Leonardo with his welcome drink
When you think about Danang, most people think about sunlight and sea, so the natural choice for a hotel is one close to the beach. While this is true for us too, Leonardo and I had 10 days to stay in Danang, so we also wanted to sleep in a different place, like a boutique resort. It was during my booking.com search that I stumbled upon The Memory Danang. What stroke first me were the photos: it looked like a maze in the jungle, with its nature dangling down from balconies, the brown bricks used in its structure, the dark green themes, and an amazing metal spiral staircase. We had to sleep there, so I booked a balcony room.
Miss Ngoc offering me to chose the aroma of the bath products
At check-in day, we realized from the very outside that this was indeed an original building. Its strange geometry and the contrast with the surrounding buildings is surprising. Leonardo saw immediately that it was not the usual hotel without character, and he loved it straight away. We were met by Miss Ngoc, the head receptionist, who explained to us the concept of the hotel while Leonardo socialised with the friendly staff. She then made me chose the aroma of the toiletries from a choice of three, and then directed us to our room with the hotel elevator.
Our quite original room
The Deluxe Balcony Room I chose overlooks the inside of the hotel and the central reception downstairs, so it has no windows to the outside. However, the fact that the room’s small balcony looks right in the central hollow part of the hotel gives the impression of an open green space, with many layers of accommodation that are somehow conceived by the original design of the place. The one thing I noticed straight away in entering the room was that the air conditioned was turned off, yet the room felt cool.
Our amazing bathtub
The room was a bit dark, yes, but comfortably dark. The mattress was placed on a split level cement base and the desk/fridge/open wardrobe area was small but more than enough for what it is intended for. The major feature of the room is the bathroom, with its amazing stone walls and very roomy grindstone bathtub. Leonardo loved that one, and made full use of it! Things like quality shower gel, berry shampoo and handmade soap pieces completed the job.
The ground floor bar area
Leonardo played a bit with his toys then hit the bed and fell asleep, so I had a bit of time for exploring the hotel. I was really pleased about the original design and the combination between modern and traditional, with lots of steel and cement mixed with traditional wooden features. Miss Ngoc informed me that the owners got the inspiration from outstanding handicraft villages such as Hoa Hai (grind stone village), Kim Bong (wood village), Non Nuoc (marble village), Thanh Ha (pottery village) and Tho Quang (fishing village). Well, kudos to the owners because The Memory Danang reflects Vietnamese traditional culture and honours the diligence and craftsmanship of artisans from traditional villages.
My breakfast soup
At the bar and reception area, the loudspeakers played soft piano music, soothing melodies that can also be heard from the rooms. The clientele seemed to range from high end to backpackers, since The Memory Danang also operates as an hostel, with beds in mixed gender dormitory rooms.
When I went back to my room, Leonardo was still sleeping and the feeling of freshness persisted, despite the air-con was still off. This is a godsend for someone like us who do not like air conditioning.
The ground floor bar area
At night, I unwinded in their design bar with one of their signature cocktails, chatted to their capable barman, and planned the next day in Danang. The morning after, I enjoyed Vietnamese white coffee and a traditional Vietnamese breakfast, a delicate noodle soup made from beef bones, ginger, onions, and lots of aromatic spices. Their breakfast choice include the most popular Vietnamese breakfast soups, so if you are staying a few days at The Memory Danang, make sure you try them all.
The Memory Danang regularly offers local and exotic tours specially designed by The Memory Team, like going along with a local guide to the market, making Vietnamese dishes, basket-boating along the river and more. That afternoon we joined their motorbike trip to Hoi An and The Thanh Ha Pottery Village, read all about it HERE.
The Memory Danang building stands out from the outside
Overall, I can say that staying at The Memory Danang provided us much more than accommodation: it was a very unique experience. And like its name suggest, it ensured we took with us memories of a country rich in history and in distinctive cultural features. Despite having very little to entertain kids, Leonardo really enjoyed the uniqueness of The Memory Danang and the friendly nature of all the amazing staff totally dedicated to it customers. Thanks again to Miss Ngoc and her team!
The Memory Danang Boutique Hotel
202 Hồ Nghinh, quận Sơn Trà, Danang
Hotline: (+84)2363.937.597 / (+84)935.442.506
Email: sale@thememorydanang.com
Website: www.thememorydanang.com
