The reception area is small, a polished brown wooden desk carved with intricate flowers and matching chairs with red upholstered seats; a soft, shiny fabric. Fresh flowers sit in vases beside small statues of Buddha; lush green plants with beautiful large leaves stretch to the low ceiling. The main light, covered with a red paper lantern, has been flickering, just a little. It’s lovely, but it’s nothing like a beach resort with a lagoon pool.

‘But why can’t I stay at the Golden Beach? I’ve already paid good money for that.’

‘Oh, no. Evacuation, sir.’

‘Seriously?’ Justin sighs, and I join him beside the desk. ‘Did you hear that?’

‘Yep,’ I say. ‘Kind of annoying, eh?’

‘Look, can you call me a taxi, please?’ he asks the receptionist. ‘We’ll make our own way to the beach resort.’

‘No taxi, sir. Typhoon coming.’

The driver waves goodbye to the receptionist and leaves, laughter in his stride. The receptionist hands Justin a key and tells him sweetly that he has a deluxe suite, the best room. I’m guessing this place is much cheaper than the Golden Beach Resort.

Another guest emerges from a room on the ground floor – a tall woman with broad shoulders and short, choppy hair. A sleepy toddler is sitting on her hip.

‘The same thing happened to us,’ she says. She sounds Dutch, pronouncing her ‘s’ like a soft ‘sh’. ‘We made it as far as the Golden Beach Resort and we spent a wonderful day and night there yesterday. But today, after lunch, we arrived at our room to find a sun lounger upside-down on the bed. It had smashed through the glass doors. The wind is so strong down there.’

‘You’re best off here,’ I tell Justin, who still seems sceptical.

I, however, feel like I’ve landed on the moon. There are rooms available for sixteen quid per night, and from the photos on the wooden desk, they look beautiful. I leave Justin standing in the doorway of the main entrance, staring into the storm and cooking up an escape plan, and check myself in for two nights as a starting point. I’m surprised to hear that this price includes a breakfast buffet and use of the swimming pool in the garden, although—

‘No swimming today, Madam,’ the receptionist warns.

Justin’s on the phone now.

‘Enjoying Vietnam?’ I ask the Dutch lady.

‘Oh, we love it. We’ve been here for one month already, travelling.’

‘With a little one? That’s amazing.’

‘We’re relaxed, so he’s relaxed. He loved all the lanterns in Hoi An Ancient Town.’

‘I’ve heard they’re very special.’

‘Oh, yes. We lit a lantern and made a wish, and we watched it float across the river and into the sky. So beautiful.’

Yes, yes, yes! This. This is what I want.