Have you ever cried with joy during a hotel stay? This is what I found happening to me during my time at Avana Retreat, on my own, in front of the hotel’s very own natural waterfall. Such was the sheer beauty of the place – I watched as the water fell gracefully over the rocks and marvelled: “Have I stayed anymore more spectacular in my life?”

Avana Retreat is a 15-hectre piece of land nestled in the hills of Mai Chau, Vietnam. A love and reverence for nature and the local communities fuelled the development of this place, and this can be felt in every last detail. The handrails undulate and weave around the trees, the swimming pool has been designed to echo the lines of the surrounding valley, the wildlife literally sits centre-stage in every design choice in this hotel. Local people, mostly comprising the three small ethnic groups of the Mai Cahu region make up over 90% of the staff in the hotel. The vision was to give back to the local community in a sustainable way, creating jobs and promoting modest tourism (there are only 36 villas here) without overwhelming the local land or stripping the place of its natural beauty. Locals also have a right to roam on the property – meaning anyone can hunt, fish or camp in the forests which surround the hotel.

Another magical thing about Avana Retreat is the curation. Everything has been expertly considered – and every need anticipated. In user-experience terms, you could say that staying here is completely and utterly frictionless. There is nothing as relaxing as this. Just a few examples of this superlative curation: the duck pond has a little box of bread beside it (!), so you can while away a few minutes in this most nostalgic of activities; the trees have little bamboo QR codes attached, so that you can scan them to find out more about the local vegetation and habitats. But most impressive is the app. Upon check-in, you are invited to download the Avana Retreat App.

The app is your portal to ultimate ease during your stay. I’ll admit that I was initially cynical upon being directed to download yet another app. I didn’t want to be bombarded with notifications. But this app is a masterclass in simplicity and utility. Use it to find out about the free activities going on that day, as well as using the chat function to summon a buggy (which arrives within minutes) to take you anywhere on the property – be that the natural lagoon, the restaurant, pool or indeed: their very own petting zoo, replete with goats, chicken and rabbits.

The rooms nestle atop the mountainside, providing serene views of the valley. Each living space opens to a timeless mountain landscape and soundscape – you feel completely enveloped in nature here. The restaurant serves gorgeous breakfasts spanning Vietnamese classics like Pho, as well as more westernised egg dishes, and absolutely delicious toast/pastry selection with homemade preserves and butters. For lunch and dinner, the

This place feels like a dream. It is without doubt our favourite place in Vietnam to stay – which is saying something. It just might top our list of favourite ever hotels…