; and a fitness suite with up-to-the-minute equipment and yoga studio. Unusually, The Spa offers treatments for children aged 6 to 11 including manicures, pedicures and facials. Result.

Verdict:

When it comes to single parent holidays, Alma Resort comes up trumps - with a cherry on top. There’s so much to keep children of all ages entertained - both day and night - that you’ll never hear the words “I’m bored” (or your money back*).

Pavilions are perfect for rustling up breakfasts, lunches, picnics or dinners on demand, or simply having a day by your own pool overlooking the beach.

Book your offspring into the kids’ club or youth centre and treat yourself to a dip in one of the many pools, a stroll along the pristine beach, a peaceful lunch without having to encourage the offspring to eat five peas, or a beer on a lounger, good book in hand. We couldn’t fault it.

10/10

*not really but you get the gist
alma-resort.com