Dusit International, one of Thailand's leading hotel and property development companies, has signed a long-term agreement with Vietnamese real estate developers General Technology Joint Stock Company to develop and operate Dusit Tu Hoa Palace, Hanoi, in the city's affluent Tay Ho District, at the northern end of the city's largest freshwater lake, West Lake.
Rohit Verma, dean of external relations at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, has been named founding provost of Vin University in Hanoi, Vietnam. His three-year appointment is effective July 1.
Rapid growth in international tourist arrivals to Vietnam has contributed to a positive short- to mid-term outlook for the Hanoi hotel industry, according to data and analysis from STR.
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi has named Australian Paul Smart as the hotel’s new executive chef. Prior to joining the landmark Hanoi property, Smart was the executive chef at SO Sofitel Bangkok for five years, where he was crowned winner of the Iron Chef Thailand TV program in 2012 and 2013.
HG has announced the opening of InterContinental Hanoi Landmark72 in Hanoi, Vietnam, perched atop the towering Keangnam Landmark72 from the 62nd to 71st floors, InterContinental Hanoi Landmark72 is now welcoming guests to enjoy one of the 359 sophisticated and luxurious rooms.
Horwath HTL in Asia Pacific has teamed up with STR to produce our quarterly Asia Pacific Hotel Market Update. The spotlight of our Q2 2017 issue is on Hanoi's Hotel Market. Vietnam has become one of the world's great development success stories. Political and economic reforms launched in 1986 transformed Vietnam from an inward-looking country to one of the fastest growing emerging economies in SEA.
Panoramic views of Hoan Kiem Lake, a prime Old Quarter setting and an exclusive spa are three of the many selling points at the new La Siesta Central, a 27-room boutique hotel that marks its grand opening in Hanoi on August 15th.
Joseph Colina has been appointed as Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi's new executive assistant manager. Colina recently moved to Hanoi from Washington DC, where he was previously the director of operations at Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette Square. The American began his career as director of guest services at Sofitel Minneapolis in 2005, before becoming the director of guest services at Sofitel Chicago Water Tower and the director of rooms at Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette Square.
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi has tapped a veteran of the hospitality industry, William J. Haandrikman, to lead the Grand Dame of Vietnam and its 650 hotel Ambassadors as general manager. Haandrikman was previously general manager of Thailand’s Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit.
As the hotel’s new director of food and beverage, Antoine Huc will oversee operations at the French restaurant, Le Beaulieu; Vietnamese restaurant, Spices Garden; Italian-inspired restaurant, Angelina; and in the hotel’s three bars, La Terasse, Bamboo Bar as well as the recently revamped Le Club. He will also be in charge of all in-room dining in the hotel’s 364 guest rooms and suites in addition to banquets and events.Huc, a native French speaker with fluent English and Italian, relocates to Hanoi after more than 10 years of experience in the world’s leading hotels and restaurants.
Mr. Colin McCandless is a seasoned hotelier with particular strengths in pre-opening and commercial focus and brings over 16 year experience in hotel management across Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Vietnam.
Pan Pacific Hotels Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Marc Emmanuel as General Manager of Pan Pacific Hanoi, the Group’s first Pan Pacific property in Vietnam. Marc is neither stranger to Vietnam nor to the property, having been based there previously for five years as its Executive Assistant Manager. He has amassed extensive international hospitality experience from the multi-cultural environments of France, Morocco and Switzerland over his 15-year career. Upon graduating from the Glion Institute for Higher Education in Switzerland, Marc started his hospitality career with Hyatt Hotels Corporation, where he earned increasingly senior roles in revenue management and operations. As General Manager of the 273-room Pan Pacific Hanoi, Marc will oversee and manage the daily operations of the elegant hotel which is located close to Hanoi’s historic Old Quarter. The centrally-located Pan Pacific Hanoi commands a picturesque view overlooking West Lake, Truc Bach Lake and the Red River, and offers convenient access to the business district at the same time.
AccorHotels has launched a new hotel in Hanoi, opening its very first Novotel Suites in Asia. Novotel Suites Hanoi delivers comfortable stays for both short and long term guests, especially designed for business clients. Additionally, the hotel provides personalized features, including further supporting Novotel's well-known family program offered by the brand.
Sheraton Hanoi Hotel announced the appointment of its new General Manager effective as of November, 2015. Mr. Masahiro Taguchi, the new GM of the hotel, brings more than twenty-seven years of experience in the various luxury hotels disciplines throughout Europe and Asia and has resulted in an impressive career. Entering the hospitality industry in Spain, he contributed to Europe market for over ten years as sales executive before focusing on Asian hotels. Through strong leadership and extensive experience, Mr. Masahiro has proved himself as Director of Sales and Marketing in a number of properties in Japan and Thailand and most recently as General Manager at Le Meridien Angkor before becoming General Manager of Sheraton Hanoi Hotel.
Anthony Slewka-Armfelt has directed commercial activity for all Sofitels across Southeast Asia and India since 2008. In 2009, Sofitel regional positions were moved on property where Anthony was positioned in two Sofitel opening projects, first in Phnom Penh and then in Bangkok. In Hanoi, his focus will be trained on a single hotel while he maintains regional sales responsibilities for Sofitel. Slewka-Armfelt’s journey to his current role as a director of sales and marketing proceeded outside the usual channels. While his peers marched from hotel school into sales offices of various brands, Slewka-Armfelt was deployed in many parts of the world as a NATO commander.
Quin, an Australian national, has spent the last two years at the Hilton Seychelles Resort & Spa. Previously Anthony worked in Vietnam’s Quy Nhon and Mui Ne, Vanuatu, Fiji, Canada, Dubai, Doha, New Zealand and in his home town of Melbourne, Australia. Starting his hotel career with SPHC group in the Whitsundays Australia, he then moved within the Bass Hotels & Resorts/IHG. Having worked Corporate, Resorts and Airport properties, he then took a challenging role and joined the Rydges group in Doha, Qatar for the opening of the Hotel in 2000. His first general manager’s role was with the Warwick Group in Vanuatu. He then joined the Hilton Group and finally settling with the Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts family.
Franck Lafourcade has returned as general manager of the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi. A French national, LaFourcade previously managed the property from 2000 to 2005, before leaving to spend almost nine years in China, including spells as GM and area GM for Sofitel in Shanghai.
Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) marks a milestone in its expansion into Southeast Asia with the unveiling of JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi. The property is the JW Marriott brand’s third to open in Asia within the past two months (others in Bengaluru and New Delhi), reflective of a significant investment in the region by the rapidly growing luxury hotel brand.
Born and raised in Switzerland, Daniel is an F&B speciallist with an extensive background in the hospitality industry. He started his IHG journey in Denham, UK at IHG Corporate Office to be part of the first IHG EMEA European Graduate Program. He joined IHG and worked his way up various Food and Beverage management assignments with Holiday Inn Brentwood, InterContinental Paris Le Grand, Crowne Plaza Kuwait, InterContinental Regency Bahrain and InterContinental Landmark 72 before joining InterContinental Hanoi Westlake. With his passion in Food & Beverage, he won numerous awards along with his team in his previous assignments and was appointed to several key positions, namely Banquet Operations Manager, Brand and Restaurant Manager, Assistant Manager of F&B and Assistant Director of F&B.
InterContinental Hanoi Westlake is pleased to announce that our Human Resources Director, Ms. Huynh My Linh, has been promoted to Area Director of Human Resources Vietnam for IHG.