After spending 2 nights at Pullman Phu Quoc, my wife and I moved to La Veranda for another 2 nights for our anniversary. They were very different experiences, but we really enjoyed both.

One thing La Veranda did really well was the pre-arrival communication. They asked about our plans, and when we told them we were already in Phu Quoc, they actually arranged transport for us from Pullman. Their driver was waiting in the Pullman lobby while we checked out and took us directly to La Veranda. Really smooth.

Sam at the front desk deserves a special mention. Honestly, one of the best hospitality experiences I've had. He went way beyond what you'd normally expect and helped us with everything throughout the stay. Check-in was lovely, with some beautifully arranged welcome drinks while he explained the property and our room.

As an Accor Platinum, we were upgraded from an Ocean View Suite to an Ocean View Villa, which was fantastic. The villa had a huge bathroom, beautiful old French colonial architecture, a gorgeous bed and a patio/garden overlooking the sea. Sitting outside in the evening was probably my favourite part of the room.

Platinum also got us complimentary soft drinks from the minibar and, even though breakfast wasn't included in our original booking, we received breakfast as part of the Platinum benefits.

The property itself is much smaller than Pullman, but that's also what makes it special. It's very green, peaceful and intimate. The pool is smaller and wasn't crowded at all during our stay.

The beach situation is a little different. La Veranda's beach area is next to a public beach, so it's not completely private like some resort beaches. However, they have their own section with sunbeds and security, and the staff were good at ensuring the hotel's areas weren't misused.

The location is actually one of the biggest advantages. Unlike Pullman, which feels quite isolated, La Veranda is right in the middle of a busy area. It's about a 5-minute uphill walk (nothing too difficult), and suddenly you're surrounded by restaurants, vegetarian restaurants, pubs, massage/nail salons etc. There's also King Kong Mart, which might genuinely be the biggest supermarket I've ever seen 😂.

Breakfast was good, although as vegetarians we found the buffet options a little limited. But again, the service was excellent. Sam and the breakfast team asked us what we could eat and were happy to arrange additional vegetarian food and fresh fruit for us. That was really appreciated.

The bar was also excellent — the drinks were beautifully made and felt very well thought out.

Checkout was quick and easy, and they arranged a comfortable coach transfer to the airport for us.

Overall: La Veranda is very different from Pullman.

Pullman is a much larger resort with more facilities, bigger pools, more activities and a more traditional "big resort" feel.

La Veranda is smaller, quieter and much more intimate. It has fewer facilities, but the beautiful French colonial architecture, lush gardens, location and especially the personalised service give it a lot of character.

If you want a huge resort with lots of facilities, La Veranda may feel too small. But if you want something peaceful, beautiful, full of character and with genuinely personal hospitality, I'd definitely recommend it.

And once again, a huge shout-out to Sam — he really made our stay special.

La Veranda Phu Quoc – 2-night stay review