Namia River Retreat Review: Hoi An’s Wellness-Inclusive Pool Villa Resort

Rain was drumming on the river when I slid open the doors of my villa, and I did not mind one bit. In front of me was a private pool, a curtain of palms and the wide, brown Thu Bon sliding past. Behind me was a sunken bathtub the size of a small boat, a pot of Vietnamese tea, and a card telling me my hammam was booked for five o’clock. This Namia River Retreat review is based on two nights in November 2026, on a little river islet a few minutes from Hoi An’s lantern-lit Ancient Town, and so quiet that I woke up to birdsong.

What makes Namia different from every other hotel in Hoi An is its concept: wellness is not an extra here, it is the stay. Every guest gets a 90-minute spa journey every single day, plus yoga, Vietnamese tai chi, cultural rituals and a boat into town, and all 60 villas have their own pool. Add one of the best breakfasts I have had in Vietnam, and you understand why I left rested, stretched, steamed and very well fed, even after two days of non-stop rain.

How I Know This

Namia River Retreat at a Glance

Over my seven trips to Vietnam I have stayed in some of the best hotels in the country, including the Four Seasons Nam Hai in Hoi An and Six Senses Con Dao, which gives me plenty to compare this one with.

How to Get to Namia River Retreat

Namia is about 50 minutes by car from Da Nang, and you have two good ways to reach Da Nang.

By Air to Da Nang

Da Nang International Airport has direct flights from all over Southeast Asia, as well as from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. If you are still choosing your long-haul flight, Vietnam Airlines now flies nonstop to eight European cities, and my VietJet review is worth reading before you book a low-cost connection.

By Train from Hue over the Hai Van Pass

The train is how I arrived, after three nights at Azerai La Residence in Hue. The line from Hue to Da Nang runs past rice paddies dotted with white egrets, then climbs over the Hai Van Pass with the sea on one side and the jungle on the other. It is one of the prettiest rail journeys in Vietnam, even through a rain-streaked window.

The Central Heritage Connection tourist train leaves early in the morning. I took the regular train instead: it follows exactly the same route, and it leaves at a far more civilized 10 a.m. The whole journey is part of my alternative to the classic Vietnam itinerary.

From Da Nang to the Resort

From Da Nang, you can ask Namia to send a hotel car, or do what I did and order a Grab. Grab is the Southeast Asian equivalent of Uber, and it works really well everywhere in Vietnam. My car from Da Nang railway station to Namia took 55 minutes and cost 370,000 VND (about $14).

Download the Grab app and add your card before you land in Vietnam. You will use it in every city.

The last few meters are the best: you leave the road, cross a little bamboo-railed bridge onto the islet where the welcome lounge is located, a curved timber pavilion wrapped around a koi pond.

The Resort: 60 Pool Villas on a River Islet

A Quiet Islet Close to the Center of Hoi An

Namia covers Con Ba Xa, a small private islet wrapped by the Thu Bon River on one side and a quiet creek of nipa palms on the other. The location is one of its best assets. You are very close to the center of Hoi An, 10 minutes by bicycle from the market, and yet the islet is remarkably quiet. From my room, the loudest sound in the morning was the birds singing.

Every one of the 60 keys is a villa, and every villa has its own pool. The buildings are low, with ochre walls and thatched or tiled roofs, and they disappear into the planting: bamboo, palms, frangipani, stepping-stone paths over beds of river pebbles, and a lily pond scattered with boulders and lanterns that leads you down to the main pool.

The Nipa Palm Creek

On the creek side of the islet, basket boats paddle between the nipa palms and ducks potter along the bank.

The Main Pool and The Fisherman

The main pool is an infinity pool at the bottom of the garden with 180-degree river views, lined in dark slate and edged with a row of young coconut palms, with a shallow shelf of smooth pebbles to lie on.

Beside it are The Fisherman restaurant and its thatched pool bar.

Play Zones for Children

Next to The Fisherman, children have indoor and outdoor play zones, including a wooden playground set in the sand under the palms.

The Fitness Studio and Yoga Studio

The fitness studio and the yoga studio are not by the main pool. They sit toward the far end of the islet, a few steps from my villa. The gym is open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. and is bright and well equipped, with cardio machines looking out to the garden.

There is also an open-air meditation sala, and of course the Lumina Wellbeing spa, which gets its own chapter below. The resort is not even two years old, and it shows in the best way: everything is brand new and spotlessly clean.

