Palm Bay Resort Phu Quoc Review: Affordable Family Stay in the Heart of Phu Quoc

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When we booked our family trip to Phu Quoc, Vietnam we had a short list of non-negotiables: we wanted a clean, affordable hotel with a pool where our 11-year-old wouldn’t get bored, that was within walking distance to the beach and good food.

After hours of sifting through options that were either too expensive or too far-flung, we landed on Palm Bay, near Long Beach , and this Palm Bay Phu Quoc resort review shares exactly why it turned out to be the perfect sweet spot for our two-week stay.

This post covers exactly what to expect at Palm Bay Resort, what we loved, what you should know before booking, and tips to help you decide if it’s the right fit for your own Vietnam family adventure.

What Families Will Love About Palm Bay Resort

Affordable, Kid-Friendly Comfort

At about $65 CAD (~$48USD) per night in the high season for the three of us, Palm Bay Resort on Phu Quoc Island gave us everything we needed: cold AC & a fan, a clean room with 2 comfortable queen beds (sleeps four), and a pool our daughter spent hours in daily.

It felt like a steal compared to the more expensive beachfront resorts we looked at. And the gorgeous Palm Bay Resort was one of my favorite places we stayed our whole 6 month Southeast Asia trip.

The hotel opened in 2023, so the building and amenities were quite new, and our room was clean, quiet, and well maintained. Everything was spotless when we arrived, and we didn’t run into a single maintenance issue during our two-week stay.

The cleaning staff came every day, and we had no problem asking for extra towels or cleaning if needed at the front desk.

It also felt like a resort, between with the pool, buffet breakfast and tropical gardens and trees, but without the huge resort price. Just note it is a tropical island so we did see lizards and ants around daily. We even named a couple.

We stayed in Room 115, a family room with balcony on the bottom floor, in one of the middle units on the right-hand side of the resort. It had direct access to the pool loungers, which we loved, especially since many were shaded on that side for much of the day. While the loungers are communal, having them right outside our door made watching our daughter swim incredibly easy.

For some reason, none of us took any good pictures of the inside of the room or the bathroom. Here’s a lived in view of a couple of the only inside photos we took of our family room, which had 2 queen sized beds.

It actually does look like the photos on all the booking sites.

Planning your trip? Don’t miss our kid-approved 3-Day Phu Quoc Itinerary, packed with family-friendly highlights and flexible options to help you tailor the perfect island escape for your family. Plus check out the top 10 places to visit in Vietnam with kids.

Pool Time = Happy Kids

The pool was a daily highlight. Our daughter spent hours there, especially in the late afternoon when the heat peaked. It’s also well lit at night, and open until about 10:30pm so fun for a night time swimcapade as well.

There’s a small shallow area with a short divider railing, great for younger kids (though not fully toddler-proof). Just know there’s no lifeguard or fencing, so you’ll want to keep a close eye on little ones.

We often met other families by the pool, which gave our kid someone to splash around with while we relaxed with a good book.

Breakfast with Local + Western Options

A complimentary breakfast buffet is included in your stay. The offerings are simple but solid: think Pho, fried rice, bacon, pancakes, made to order omelettes, fresh fruit, toast and coffee / Vietnamese coffee and juice.

As Canadians, we appreciated having both local and familiar options to start the day. And our daughter got to pick and choose what she wanted, which made our mornings much easier.

We asked our daughter Miss S. what her favorite thing at the resort was, and of course she said the pool, and the small deep fried bread rolls for breakfast. More specifically she could eat as many of them as she wanted. Hey, we were on vacation what can you do?!?!.

We found it did get quite busy when the resort got more fully booked, even when it opened at 7:30am, but they always seemed to replenish the food in a timely manner. And there was always the option of made-to-order Pho (beef noodle soup), or omlettes.

That said, the buffet doesn’t change much, so if you’re staying more than a few days, you’ll probably find yourself heading to nearby cafes now and then for variety (we did!).

There’s also no air conditioning in the dining area, just lots of fans, so it can be a bit hot with everyone in there.

Central Location Without the Noise

Palm Bay Resort is tucked back from the main road, so it’s quiet at night, but still walkable to everything. It is down a darker alley, so make sure you have a phone / flashlight if you’re walking home after dark.

Long Beach is a 15-20 minute walk, or a quick scooter / Grab ride away. You’ll find restaurants, street food stalls, coffee shops, spas and convenience stores just a few minutes away on foot.

