Zannier Hotels Bai San Ho in Phu Yen Province. Photo courtesy of Zannier Hotels

It was the only Vietnamese hotel to break into the magazine's 2021 Hot List, vetted by its international network of correspondents to highlight the best new hotels worldwide.

Opened in December last year, Zannier Hotels Bai San Ho in Song Cau Town of Phu Yen, an emerging beach destination in south-central Vietnam, consists of 71 villas covering around 98 hectares (242 acres) of lush greenery and is surrounded by rice fields.

Facing a long white sand beach, the hotel took inspiration from local ethnic minority groups and nearby fishing villages by constructing three different types of Vietnamese-style villas, laden with bamboo ceilings and antique rice baskets.

"Some of the 71 villas take their visual cues from ethnic Ede architecture, featuring reclaimed wood floors, as well as traditional fishermen’s homes, with deep blue walls that mirror the color of the nearby boats," the magazine wrote.

Phu Yen was once a lesser-known tourist destination, but catapulted to global fame after it was featured in the award-winning movie "Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass" directed by Victor Vu.

Other Asian hotels in the list included The Johri in India, Ace Hotel Kyoto in Japan, One&Only Desaru Coast in Malaysia and Capella Bangkok in Thailand.