Central voyage of discovery
Da Nang airport is pathway to the best-kept secrets, writes Michael Taylor
Central Vietnam is one of the country's best-kept secrets. There are sandy beaches with stylish hotels, Unesco World Heritage Sites and top golf courses. Da Nang International Airport has flights to a growing list of domestic and regional travel destinations.
According to Zulki Othman, general manager of the Hyatt Regency Danang Resort & Spa, the region started to see a spike in tourism when the airport's new terminal opened in 2012.
"Since then, we have seen Dragonair, Hong Kong Express, Korean Air, Asiana, SilkAir, AirAsia and Vietnam Airlines starting to operate routes into Da Nang or increase their frequencies," Othman says, adding that the beaches of Danang and the nearby historic towns of Hoi An and Hue are an irresistable draw.
"The streets of the ancient port city of Hoi An are filled with bicycles and vendors that line the river, peddling interesting items such as paper lanterns that one can release into the river," Othman says. "There are also many ancient and historical sites such as the nearby city of Hue, the caves at Marble Mountain, Ba Na Hills and My Son. The delightful street food of Da Nang is another drawcard. Traditional dishes such as pho, cao lau and banh my can be enjoyed on the streets as well as in hotel cafes and restaurants."
The largest integrated resort in Vietnam, Laguna Lang Co has two five-star hotels and an 18-hole golf course. The venue has proved popular with organisers of large-scale events.
The 229-room Angsana Lang Co has three food and beverage outlets, a spa and many recreational options. The hotel's ballroom can fit 200 delegates. Other facilities include a 12-seat boardroom. The Banyan Tree Lang Co has 32 lagoon pool villas, 17 beach pool villas, four food and beverage outlets and a spa.
In Da Nang, the Pullman Danang Beach Resort is a five-star hotel located along the sands of Bac My An Beach in Da Nang. The hotel has three food and beverage outlets and numerous recreational options.
"Pullman Danang Beach Resort is suitable for all types of events, from intimate corporate retreats to large incentives, conferences and weddings," says a spokesman for the hotel, adding the hotel hosted the AccorHotels Vietnam World Masters Golf Tournament in September. "It marked the first time the event had been hosted in Vietnam. We will host the Asian Beach Games next year and the Apec summit in 2017."
The Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa has 193 guest rooms, including 27 private pool villas. There are four food and beverage outlets serving Vietnamese and Western food and signature cocktails. Other facilities include a full service spa, a fitness centre, tennis courts, badminton courts, and facilities for children.
The Regency Ballroom can accommodate 400 people for receptions, 220 for banquets, and 180 in a classroom configuration. The hotel has seven function rooms ranging from 39 to 80 square metres.
The Nam Hai Hoi An resort is on the white sands of Ha My Beach in Da Nang. There are 60 villas and 40 pool villas set amid 35 hectares of landscaped gardens along with three food and beverage outlets, swimming pools, a spa and recreational facilities. The property can handle weddings and events at the Meeting Room, the Open Lounge and the Villas Reception.
La Residence Hue Hotel & Spa is on the southern bank of the Perfume River, which bisects the historic city of Hue, the imperial capital of the Nguyen dynasty. The art-deco hotel overlooks the Citadel, which was modelled on the Forbidden City in Beijing. The hotel has 122 rooms, several food and beverage outlets, a fitness centre, tennis courts, a swimming pool and a spa.
Exclusive storeys
The latest addition to Vietnam's luxury hotel scene is The Reverie Saigon in the heart of the central business centre in Ho Chi Minh City. Opened last month after trial operation, the hotel is situated in the top floors of the 40-storey Times Square Tower multipurpose building, at present the third tallest in the city.
The Reverie Saigon offers 62 suites and 224 rooms with panoramic views of the city centre and the winding Saigon river. All the rooms and majority of the hotel's interiors were designed by four renowned Italian interior design brands - Provasi, Colombostile, Visionnaire and Giorgetti.
The hotel offers five conference rooms from 54 to 81 square metres, four smaller meeting rooms on the 8th floor, and an executive meeting room on the 39th floor. Each venue is equipped with the latest audio-visual equipment. Covering an area of 617 square metres, the La Scala grand ballroom is the largest pillar-less venue in the city. The ballroom is decorated with artefacts, including an antique Baldi and Bechstein grand piano. It can host up to 460 guests for banquet, 588 for theatre style, and 408 classroom style.
Dining options at the hotel include The Royal Pavilion Chinese restaurant, the R&J (named after Romeo and Juliet), which serves Italian cuisine, and Cafe Cardinal for French fare. There is also The Long @ Times Square cafe on the ground floor and a top shelf bar.
The hotel's spa and recreation centre covers an area of 1,200 square metres on two floors. One of the largest and most comprehensive of its kind in the city, the centre incorporates a swimming pool which is finished with Italian mosaic tiles with a contemporary freeform design. Other facilities include a 24-hour fitness centre and a luxury spa with high-end beauty services.