My River Pool Villa

I stayed in villa 131, one of the 27 River Pool Villas, toward the far end of the islet next to the yoga studio and the gym, which was very convenient for morning classes. Each one-bedroom villa has 62 square meters indoors and another 86 square meters of pool and terrace.

A Zen Bedroom with a Sunken Bathtub

The room is very zen: all white, cream and pale wood, and I found it instantly soothing.

A large sunken bathtub sits in front of the bed, looking out through the glass to the pool.

There is also a sitting area and a dressing table.

The Bathroom

The bathroom has an indoor shower, a separate toilet, a double vanity and two very stylish oval mirrors. There is an outdoor shower as well.

The Private Pool and Terrace

The pool is big for a private pool. It is not heated, which I only noticed because of the weather.

Even in the rain, my favorite spot was the terrace. I spent a long time there just watching the river go by. The villa felt completely private inside, and nobody can see in from the paths or the river. The pool terrace is private too, although the planting between neighboring pools is still young.

A Great Night’s Sleep

I slept beautifully. The soundproofing is excellent, the blackout curtains really black out, and the bed is very comfortable. There is even a pillow menu with seven choices, from soft duck down to a firm latex neck pillow.

The Complimentary Minibar

The minibar is complimentary and refreshed every day with soft drinks and juices, plus glass jars of roasted salted cashews, nut and seed coins and dried mango, and there is a good selection of Vietnamese teas and coffees.

The Small Attentions

What I liked most were the small attentions. On arrival, a slate reading “Welcome to Namia” with a bowl of mandarins.

On the table, a handwritten poem and a woven hand fan.

At turndown, a small gift appeared on the bed: one evening a vintage-style photograph of a wooden boat and a tiny clay figurine.

Add refillable glass water bottles, ceramic bottles of bath products, a woven bag to carry around the resort, and a pair of bamboo bicycles parked outside.

Which Villa to Choose at Namia River Retreat

All 60 villas at Namia have a private pool, so the choice comes down to two things: the view, and where the villa sits on the islet.

River Pool Villa or Nipa Pool Villa?

The 27 River Pool Villas face the Thu Bon River. The 26 Nipa Pool Villas are exactly the same size, 148 square meters, and face the creek and its nipa palm forest at the back of the islet, which is a lovely view too. From my River Pool Villa, trees hid a good part of the river. If there is a big price gap between the two, book the Nipa Pool Villa and spend the difference at the spa.

The Best River Pool Villas: 108, 109 and 110

On the riverfront, ask for villa 108, 109 or 110. Their river view is less obstructed by trees, and they are conveniently located between the spa and the main pool. Villas 120 to 130 also have a more open view, but they are further away from the restaurants.

Villa 131: For Yoga and Gym Lovers

My villa, 131, is next to the yoga studio and the gym, which is perfect for early classes. It is far from everything else: about five minutes on foot from the spa and a little over ten from reception and The Merchant, and trees hide most of the river. Wherever you stay, a buggy is only a call away.

Family Villas and the Honeymoon Pool Villa

Families have six two-bedroom Family Villas of 210 square meters, four facing the nipa forest and two the river. And for a big occasion there is a single Honeymoon Pool Villa: 300 square meters with a four-poster bed, a 180-degree river view, its own spa sala, sauna and jacuzzi, and a riverside dining sala.

When you book a River Pool Villa, ask for villa 108, 109 or 110. If they are taken, villas 120 to 130 are the next best choice for the view.

The Wellness Journey: 90 Minutes at Lumina Wellbeing, Every Day

A Daily Spa Journey Rooted in Vietnamese Herbal Medicine

This is the heart of Namia, and the reason Vogue named Lumina Wellbeing among its 100 best spas in the world. Every guest receives a 90-minute Wellness Journey per person, per night. I find the concept really interesting: instead of selling you treatments, the resort builds your whole day around one. The program is based on Thuoc Nam, the Southern Herbology of Vietnamese folk medicine, and was developed with traditional medicine doctors and local herbalists. Some of the herbs are grown in Namia’s own gardens, and the treatments are given by a team of 32 Vietnamese practitioners.

How the 90-Minute Wellness Journey Works

You choose one of two directions: Body Balance, to ease tension and inflammation and improve circulation, or Deep Rest, for stress relief, better sleep and a quieter mind. If you stay three nights or more, you fill in a holistic self-assessment and the wellness guides prescribe a program for you.

