TIA Wellness Resort Review: A Luxury Spa Retreat in Da Nang, Vietnam

My three-night solo escape to TIA Wellness Resort in Da Nang was the reset I didn’t know I needed. I craved a break — from the familiarity of Hong Kong and, just for a bit, from my little one (love him endlessly, but mama needed a minute). As much as I adore taking care of him, running on empty was starting to show. What made this retreat so blissful wasn’t just the massages or smoothie bowls — it was the rare luxury of doing something purely for myself, without the usual guilt or background noise. Space to breathe, recharge, and feel like me again.

Arrival & Check-In

Thanks to the time difference, I gained an extra hour upon landing and reached the resort in just 18 minutes from the airport via Grab. Check-in is usually at 2pm, and since I arrived around 11am, I had time to kill. In hindsight, I wish I’d packed my journal and a bikini in my carry-on so I could lounge by the pool.

TIA Wellness Package & Luxurious Private Villa: A Smart Design

I booked the Wellness Inclusive package via Booking.com just two weeks in advance. It included two spa treatments per day, daily breakfast, and unlimited access to creative workshops, breathwork, and yoga classes. To make the most of it, I mapped out my schedule ahead of time and pre-booked all my treatments and classes — spots fill up quickly, so I’m glad I planned early.

All guests also enjoy complimentary shuttle buses to and from Hoi An twice a day. I stayed in the standard room, which is actually a stunning one-bedroom villa. It came with a private pool, a spacious and sun-drenched outdoor garden patio with sofas and loungers, a large bathroom with a plunge bathtub and rain shower, a super comfortable bed, and a cozy little living room area — the perfect hideaway.

The bathroom is so spacious that a single curtain partition provides more than enough privacy if you're traveling with a friend or family member. The facilities are modern and thoughtful — including a Japanese self-cleaning toilet and smart TVs. The complimentary minibar, along with drip coffee and tea, is stocked with four kinds of homemade healthy snacks, plus detox water and ice water, all replenished daily. In fact, you’ll never find yourself short on hydration — fresh glass water bottles are thoughtfully placed throughout the villa.

Food: Healthy with Room to Indulge

TIA offers a few dining options, but my favorite by far was the breakfast buffet at The Dining Room. It’s a small but beautifully curated spread — think congee, pho, banh mi, hot dishes, gluten-free pastries, organic eggs made to order, colorful fresh fruit, yogurt bowls, daily energy shots, juices, charcuterie, and the cutest little Vietnamese salads. On top of that, you get to choose one main dish from the à la carte menu. I tried the smoothie bowl and the gluten-free chocolate banana pancakes — both were so good.

There’s something for everyone — whether you’re in the mood to keep it clean or indulge a little. You can also opt for complimentary à la carte breakfast at The Ocean Bistro or enjoy all-day breakfast in your villa, but I stuck with the buffet since my yoga classes ended at 8am and it was just too convenient to stroll straight over. One thing to note: the lattes were a bit underwhelming (a little too watery for my taste), so I switched to black coffee for the rest of my stay.

To be honest, the lunch and dinner options at The Ocean Bistro weren’t my favorite. Since it’s the only all-day dining spot at the resort, I ended up eating there by default. Most nights, I had to squeeze in dinner around 5pm before diving into my evening routine of yoga, sauna, and spa treatments. I tried the pho once, and unfortunately, it was a bit bland, with overly soft noodles and tough, low-quality beef. The beef curry had a great sauce, but the meat again tasted like it had been rushed from frozen. On my last night, I decided to treat myself to an in-room classic spaghetti bolognese — and surprisingly, it turned out to be my favorite hot dish at the resort.

Yoga at TIA: My Favorite Part of the Retreat

Yoga ended up being the unexpected highlight of my stay at TIA. As someone who’s not particularly flexible or super into fitness, I was pleasantly surprised by how accessible and enjoyable the classes were. I attended every session — both morning (7am) and evening (6pm) — and while the Vinyasa Flow classes were more intense and strength-focused, the Gentle Hatha evening classes still got my heart rate up. Each class had around 4 participants, with the largest one I attended having 6, and it was refreshing to see a mix of ages and genders.

One standout for me was the Spine Health Vinyasa class, which provided deep, targeted relief for my scoliosis. As someone who spends long hours at a screen and often sits in uncomfortable positions, I felt a profound release in my spine — both physically and emotionally. Each class felt tailored to who showed up; if there was an older participant, the instructors would soften the pace, but if it was a younger or more active group, they weren’t afraid to push us. Despite the consistent muscle soreness (a reminder of how underused certain parts of my body are), I always left class with a clear head and a deep sense of release. My digestive system improved greatly, and feelings of bloat went away. Yoga at TIA didn’t feel intimidating — it felt empowering, and it might just be the start of a new routine for me.

