Legendary hotelier, Adrian Zecha, the founder of Aman Resorts, has a new venture in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. Located within the city of Can Tho, a booming metropolis of around 1.2 million inhabitants, the resort is set on a private, tree-shaded, 8-acre island, to which guests are transferred by speedboat. Centered on a huge lotus pond and a spectacular 100-foot swimming pool, Azerai is a haven of serenity. It seems impossible that you are so close to the center of a major city. Guests either walk or cycle around the property, which comprises a series of elegant pavilions, some open-sided, others enclosed by glass. These are widely spaced and set amid trimmed lawns dotted with palms and banyan trees. Zecha’s stated intention was to create an Aman-like resort at a more modest price point. There are 60 accommodations at Azerai, approximately twice the number at a typical Aman property and their dimensions are relatively modest at around 375 square feet. The refined minimalist aesthetic is entirely familiar, however, with expanses of local hardwood, rattan, bamboo and a color palette of creams and grays.