Each journey follows the same steps. You arrive in the robe and slippers from your villa, complete a short health consultation, and visit one of the two herbal apothecaries, where a therapist blends a remedy for you from jars of dried roots, leaves and flowers. Then comes 30 minutes of Xong Hoi, the Vietnamese steaming tradition, in one of eight private herbal steam rooms, a pause in the arched relaxation lounge with a pot of herbal tea, and a 60-minute traditional Vietnamese therapy in one of ten treatment rooms.

My Two Herbal Hammams

With two nights, I had two journeys, so I tried two hammams. The first was the Thuoc Nam hammam for inflammation: in a private room with a heated, tiled table, my therapist covered me in a paste of fresh mugwort, cinnamon and herbal powders, then rinsed it all away. The second was the organic ginger soap exfoliation, an old Vietnamese cleansing ritual with a foaming ginger-root soap. Both were great. They smell wonderful, and my skin felt like new.

Thirty minutes goes fast in the hammam, and I would happily have stayed longer. Tell your therapist at the start that you would like the herbs left on your skin as long as possible, so you get the full benefit.

Cupping Therapy: Intense and Relaxing

Cupping was a first for me. Heated glass cups are placed along your back and combined with Vietnamese massage. I will be honest: it is intense, and somehow deeply relaxing at the same time. It released a lot of tension from my neck and shoulders, and I highly recommend it. The cups leave round marks for a few days, so think about that if you have a backless dress planned.

Facial Acupressure with Dien Chan Tools

My second treatment was the facial acupressure. The therapist works on the pressure points of the face with a set of small black rollers and combs. Laid out on a tray, they look like torture instruments. In reality, the facial was very relaxing, and my skin was vibrant afterwards.

Herbal Tea and the Evening Ritual

After each treatment I lingered in the lounge over the house Thuoc Nam tea, a soothing blend of dried ginger, lemongrass, mint, basil and licorice, served in a glass teapot. There is alkaline drinking water on tap as well.

Book your daily slots by email before you arrive. The spa takes its last booking at 8 p.m., the popular late-morning times fill first, and you should arrive 15 minutes early for your first visit.

The wellness day does not end at the spa. Each evening, the team prepares an in-room ritual. Mine was a Thuoc Nam herbal bath soak for Deep Rest, left on the bed in a little wooden bowl: a pouch of dried chrysanthemum, rose and lotus with fresh leaves, to steep in the sunken bathtub for a good 20 minutes before sleep. Guests over 16 get the full journey; the spa is not open to children under 12.

Extra Treatments and Prices

If you want more, extra treatments start at 1,000,000 VND (about $38) for 30 minutes and 1,800,000 VND (about $68) for 60 minutes, before 10% tax and 5% service. A private sound-healing session in your villa is 2,200,000 VND (about $84) for two, and a consultation with a Hoi An herbalist and doctor is 2,500,000 VND (about $95).

If this kind of stay speaks to you, I have reviewed two other wellness stays in Vietnam: the clay chamber and cliff-top cold plunge at Auko Eco-Wellness Lodges in Phong Nha, and the wellness cruise Bhaya Soul in Ha Long Bay.

Tai Chi, Yoga and the Daily Activities

Morning Tai Chi and Yoga

The spa journey is only half of the concept. The other half is a full calendar of complimentary activities, from six in the morning to nine at night. At 7:30 on my first morning, I joined the Vietnamese tai chi class, known here as Duong Sinh: mindful breathwork and gentle movement, traditionally practiced at dawn beside lakes and beaches. Ours was led by a barefoot instructor who was not bothered by the rain in the slightest. At 8 a.m. I moved to the yoga studio, a curved room of glass, wood and linen looking onto bamboo, with a row of singing bowls waiting on the floor. Both classes were good and very gentle: a perfect way to stretch before breakfast.

The Weekly Activity Calendar

Here is the weekly activity calendar as it was in November 2026. Everything on it is complimentary: you simply confirm with your Hoi An Host the day before.

The Sunset River Boat

The Sunset River Boat is the activity everybody talks about, and its menu tells you why: a Pho G&T, a Vina Colada or a Hibiscus Sangria, mocktails such as Kombucha & Spice, and canapés of Tra Que tomato bruschetta and crispy pork wonton, all served as you drift toward the old town.

