JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay & Spa is not your ordinary beach resort. The sprawling five-star property is designed around the fictional 19th-century Lamarck University named after real-life pioneering French biologist Jean Baptiste Lamarck.
Now, a university-themed hotel could have gone either way – kitschy and tacky, or charming and quirky. Luckily it was the latter. Thanks to renowned hospitality designer Bill Bensley, the result is a flamboyant, down-the-rabbit-hole playground that sucks guests (or in this case, “students”) into a mythical academy of learning. It makes for an interesting experience that only gets curiouser and curiouser as they explore the place.
Eclectic and lavish
Bensley, who has admitted being a “serious maximalist”, decorates the resort with authentic artifacts and unique pieces that reflect the early 20th-century style of the so-called university. Many of the items are real antiques sourced from all over the world, blurring the line between fiction and reality.
As the story goes, Lamarck University or Lam U thrived between 1880 and 1940 with the children of wealthy locals and colonial residents. In the 1940s, the university was closed, mothballed and stood still in time. Then it was restored in 2017 by Vietnam’s Sun Group and designer Bensley to become JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay & Spa. Located on the southeastern tip of Phu Quoc off the southern coast of Vietnam, it became the island’s most opulent international establishment. Classrooms were artfully converted into guest rooms, and offices were transformed into public spaces. Even the old mushroom mycology wharf was reborn as the enchanting Chanterelle Spa.
For this “student”, it was a trippy stay from the get-go. As I entered the resort, two large sculptures of the Phu Quoc Ridgeback (a rare breed of dog from the island, and the university’s mascot) welcomed me. They looked grand – and a little intimidating.
The lobby, with its tall ceiling and monochrome decor, was equally striking, harking back to a bygone era with exquisite details and knick knacks, including leather-bound books, portrait oil paintings, and tournament trophies. It was easy to believe the lore until I spotted a bizarre specimen amongst the items, a “mythological hybrid animal inhabiting the alpine forest of Bavaria”. It made me smile.
As Lam U was dedicated to the study of all things natural, from anthropology to zoology, I was schooled into learning about the resort’s 16 departments. There is a Department of Physical Education (the gym), Department of Chemistry Bar (the bar and lounge), and Department of Conchology & Botany (one of several buildings housing guest rooms, including mine), among others.
I was also given a Lamarck University starter kit with a campus map and daily curriculum. Each building or department is painted in a recognisable hue like a Wes Anderson film set – yellow, turquoise, pink and so forth – so it was not difficult to get around.
The resort has 231 rooms, suites and private pool villas. My spacious Emerald Bay Room with Ocean View was decorated in a similar style with vintage-looking furniture and fixtures. It was well-appointed with all the necessary amenities: wall-mounted LCD TV, writing table, electronic in-room safe, hair dryer, coffee and tea-making facility, and mini bar/fridge. The bathroom was equally large with a pair of vanity sinks, bathtub and shower, although the toilet was strangely located separately at the other side of the room.
The balcony offered a bird’s eye view of Khem Beach, and quickly became my favourite spot in the morning. It was magical to sit with a cup of hot cocoa and watch the sunrise against the sound of gentle lapping waves and cool sea breeze.
It was particularly windy during my stay in November. While the beach was beautiful and clean with white soft sand, the wind whipped the sea into a frenzy of whitecaps. It was not a big issue though, because it was the perfect excuse to go for a swim in the distinctive Shell Pool – one of three outdoor swimming pools in the resort.
Dine and relax
There are five dining venues for hungry guests. Tempus Fugit is the main all-day dining restaurant where I had my daily buffet breakfast. Every day, it presents a generous spread of Vietnamese, contemporary Japanese, and classic Western cuisines, as well as the country’s famous drip coffee.
Pink Pearl is the resort’s French fine-dining restaurant, inspired from the legend of Madame Pearl Collins, a one-time resident of Lam U. Dine here for a quiet romantic dinner. Next door, the Department of Chemistry Bar serves alcoholic potions a.k.a. signature cocktails by the beach. Another beachside venue is Red Rum, named not because of Stephen King’s The Shining but because it serves a variety of boutique rums and comfort food like pizzas with Latin-American flavours. Lazy afternoons can be spent at French & Co., a cafe that sells coffee, tea, pastries, artisan breads, and salads.
Guests don’t have to venture far for recreation and relaxation. At the centre of the resort is a running track and open field for guests who want to get their game on. Nearby is Rue de Lamarck, a street featuring artisan boutiques, cultural events and a night market every Saturday.
A trip to a beachside resort would not be complete without a spa session. Head to the Alice in Wonderland-themed Chanterelle – Spa by JW for herbal-infused, natural-inspired signature treatments like Sports Therapy 1970’s, Mushroom Herbal Mycology or Khem Beach Shell Massage.
As I left the resort for the airport, a fellow guest remarked that the entire stay felt like a fever dream – in a good way. I agreed; I would not mind having another dreamy vacation at JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay & Spa.
More to know
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For more information about JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay & Spa, visit here.
