PROJECT OVERVIEW
Tam Coc Garden is more than a boutique resort — it is a soulful retreat nestled in the historic land of Ninh Binh, designed to help travelers slow down, breathe, and truly live in the moment. Surrounded by lush gardens rooted in the rural traditions of Northern Vietnam, the property reflects quiet refinement, heartfelt care, and a deep connection to place. For this boutique hotel web design project, our challenge went beyond aesthetics. The owners — who treat Tam Coc Garden as their life’s work — asked us to capture the soul of the resort in digital form. Every element of the design was shaped to tell their story: not flashy, but full of meaning; not just a stopover near Hanoi, but a destination in its own right. Through careful attention to visual storytelling, layout, and tone, the website invites guests to experience the stillness, beauty, and authenticity that define Tam Coc Garden.
Setting the Stage for a Story-driven Boutique Hotel Web Design
We began this boutique hotel web design project with a field trip to Tam Coc, immersing ourselves in the atmosphere, the garden, and the gentle rhythm of life that defines the resort. Understanding the spirit of the place firsthand was essential to building a website that could truly reflect it. Given how particular the client is about aesthetics, we prepared a series of carefully curated stylescapes to explore visual directions that would align with their vision. In parallel, we also provided consultation on restructuring the sitemap — ensuring the content architecture supported a natural storytelling flow that would guide visitors through the philosophy, experience, and offerings of Tam Coc Garden.
A Homepage Designed to Tell a Story, Not Just Show a Room
To reflect the uniqueness of Tam Coc Garden and avoid the look and feel of a typical hotel website, we proposed a horizontally scrolling homepage — a bold, book-like experience that allows visitors to journey through the resort’s story in a fluid and immersive way. This approach offered a quick yet meaningful overview of the entire site, mimicking the pace of discovery one might feel while walking through the property itself. Executing this concept required advanced custom development and meticulous design work to ensure that each section flowed harmoniously, both visually and narratively, without disrupting the overall rhythm of the experience.
Balancing Storytelling with Usability
For the interior pages, we switched back to vertical scrolling to ensure the best UX for all audiences. This familiar structure supports smooth navigation, especially for non tech-savvy users. At the same time, we carefully selected each image to reflect the atmosphere and authenticity of Tam Coc Garden. The visuals highlight the property’s charm without exaggeration. Moreover, all calls-to-action are clearly visible and strategically placed, helping users take the next step with ease.
THE OUTCOME
The result is a website that reflects the heart and soul of Tam Coc Garden — visually expressive, technically refined, and thoughtfully crafted. Despite the challenges of designing with rich imagery and animations, the site maintains strong performance scores thanks to careful optimization. Most importantly, the final product resonates deeply with the resort’s owners, who now see their story and values brought to life online with clarity and elegance.