What If It Rains? Namia’s Indoor Program

Outdoor Activities Stop, the Indoor Program Starts

Hoi An’s rainy season runs roughly from September to December, and it rained non-stop for my two days. It is useful to know that the outdoor activities, such as the sunset boat, the bicycle trail and the basket boats, are canceled when it rains. This is exactly when a wellness-inclusive resort earns its keep. Between the spa, the classes and the gym, I was never short of something to do, and the team had a plan ready. Before I arrived, they wrote to say that slippers were waiting for me, that buggies would take me between the villas and the restaurants, and that indoor alternatives would replace anything the weather canceled. On my second day, this is what replaced the outdoor schedule:

Cocktail Hour at The Merchant

I joined the cocktail hour at The Merchant: complimentary cocktails and mocktails by the river as the light faded, a very civilized way to end a wet afternoon.

Is Namia River Retreat Safe from Flooding?

Parts of Da Nang and Hoi An were flooded that week. In Hoi An’s old town, the street along the river was under water. Because Namia sits on the same river, I asked the question you are probably asking: is it safe? The resort’s team assured me that it is, and that Namia stayed safe and fully open even during the record floods of 2025. There is engineering behind that answer. The landscape architects ran a flood-level analysis and placed the villas above the 50-year flood line, the villas stand on stilts, and the riverbanks are held by bamboo and mangroves instead of concrete. During my stay, Namia did not flood. It was impressive to watch the river rise so close to the pool at the bottom of the garden, while everything on the islet carried on as normal.

Breakfast at The Merchant: One of the Best in Vietnam

A Buffet Built on Local Producers

Breakfast at The Merchant is spectacular, and one of the best I have seen in Vietnam. The buffet is not huge, and that is deliberate: every item on it comes from a local artisan, and you can taste it. The pastries and bread are from Em’s Bakery in Hoi An. The cheese is made by Ottima, whose Vietnamese cheesemakers trained in Puglia, and yes, that means fresh stracciatella at breakfast. The cold cuts and fresh sausages, including proper Toulouse sausages, come from Hoi An Salaisons, which works Vietnamese pork with French methods. The granola is from I Am Nuts, the herbs from An Farm, and the ducks and eggs from small local farms.

Matcha Butter, Tra Que Herbs and Tropical Fruit

It is also full of things you do not see anywhere else. Matcha butter for your bread. A salad counter that could be lunch: herbs picked that morning in Tra Que, Hoi An’s organic farming village, vegetables from the cool highlands of Da Lat, homemade kimchi, artichokes in olive oil, avocado, roasted peppers, a grain salad of coix seeds, millet and brown rice, cured salmon with capers, and fresh summer rolls in brown-rice paper. Next to it, a mountain of dragon fruit, rambutan, longan, rose apples and baby bananas.

Detox Shots, Vietnamese Coffee and Tea

Then there are the drinks. A copper ice bucket, rows of little cork-stoppered bottles of fresh juice, tiny jars of ginger shots, and a “Welcome Boost” of detox shots brought to your table: Spicy Detox with turmeric, orange and carrot, a Green Shooter of cucumber, celery, ginger and apple, a Dragon Beet Boost, and a Digestion Boost with cinnamon, lemonade and chia seeds. The coffee is 100% Vietnamese, and the strong Dak Nong comes with a friendly warning: one cup a day is recommended. The teas are Vietnamese too, with herbal blends such as Buds & Berries, made of longan, jujube, goji and chrysanthemum. Mine arrived in a hand-thrown clay pot with a woven bamboo strainer, and I could have looked at it all morning.

The À La Carte Breakfast Menu

Ask for the à la carte menu as well. It has a whole page of juices and detox drinks plus Vietnamese dishes cooked to order: cao lau, the thick noodles Hoi An is famous for, mi Quang in turmeric broth, banh xeo, banh mi, steamed banh cuon, and crispy coconut-pandan waffles with local honey.

The buffet runs from 6:30 to 10 a.m., and here is a detail late risers will love: breakfast is included all day, because the à la carte breakfast menu stays available after the buffet closes.

Restaurants: The Merchant, The Fisherman and Hoi An on Your Doorstep

The Merchant

The Merchant, on two floors with a terrace and private dining pods over the river, cooks sustainable Vietnamese food built on Hoi An specialties and local artisans, and is open to outside guests. Inside, coral banquettes run along a tile mural of boats on the river. Lunch and dinner are à la carte, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The Fisherman

The Fisherman, beside the main pool, is reserved for resort guests and serves modern Vietnamese dishes with seafood from the Cham Islands; its pool bar opens from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. I did not eat there during my stay.

The Merchant River Cruise and In-Villa Dining

The Merchant River Cruise, launched in May 2026, is a wooden boat that serves a five-course Spice Route menu and cocktails as it travels the Thu Bon River, with breakfast, lunch and dinner sailings. I am saving it for next time. And if you would rather not leave your terrace at all, in-villa dining is available 24 hours a day.

