Ben Tre Hotel by Sanuki Daisuke Architects: Immersive Boutique Experience in the Mekong Delta

Located in Bến Tre, Vietnam, the Ben Tre Hotel is a boutique retreat designed by Sanuki Daisuke Architects in 2021. Spanning 1,875 m², this hotel features 30 thoughtfully arranged guestrooms set in a long, narrow site 28m wide and 128m deep. Despite its highway frontage, the hotel offers glimpses of the lush coconut forests of the Mekong Delta, creating a serene escape.

The design focuses on “Design of Experience”, turning the building’s elongated corridor into a zigzag sequence that guides guests through changing perspectives. Rooms are angled to maximize views of greenery, tropical gardens, and outdoor spaces. Recessed courtyards and gardens enhance the connection with nature, while corridors and staircases on upper floors provide panoramic vistas of the surrounding landscape.

The exterior employs handmade terracotta bricks, sourced from local Mekong Delta factories, giving a warm, textured facade. Gaps between bricks create dynamic light patterns, providing shade and privacy while animating the building with changing sunlight. This fusion of regional materials and thoughtful circulation makes the hotel unique, offering visitors an immersive experience of Bến Tre’s natural beauty.

Key Features:

• Boutique hotel with 30 rooms
• Zigzag layout for dynamic circulation
• Terracotta brick facades with natural shading
• Open, nature-integrated common spaces
• Panoramic views of coconut forests
• Sustainable, locally sourced materials

The Ben Tre Hotel exemplifies low-cost, nature-centric hospitality, blending regional identity, material authenticity, and immersive design. It’s an architectural journey that allows visitors to slip into the nature of Bến Tre, feeling the gentle breeze and observing the interplay of light across spaces.

All photographs are works of  Hiroyuki Oki