Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa

There was a time when Da Nang, in central Vietnam, was sort of a neglected middle-sibling city between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. If the development of the city’s spectacular white-sand beaches, the addition of Hue and Hoi An to the list of essential Vietnamese cultural destinations, and a Greg Norman–designed golf course didn’t already do it, the Hyatt Regency — with its cornucopia of Vietnamese and international restaurants, full-service spa and 357 cool, modern rooms and suites — ought to put Da Nang on any reasonably detailed Vietnam itinerary.

The standard room here is called the “King," and while that refers to the size of the bed, it’s apropos in other ways, too. Even this most basic of the hotel’s accommodations includes a balcony beyond the sliding glass doors and a big bathroom with a marble bath and a rain shower. There are upgrades galore to consider, from rooms with ocean and pool views, to those with access to the club area, to suites ranging from 900 to 1800 square feet with oversized balconies looking out to the ocean.

For all the history of Hue and Hoi An, the fact is that a hotel like this probably wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the particularly inviting stretches of coast. In addition to the beach right outside the hotel, guests can make a day trip to Cham Island. It’s home to just three thousand inhabitants, most of them fishermen, so there’s fresh seafood to be had if diving and snorkeling with the fish isn’t a close enough encounter with the marine life.