Eating Out in Hoi An

Hoi An is a great place for gastronomy, with hundreds of restaurants only a few minutes from the hotel. This is one of the advantages of Namia’s location: you can spend the day in the calm of the islet and still eat somewhere different in town every evening.

Getting into Hoi An: On Foot, by Bicycle, Shuttle or Grab

The Ancient Town is very close, and you have several ways to get there.

The Shuttle Boat

Namia’s shuttle boat normally runs to the old town and back through the day, a crossing of about 20 minutes, and arriving in Hoi An by river is a treat in itself. During my rainy stay, the boat shuttle was replaced by an electric bus.

The schedule is from November 2026 and the boats depend on the weather, so check the times with your Host.

On Your Own Schedule: Walk, Cycle or Take a Grab

If you want to go at your own time, you can walk to the old town in about 20 minutes, cycle there in 10 minutes on the bamboo bicycle parked outside your villa, or take a Grab car for about $1.

The Free Beach Shuttle

A free shuttle bus also leaves for The Deck House on An Bang Beach at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.; the beach is only 10 minutes away by car.

Service: Warm, Young and Still Growing

Namia opened in December 2024, and its team is young, smiling and eager to help. The Hoi An Hosts wrote to me before I arrived with a plan for the rain, and my treatments at Lumina were excellent. As in any new hotel, a few details are still being polished before the service reaches the level of Asia’s very best five-star addresses. The foundations are all there, and I expect it to get there quickly.

Sustainability: Certified, and Visible

Namia was certified in June 2026 against the criteria of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, after an independent audit by GCL International. You do not need the certificate to notice it. There is not a single plastic water bottle on the islet: drinking water comes in reusable glass bottles from Glassia, a Hoi An company, and Namia counts 166,800 of them served since January 2025, or 1,668 kilograms of plastic avoided. The straws are made of sugarcane waste. The uniforms of all 235 team members are sewn by Binh Thuy, a family tailor in Hoi An, and the wooden craft pieces in the villas come from local artisans. At night, the lighting by Kobi Lighting Studio points down, not up, to keep the sky dark for the wildlife and for your sleep.

How Much Does Namia River Retreat Cost?

For this Namia River Retreat review, I checked three booking sites on 13 November 2026 for one midweek night, Wednesday 9 December 2026, for two adults. These were the lowest rates shown, with taxes and fees included.

For comparison, on Wednesday 17 March 2027, in the dry season, Booking.com showed the Nipa Pool Villa from $545 and the River Pool Villa from $694. The lowest rates are usually non-refundable; flexible rates with free cancellation cost a little more.

Check rates on Booking.com | Check rates on Trip.com | Check rates on Expedia

On the night I checked, the three sites were within about 5 percent of each other, and no single site was the cheapest for both villas. On other dates, rates for the same villa can differ by 10 to 20 percent between booking sites, and the gap moves with the season. Check two or three of the sites above, and compare the cancellation terms as well as the price.

What the Rate Includes

Whatever rate you find, remember what it covers before you compare it with other five-star hotels in Hoi An.

Once your booking is confirmed, send the resort your villa request (108, 109 or 110 on the riverfront) and your preferred spa times.

Who Namia River Retreat Is For

To sum up this Namia River Retreat review, the resort is for travelers who want Hoi An without the bustle: mornings of tai chi and yoga, a daily spa ritual rooted in Vietnamese herbal medicine, a pool of your own, and the lanterns of the old town a short boat ride away. It is ideal for couples, for friends on a wellness break and for solo travelers.

If your idea of Hoi An is a beach holiday with your toes in the sand all day, look at Four Seasons The Nam Hai, where I have stayed three times: it is the beach resort to Namia’s river retreat. I compare the two in Namia vs Four Seasons Hoi An. I have also compared The Nam Hai with Six Senses Con Dao, on an island I wrote about in what to do in Con Dao.

Namia also fits beautifully into a longer journey through Vietnam: a wellness cruise on Bhaya Soul in Ha Long Bay, caves and clay at Auko in Phong Nha, the imperial city from Azerai La Residence in Hue, then the train over the Hai Van Pass to Hoi An. If you are starting in the capital, the new Fairmont Hanoi is the opening to know about.

Frequently Asked Questions About Namia River Retreat

Is Namia River Retreat worth it?

Yes. I rate it 4.5 out of 5. Every villa has a private pool, and each night includes a 90-minute spa journey per guest, daily yoga and tai chi classes, all-day breakfast and a boat to Hoi An’s Ancient Town. I stayed two nights in November 2026 and loved the spa, the breakfast and my villa.