A typical day at TIA:

6:30am: Wake up

7am-8am: Vinyasa Flow Yoga Class

8:15am: Breakfast at The Dining Room

9:30am-10:30am: Breathwork Class

11am-2pm: Lunch & wandering around Da Nang (take a Grab car)

2:30pm-3:30pm: Pool & beach time

5pm: Early dinner & sunset viewing

6pm-7pm: Gentle Hatha Yoga Class

7pm-8pm: Sauna, steam, scrub & shower

8pm-9pm: Relaxing spa treatment

10pm: Sleep

The Spa Experience

Each guest at TIA is entitled to up to 80 minutes of blissful spa treatments per day, which can be split into two sessions or used all at once. I recommend breaking it up—you’ll get to experience more variety and won’t be stuck in one long treatment that may not suit you. From my experience, the quality of each treatment really depends on the individual therapist. Mixing things up gives you a better chance of landing on something that truly feels amazing, and you can add more variety to your schedule. I loved this aspect of my stay at TIA, and felt spoiled beyond belief.

All the treatments I tried -

1. 30-minute Crystal Healing Foot Massage

2. 50-minute Recover Touch Facial

3. 30-minute Holistic Head & Neck Harmony 

4. 50-minute Active Pureness Facial

5. 80-minute Deep Connection Remedy Massage

Where to Eat Around TIA Wellness by Grab

If you feel like venturing outside the resort, here are some delicious local eats just a cheap Grab ride away. I learned pretty quickly that a strictly clean diet wasn’t quite for me—no matter how cute the trail mix and dried fruit snacks looked in my fridge, they just didn’t satisfy my appetite. I longed for MSG-packed broth, bouncy noodles, and extra strong coffee. I highly recommend ordering the milk coffee (less sugar) at Nu Do Kitchen if you end up going there!

• PHỞ BẮC 63 – Classic Vietnamese pho

• Bánh canh Yến – Snakehead fish soup noodles

• Bánh Bèo Lò Củi – Steamed rice cakes

• Bánh canh cá lóc Huế – Hue-style snakehead fish soup

• Nu Đồ Kitchen – Quang-style flat noodles

• Bánh mì / Bread – Great for a traditional banh mi sandwich fix

A quick crash-course on Vietnamese coffee -- Vietnamese coffee isn’t just a drink—it’s a whole experience. Known for its bold flavor and creative twists, it’s made using strong robusta beans, often brewed with a traditional metal drip filter called a phin. The result is a rich, intense cup that hits differently from your usual morning latte. The most iconic version is cà phê sữa đá—strong black coffee poured over a generous layer of sweetened condensed milk and served on ice. It’s creamy, sweet, and seriously addictive. For something more straightforward, cà phê đen đá is the black coffee version—no milk, just ice and a major caffeine kick. If you're feeling adventurous, don't miss out on egg coffee (cà phê trứng)—a Hanoi favorite that layers hot coffee with a frothy, sweet egg yolk and condensed milk foam. Think tiramisu in liquid form.

Service & Staff

The staff at TIA Wellness are warm, friendly, and eager to assist, creating a welcoming atmosphere. However, I did notice some inconsistencies in service across departments - product knowledge and communication varied, particularly with differing levels of English proficiency. There was also one instance when a staff member, though polite, asked me mid-breakfast to vote in a hospitality award competition via QR code — which felt a bit out of place and might be better suited for guests checking out.

Final Thoughts

TIA Wellness Resort offers an accessible, flexible way to reset your body and mind. If you’re new to yoga or holistic wellness, this is a safe, non-judgmental space to begin. Come with an open mind, take the schedule as a gentle suggestion rather than a must-do list, and give yourself the space to decompress.

Personally, I left feeling lighter—not just mentally, but physically too. The constant bloating I’d gotten used to in Hong Kong, that heavy, sluggish feeling I didn’t even realize I was carrying, completely melted away within days. For the first time in a long time, I felt truly confident in my body—clear-headed, energized, and strong. My skin felt glowy, kissed by vitamin D, and there was this sense of clarity I hadn’t tapped into in months. Sometimes, the biggest changes aren’t just visible—they’re felt in the way you move, breathe, and carry yourself after letting your system reset.