The Vietnam resort that tucked me in and fixed my life

By the time I landed at Cam Ranh International Airport in Vietnam, I had aged approximately two emotional decades. My red-eye flight had been delayed, my connecting flight out of Hanoi had gone rogue, and I had developed a vague resentment toward every airline employee who smiled too politely. I was tired in the way only Gen Z creatives will understand—the kind of tired that comes from incessant pinging on Teams, 3 am idea bursts, and a deeply toxic relationship with “the grind”. So yes, I needed a break. Not a vacation with a million photo ops. A break.

Enter: The Westin Resort & Spa Cam Ranh, a beachside haven in Vietnam that isn’t just a resort; it’s a system reboot for your body, your mind, and most importantly, your sleep schedule.

As the buggy zipped me through the 25-acre property, I finally looked up from my travel-induced brain fog. Surrounded by lush, landscaped gardens, the resort sits right on a long, sandy beach facing the glistening South China Sea. It’s just 10 minutes from the Cam Ranh International Airport but somehow feels like it’s on a different planet—one without notifications, deadlines, or the pressure to post your lunch.

This is the Westin’s first outpost in Vietnam, and it shows. From the moment I arrive, I feel like someone has built a resort specifically for people like me: burnt-out individuals who run on memes and melatonin. The 207-room resort is biophilic in design, which is a fancy way of saying it lives and breathes with nature.

Sleep has always been my favourite part of the day, especially after I’ve exhausted my personality by lunchtime. So, unsurprisingly, the thing I was most excited about at The Westin Cam Ranh was not their private pool or yoga classes; it was the bed. After checking in and being taken on a tour of the sprawling property (sand dunes, check; palm trees, check; spa where I am already mentally scheduling a massage at, check), I am finally shown to my villa. And there it is: my Heavenly® Bed (I’m not being dramatic, that’s what it’s called). It’s perfectly positioned in front of floor-to-ceiling sliding doors, framing a view of my own private pool and blue skies like a living postcard that you can wake up to everyday.

Let me tell you: this Heavenly Bed has legit lore around it and was born out of a deep frustration by Westin’s CEO in 1999, who couldn’t understand why hotels offered such terrible mattresses. Millions of dollars and months of testing later, they launched the Heavenly Bed, which somewhat gave impetus to sleep tourism and revolutionised hotel bedding for good. There are rumours (whispered casually in our press trip van) that after a stay in China, George W Bush tried to get one shipped to his house. Fact or fiction? Who’s to say. But it tracks. Even world leaders need good lumbar support.

After a hearty welcome, I did what any reasonable person is expected to do: climb into that bed like it was a cloud sent from the sleep gods themselves and promptly pass out. And honestly? That ended up being one of the best parts of my trip—not just that first nap, but the delicious, decadent act of going to bed every night. I started to look forward to it. Whether it was winding down with a chamomile tea or lightly applying a lavender balm like I was starring in a self-care montage, every night became a mindful, sensory ritual. Add to that the plush sleep mask they hand out to their guests, and I was sleeping like a baby.

And because sleep here is not just passive but actively supported, the hotel also hosts a Sleep Well music workshop using specific sound frequencies scientifically proven to help you fall asleep. Of course I had to try it. When it started, I was sceptical. I’ve trained my brain to crave overstimulation; everyday I listen to a podcast while scrolling through my phone. But the frequencies? They hit differently. I felt my overactive brain start to soften. I wasn’t just relaxed—I was lulled. It was kind of spooky. In the best way. Westin, unintentionally or not, taught me how to create a ritual around sleep. To romanticise bedtime the way I romanticise my morning coffee. To stop seeing sleep as the thing you do when you’re too tired to function and start seeing it as the main event.

There are a lot of retreats out there being marketed as “wellness escapes” or “sleep sanctuaries”, but honestly, The Westin Cam Ranh might be the only one that actually deserves the hype. If you’re looking to restore your body, calm your mind, and move just enough to feel smug but not sore, this place is a dream. Now, let me be clear: I am not a morning jogger. I am a “snooze three times and contemplate life” kind of girl. But something about this place—maybe it was the crisp ocean air, maybe it was the joy of actually feeling rested for once—had me willingly hopping out of bed for movement. Willingly. No caffeine needed.

