Hanoi (VNA) - Surpassing some of the most celebrated names in luxury hospitality, InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort has secured the top spot in the Asian resort rankings at Condé Nast Traveler’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards. With a score of 98.76, the Sun Group-invested resort on the Son Tra Peninsula demonstrates its enduring appeal after 14 years of welcoming guests.
On October 6, Condé Nast Traveler announced its “Top 15 Resorts in Asia” list as part of the 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards. InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort ranked first with a score of 98.76, ahead of Wildflower Hall, Shimla - an Oberoi resort in India - which placed second with 98.56. The Oberoi Vindhyavilas Wildlife Resort, Bandhavgarh, took third place with 98.36.
The margin of just 0.2 points between the two leading properties underscores the close competition at the top of the rankings. In a list featuring distinguished names in luxury hospitality, the Da Nang resort’s score of 98.76 secured a prominent position while further elevating Vietnam’s profile among international travellers.
Now in their 39th year, the Readers’ Choice Awards are among the most influential honors in the global travel industry. In 2026, Condé Nast Traveler recorded 798,867 votes across categories ranging from destinations, hotels, and resorts to airlines and cruises. The distinction carries particular weight because it reflects readers’ choices and travellers’ appreciation of the experiences they encounter.
For InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, the timing of this recognition is especially meaningful. Opened in June 2012, the resort has now been operating for 14 years. As new properties continue to enter the luxury hospitality market, this achievement can be seen as recognition of its ability to sustain its appeal over time: its architecture continues to impress, while its dining, service, and guest experiences keep pace with travelers’ rising expectations.
Set amid the green hills of Son Tra and overlooking Bai Bac Bay, InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort is presented by Condé Nast Traveler as a retreat removed from the pace of everyday life, despite being just approximately 30 minutes from Da Nang International Airport.
This sense of seclusion emerges from the surrounding forest and sea, together with architect Bill Bensley’s approach to integrating the resort into Son Tra’s terrain. The property unfolds across four levels - Heaven, Sky, Earth, and Sea - following the hillside down to the beach. Forms inspired by traditional Vietnamese communal houses and temples, conical hats, and basket boats are reinterpreted through contemporary design, creating a luxurious setting with a distinctive Vietnamese cultural identity.
The Nam Tram funicular connects the resort’s levels with cabins shaped like traditional basket boats. Traveling through the property becomes an experience in itself, as the scenery shifts from forest canopies and hillside gardens to the bay below. Expansive balconies and open terraces bring nature into the guest experience, allowing visitors to enjoy Son Tra’s landscape throughout their stay.
Dining extends the sense of a stay thoughtfully considered in every detail. La Maison 1888, which holds one Michelin star, draws travelers who appreciate French cuisine. Under the culinary guidance of chef Christian Le Squer, its menus express the spirit of haute cuisine through refined techniques and the incorporation of local ingredients and flavors. Dinner here can become a defining moment of the stay, making gastronomy a reason in its own right to visit the resort.
At Citron, guests can savor Vietnamese flavors in outdoor dining spaces shaped like inverted conical hats (non la) and overlooking the bay. A familiar symbol of Vietnamese culture becomes a memorable architectural feature, connecting the dining experience with the landscape of Son Tra.
The leisurely rhythm of a stay continues at Mi Sol Spa, where treatments combine massage, sound, and vibrations from tuning forks. Surrounded by forest and sea, these wellness experiences give guests time to unwind, rest, and enjoy the tranquility of the peninsula.
The Condé Nast Traveler accolade comes in the same year that the resort was awarded One Michelin Key, marking another notable milestone for InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort. Recognition from Michelin’s hotel selection, alongside its leading position in Condé Nast Traveler’s reader rankings, strengthens the resort’s standing through both expert assessment and guest appreciation.
This recognition also marks another chapter in Sun Group’s luxury hospitality development. The group brings the culture, art, and stories of each destination into its architecture, dining, and service, allowing every hotel and resort to offer its own way of experiencing a place. For InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, an accolade earned after 14 years of operation demonstrates how a property’s value continues to grow through the care invested in its operation. When a distinctive architectural identity is matched by a consistently high-quality guest experience over time, a resort can become a reason for travelers to choose Da Nang - and to return to this coastal city./.
