Tucked away in the historic Kim Long village just outside Hue’s Imperial Citadel walls, Ancient Hue Garden Houses & Villas is more than a place to stay—it’s a cultural immersion. With a design ethos anchored in Vietnam’s royal and colonial past, this tranquil boutique hotel blends traditional architecture, lush gardens, and refined hospitality with quiet confidence.

While this stay was complimentary, all thoughts and opinions are our own.

Ancient Hue Garden Houses & Villas review

First impressions: stepping into a time capsule

From the moment you step through Ancient Hue’s ornately carved timber gates, you feel like you’re entering a different tempo of life. The arrival is memorable: terracotta tiles underfoot, lanterns swaying from wooden beams, mature tropical palms and calamondin citrus trees rustling in the breeze. Staff in traditional áo dài greet you with calm warmth, guiding you along a garden-fringed path to reception.

This isn’t an imitation of old-world charm—it is old-world charm. Built on a former Nguyen Dynasty compound, the property wears its history proudly, with a meticulous eye for heritage detail and material authenticity at every turn.

Design notes: where Ruong houses meet French villas

The property is divided into two thoughtfully executed zones. On one side, traditional Ruong Garden Houses reflect the lifestyle of Nguyen Dynasty officials, featuring open-beam structures, carved timber panels, and feng shui-informed layouts. On the other, the French Villas evoke Indochine elegance with arched balconies, art deco accents, and soft colonial colour palettes.

Lush gardens reflect the working landscapes of old Hue—azaleas, gardenias, roses, and edible or medicinal plantings all feature prominently. The French Villa gardens lean toward a more European aesthetic. As you follow the curving stone paths, koi fish meander through flowing streams. Asian artworks and sculptural relics create moments of quiet discovery. The layout encourages slow wandering, with cultural and design details unfolding along the way.

The room: Gustave Eiffel Deluxe Double

Ancient Hue Garden Houses & Villas review Gustave Eiffel Villa room interior
Gustave Eiffel interior of guest room

We stayed in a Deluxe Double Room on the second floor of the Gustave Eiffel Villa, named for the celebrated French engineer. At 37 sq-m with an 8.1 sq-m private terrace, the room balances colonial elegance and modern comfort. The look is soft and natural: muted green timber shutters, cream upholstery, rich wood tones, and a bold burnt-orange print above the bed.

Details like a timber ceiling fan, two-seater lounge, and an ornate writing desk lend the room a distinct character, while modern touches—climate control, flatscreen TV, minibar—are seamlessly integrated. The bathroom impressed me with its grey tiling, brass fittings, a marble-clad rainfall shower, and Ancient Hue-branded toiletries. It’s polished and refined without feeling overdesigned.

Ancient Hue Garden Houses & Villas review interior of bathroom
Bathroom interior

Even on a drizzly spring morning, our private terrace was the perfect spot for sipping the house-blend tea and watching the neighbourhood slowly stir.

Dining: Imperial dishes meet French finesse

The hotel features three distinct dining venues, each offering a different take on Vietnamese and French culinary traditions.

Phú Mộng Royal Dining delivers the most distinctive experience—an immersive nine-course meal inspired by Hue’s regal past. Guests can don royal costumes, enjoy traditional folk music, and savour dishes served with theatrical flair, without tipping into kitsch.

Ancient Hue Garden Houses & Villas review Phú Mộng Royal Dining interior
Phú Mộng Royal Dining

Kim Long Fine Dining, housed in a stately Ruong house, serves as the hotel’s all-day restaurant. Breakfasts are à la carte and superb. We particularly enjoyed the Vietnamese tea or espresso, fresh fruit juice, warm pastries, and dishes like the Fry-pan Baguette—a Vietnamese spin on shakshuka with eggs, pâté, sausage, and tomato concasse served in a pan with a crusty baguette.

Le Soleil de Huế rounds out the offerings with elegant French cuisine in a glasshouse setting, its menu created by Michelin-starred chef Thierry Mounon.

Wellness & Leisure: subtle luxury in every detail

Ancient Hue Garden Houses & Villas review spa interior
Inside the spa

The Phú Xuân Spa is exactly what you’d hope for in a boutique Vietnamese retreat—quiet, personal, and beautifully appointed. Two treatment rooms, a steam room, sauna, and even a shampoo station make it more than just a massage spot (though the Vietnamese massage was excellent—firm, intuitive, and restorative).

The onsite gym is compact but well-equipped, with timber interiors and specialist Pilates gear. It feels more like a private studio than a standard hotel gym.

Two serene swimming pools—each reflecting the design language of their respective side of the resort—offer shaded lounging and a welcome respite from the midday heat.

Local immersion: beyond the resort walls

Ancient Hue’s cultural offerings feel genuine and closely tied to its surrounding community. We joined the Phu Mong Bike Tour, a scenic and engaging ride through the neighbourhood’s quiet laneways. Highlights included visiting a 100-year-old Mandarin’s house—a traditional garden residence once home to a high-ranking court official from the Nguyen Dynasty. We met local artisan Ngoc Hung, who reimagines traditional conical hats using dried almond leaves, and tried our hand at shaping O Le rice dumplings in a garden kitchen.

The experience was hands-on, insightful, and a meaningful contrast to the calm indulgence of the resort itself.

The vibe: sophisticated, serene, and deeply rooted

Ancient Hue Garden Houses & Villas is ideal for travellers who prefer quiet cultural richness over flash, and for whom heritage is more than an aesthetic. It’s serene without being dull, elegant without being fussy, and intimate without being intrusive. The hotel connects strongly to Hue’s past while offering modern comfort in spades.

Learn more about Ancient Hue Garden Houses & Villas or Book through Booking.com

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