The Long Beach area is also the most happening, with the Night Market only about a 10-15 minute Grab ride from the resort (or free Vin Bus ride), plus many beach restaurants and bars all along the beach.

Our favorite Cafes / Restaurants within a short walking distance

While you can take a Grab, or bus anywhere on the island for a super affordable price, sometimes we just wanted a meal or snack closer to home.

We loved going for ice cream in the afternoon or evening at Phú Quốc Cà Rem, and hitting up Nora’s Cafe for epically huge jugs of lime sodas on hot days. Their Vietnamese Iced Coffee was also a go-to for me in the 30°C+ (86°F) weather. And if you’re into Viet-hipster food as we called it, they also serve tasty omlettes, smoothie bowls and rice bowls for breakfast / lunch.

If you want a less trendy place for coffee, Coffee 15K was super affordable and had delicious Caphe Sua Da (Iced milk coffee). It’s a 10 minute walk from the resort on the main road heading south (away from Duong Dong). Their drinks are no longer 15K VND, but range from 25K to ~50K which is still a great price.

The Lemongrass Restaurant has decent Vietnamese / Western food if you don’t want to travel much after a long day. It wasn’t our favorite restaurant on Phu Quoc, but we did have a couple of tasty meals there.

We also had a great lunch of crispy fish and chips and BBQ squid at  Z Coffee / Family restaurant (they serve both Vietnamese & western dishes). And the owners were so nice. We even saw them hold someone’s baby for over half an hour so their parent could eat their meal in peace.

☀️ Need ideas for your itinerary? Check out our Top 10 Phu Quoc Activities, curated with family-friendly fun, laid-back adventures, and a few hidden gems to help you build a trip your whole crew will love.

What to Keep in Mind Before Booking

Not Beachfront – But Close Enough

If you’re dreaming of ocean views from your bed, this isn’t the place. But if you’re okay with a short stroll or a $2 Grab ride, you’ll have beach access in no time.

Long Beach is closest.

Small Property = Fewer Amenities

There’s no restaurant, gym, or kids’ club on-site.

It’s best for families who want to explore the island rather than hang out at a full-service resort all day. We didn’t miss the extras, but if you need an all-inclusive vibe, this won’t be it.

They do also offer:

• Motorbike rentals: You can rent a motorbike for 4 hours (80,000 VND) or for a day (150,000 VND). The price is similar to other rental companies on the island. There’s a gas station about 5 minutes away.

• Free bottled water daily: The cleaning staff left water bottles in our fridge every day for us, which was handy for our almost daily afternoon siestas.

• Laundry: Laundry service is available, for 50K VND a kg (they weigh it right there). We had ours done a couple of times, and it usually was next day service.

• Outdoor hanging rack: Outside each room off to the side is a hanging rack with a few hangers, to hang up wet bathing suits and towels, etc. I found that a nice handy surprise.

Pool Safety

As mentioned, the pool isn’t fenced, so younger kids will need close supervision. Also, bring your own floaties or life jackets if you need them, as we didn’t see any available on-site.

Another potential issue is the number of sunbeds around the pool. There are only 12 pool lounge chairs for around 30 rooms, and some people were reserving beds with towels but not using them.

We always were able to find a chair, but as this resort gets more popular, that could become an issue.

Best Room Tips

• Bottom-floor rooms are ideal if you have mobility issues or don’t want to lug gear and groceries up flights of stairs. Just be aware that the breakfast room is on the second floor above the lobby with quite a few stairs up.

• Middle units (like the one we stayed in) offer quick access to the pool loungers—super convenient and often shaded.

• Guests 6 years and older are considered adults, and as such are charged extra. We found this to be common around Vietnam and in Southeast Asia during our 6 month trip.

• If possible, avoid rooms near the lobby, as we heard some guests mention occasional noise during breakfast hours.

Final Thoughts: Is Palm Bay Resort Worth It?

For our family, Palm Bay Resort hit the sweet spot: it was relaxing, clean, family-friendly, and super budget-friendly. While it doesn’t have the bells and whistles of high-end resorts, we didn’t feel like we were missing out. Our daughter swam every day, we explored Phu Quoc easily, and we had more room in the budget for adventures and food.

If you’re a small family looking for a clean, central, and affordable place to stay in Phu Quoc, Palm Bay is an excellent choice, especially for longer stays or families who plan to be out exploring most days.