Where is Namia River Retreat?

On Con Ba Xa islet on the Thu Bon River in Hoi An, central Vietnam, 50 minutes by car from Da Nang International Airport, about 20 minutes by the resort’s shuttle boat from the town center and 10 minutes by car from An Bang Beach. The old town is about 20 minutes on foot or 10 minutes by bicycle, and the islet is very quiet.

How far is Namia River Retreat from Hoi An old town?

About 20 minutes on foot, 10 minutes by bicycle, or a few minutes by Grab car for about $1. The resort also runs a shuttle boat, which was replaced by an electric bus during my rainy stay in November 2026.

What is included in a stay at Namia River Retreat?

A private pool villa, all-day breakfast, a non-alcoholic minibar refreshed daily, one 90-minute Wellness Journey per guest per night, daily yoga, tai chi and cultural experiences, shuttle boats to town and a sunset river boat with cocktails and canapés. Lunch, dinner, alcohol and extra treatments are not included.

How much does Namia River Retreat cost?

For Wednesday 9 December 2026, checked on 13 November 2026, a Nipa Pool Villa for two cost from $580 to $609 and a River Pool Villa from $751 to $781 on Booking.com, Trip.com and Expedia, taxes and fees included. Rates change with the date and the booking site.

What is the Wellness Journey at Namia?

A 90-minute ritual at Lumina Wellbeing: a health consultation and herbal prescription at the apothecary, 30 minutes of herbal hammam or sauna and cool plunge, then a 60-minute traditional Vietnamese therapy such as massage, acupressure, cupping or herbal poultice.

How many villas does Namia River Retreat have?

Sixty, all with a private pool: 26 Nipa Pool Villas and 27 River Pool Villas of 148 square meters each, 6 two-bedroom Family Villas of 210 square meters and 1 Honeymoon Pool Villa of 300 square meters. The private pools are not heated.

Which villa is best at Namia River Retreat?

On the riverfront, ask for villa 108, 109 or 110: they have the most open river view and sit between the spa and the main pool. Villas 120 to 130 also have an open view but are a longer walk from the restaurants. Villa 131 is next to the yoga pavilion. The Nipa Pool Villas are the same size and face the nipa palm forest.

How do you get from Da Nang to Namia River Retreat?

By hotel car or by Grab. The airport is 50 minutes away. In November 2026 my Grab from Da Nang railway station took 55 minutes and cost 370,000 VND, about $14.

Is Namia River Retreat safe during the flood season?

The resort told me it stayed safe and open during Hoi An’s record floods of 2025. Its villas are built on stilts above the 50-year flood line. During my stay in heavy rain in November 2026, when the riverside street in Hoi An’s old town was flooded, Namia did not flood and ran normally, with buggies and an indoor activity program.

What is there to do at Namia when it rains?

Plenty. Outdoor activities such as the sunset boat, the bicycle trail and the basket boats are canceled in the rain, but the daily spa journey, the fitness studio and sauna, four yoga classes, coconut leaf crafting, a cocktail hour with the Hoi An Hosts and Happy Hour at The Merchant all go ahead.

Can children stay at Namia River Retreat?

Yes. There are six two-bedroom Family Villas, indoor and outdoor play zones, daily children’s activities such as koi feeding and eco crafting, and babysitting on request. The spa is not available to children under 12, and the full Wellness Journey is included from age 16.

Is Namia River Retreat eco-friendly?

Yes. It was certified against the Global Sustainable Tourism Council criteria in June 2026, uses no single-use plastic water bottles, sources from family businesses in Hoi An and Da Nang, and was designed with low-carbon, bioclimatic architecture.

Namia River Retreat Review: Is It Worth It?

Yes. I arrived in a downpour and left two days later feeling as if I had been away for a week. A private pool villa that is calm from the first second, birdsong in the morning, two herbal hammams and a cupping session that untied my shoulders, tai chi in the garden, a breakfast I am still thinking about, and Hoi An waiting at the end of a boat ride: Namia has understood that real luxury is having everything good for you already arranged. I would go back tomorrow, ideally with the sun out, to take that sunset boat.

My rating: 4.5 / 5

More on luxury travel in Vietnam: the best luxury hotels in Vietnam · the best luxury hotels in Hoi An.

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I stayed two nights at Namia River Retreat in a River Pool Villa on 11 to 13 November 2026. Read more about how I review or visit my Work With Me page.