The JW Marriott Phú Quốc brings us back to school on a Vietnamese island

David Ho stays at the JW Marriot Phú Quốc, where he enrolls at Lamarck University to continue his education on holiday sciences

There are certain things we expect when visiting a beach resort, be it tropical weather, white-sand beaches, comfortable lodging, luxurious amenities, great food, and so on. Those and more are all ticked on the list at the JW Marriott Phú Quốc, but heading back to school was certainly not on the bingo card for our visit there.

The five-star resort on Vietnam’s largest island is built around the legend of Lamarck University. Named after French biologist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, the hotel seeks to continue the legacy of this institution of higher learning that was said to have thrived between 1880 and 1940 on the very grounds it is situated on. 

The concept of Lamarck University is the brainchild of award-winning architect Bill Bensley. This might just be the famed hotel designer’s most outlandish project yet. When you first enter the campus grounds, after a 20-minute ride from the airport, one is greeted by two intimidatingly large statues of Phú Quốc Ridgeback dogs, which serve as the university’s mascots.

“‘Student’ guests are plunged into immersive experiences and environments that echo the hotel’s ‘past’ as a nature-focused university complete with almost every department you could think of, from zoology to conchology to chemistry! Interiors, signage, and even uniforms create a rich, storytelling depth, with a sporting hall of fame for the university’s Ridgebacks,” explains John Woolley, the general manager who is addressed as the dean here.  

The resort leans so heavily into their quirky ‘legacy’ that one may be forgiven for taking it as real. The colonial-era styled architecture, interior design, and layouts all play to the fantasy, making it feel like we really are staying on former campus grounds refurbished as a luxury resort. Even the staff decked out in the school uniforms take it very seriously, earnestly explaining the ‘history’ of the grounds as fact. 

It's not just the people that help create the immersive ‘back to school’ experience. We note the fantasy building is heavy at work in Bensley’s design here from the get-go. Within the hotel’s various buildings, Bensley makes great use of high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows to give the place a larger-than-life feel, made realistic with plenty of natural light. It provides a big canvas for the surreal storytelling, which they fill to the brim with various props and details.      

Bensley's involvement in every detail of the resort’s maximalist aesthetic is impressive, from the leather-bound tomes that line the shelves here to the door handles designed to look like rulers. Everywhere you look, there are more things to discover. We are encouraged to even check out the washrooms throughout the resort, which are all themed and colourfully designed. Our favourite was a dog themed gents dedicated to the Phú Quốc Ridgeback mascots, with urinals built like fire hydrants. It’s easy to feel like you’ve entered a version of Hogwarts by the sea.  

Even our guide book was quaintly presented in the form of a student exercise book. My lodgings are housed within the Department of Conchology & Botany, a building heavy on shell designs that fittingly overlooks the resort’s famous shell pool surrounded by palm trees. The suite we were given was lovely and it’s a treat to wake up and luxuriate in the ocean view from the balcony in the mornings. 

The resort has 231 rooms, suites and villas with private pool spread across the sprawling grounds. There are also no shortages on the food front, as the five dining establishments here serve a good mix of cuisines. We spent a good amount of time at Tempus Fugit, the architecture hub of Lamarck University, where breakfast was served daily and let me tell you, a piping hot bowl (or three) of phở in the morning is a delightful way to get the day started. Other venues here include the French & Co. café that gave us a taste of Vietnam’s famous drip coffee and Red Rum, which is a great place to knock back a few cold drinks with a pizza near the beach.      

But the most striking dining venue is Pink Pearl, the resort’s French fine-dining restaurant. Presented to us a the former home of Madame Pearl Collins, the party loving second wife of the original dean of Lamarck University (though my questions about the fate of the first wife went unanswered). As the name indicates, the entire house is painted in pink with multiple rooms filled with Madame Pearl’s fabulous trinkets with a very 1920s Gatsby party vibe. We had the privilege of having a guest chef from JW Marriot Jeju join the resident team in serving up a meal to remember as live music played. It’s easy to see why many have booked the restaurant for weddings and other special events.

Much of Phú Quốc island still consists of nature, retaining much of its mountainous and densely forested terrain.In the day, we took up the tours by the hotel to visit the island’s farms, famous for fresh pepper, fish sauces, and honey. We also enjoyed vigorous massages at the hotel’s whimsically Alice in Wonderland-themed spa and lounged by the hotel’s three pools.  

If you are eager to head out, consider a visit to the nearby Sunset Town, a tourist attraction that will have you wondering if you are actually wandering the streets of Rome with a full-scale Colosseum replica present, where the Kiss of the Sea pyrotechnics show plays outdoors. 

If you prefer to just stick within campus grounds like good students, the resorts hosts a night market on its grounds on Saturday evenings. We also spent a fair amount of our evenings at the resort’s bar, cleverly dubbed The Department of Chemistry. Located right by the pristine Khem beach, it was where we had our ‘graduation’ drinks with the dean and a gorgeous pastel pink sunset as the backdrop.   

We may have graduated from Lamarck University at the JW Marriott Phú Quốc, complete with printed diploma as proof. But if we ever need to fine tune our rest and relaxation skills again, we will gladly visit our 'alma mater' for a refresher course. Go Phú Quốc Ridgebacks!

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