One morning kicked off with a jog along the beach, again part of Westin’s Move Well programme, which includes preloaded Strava routes perfect for runners of all levels (even the I-only-run-when-chased type of runners like me). That said, the true highlight for me was the sunrise beach yoga session. This? This was my personal Olympics. The golden sky, the ocean breeze, the sound of the waves crashing behind you while you hold a Warrior pose. It’s every yoga lover’s dream. No mirrors, no pressure, just grass underfoot, sea in your periphery, and your breath syncing with nature. I could have stayed in Savasana all morning. After yoga, you’re exactly 20 steps away from fresh coconut water or a tall glass of Vietnamese iced coffee, which feels like the universe’s reward for showing up on the mat. Truly: stretch, sip, repeat.

Beyond that, the movement options are kind of endless. There are group yoga classes, Pilates sessions, pickleball courts you can book for a game (the hotel is very Gen Z on the wellness arc), and even kayaking or Vietnamese-style boat rides for the adventure-inclined. Needless to say, there’s a proper gym that’s open 24/7, filled with Technogym equipment, floor-to-ceiling windows, and peaceful views if you’re that kind of person who hits the gym on holidays. But whether you’re winding down after a sunrise yoga session or cooling off post-gym, Westin has plenty of recovery options. You can head straight to the Heavenly Spa for some serious pampering or have a Hyperice recovery kit delivered straight to your room to de-puff your legs and feel like a very relaxed pro athlete.

Now, I’m someone who is basically a walking iron deficiency. My friends joke about my fainting for attention, but it’s mostly just low blood sugar and too many almonds. So, when I tell you that I had energy every day at Westin? That’s not just impressive...it’s suspicious. And the culprit? The food. Westin’s Eat Well philosophy doesn’t mean boring hotel buffets. It means real nourishment—with protein-packed dishes, superfoods, and balanced meals that fuel you without sending you into a post-lunch coma.

Breakfast includes everything from fluffy yogurt parfaits and tropical fruit bowls to (drumroll please) Vietnamese pho. I am a cereal-for-dinner kind of girl, but I have been converted. Give me all the rice noodles and bone broth at 8 am. I’m told, we, as a generation, are not getting enough protein, so my body here was thriving. Lunch and dinner were equally dreamy: Wagyu beef cheeks, lobster salads, jackfruit pairings, and—my personal obsession—iced coconut Vietnamese coffee that I downed like it was a hydration strategy. I’ve never been so full and so energised at the same time.

If you do feel like venturing beyond the resort (though honestly, you won’t feel the need), there’s plenty to explore. One of my favourite parts of the trip was the coffee brewing and tasting workshop at La Viet. As someone who treats coffee as both a lifestyle and a love language, getting to brew my own phin coffee and taste everything from salted blends to coconut milk creations felt like playing out my dream of being a barista. Another standout was the candle- and perfume-making workshop at Lui & Juli, where we handcrafted our own scent blends and took them home in beautiful little bottles. Mine had sandalwood and rose, and it now smells like peace, creativity, and this exact trip.

You can also visit Do Theatre in Khánh Hòa for a modern, poetic spin on Vietnam’s traditional water puppetry, or take a short ride to Nha Trang’s fishing village, which will give you a glimpse into local life that’s both beautiful and grounding. For divers, the bay near Nha Trang is a must-visit.

A week in, the most radical part of the whole experience was that I didn’t miss the internet (the hotel boasts a strong wi-fi but encourages guests to log off). Not once. I didn’t post every bite of food I took. I didn’t check my follower count or the latest chaotic trend on my Instagram feed. I wasn’t even tempted to open my inbox. Because everything I needed—peace, movement, nourishment, rest—was already right in front of me. This wasn’t a vacation about doing the most. It was about doing nothing, on purpose. A retreat for the overstimulated, the under-rested, and the terminally online. So, if you’re craving a getaway that doesn’t demand a full itinerary or force you into tourist traps, book yourself into The Westin Cam Ranh. Sleep well. Move with joy. Eat like your cells depend on it.