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Each of these properties has
achieved iconic status, not only when
measured against their peers in Viet-
nam, or even the region, but among the
hotels of the world. Here, where you’ll
pay First World prices, the experience is
decidedly not one of the morning but of
the evening, and all its attendant glam-
our. Guest expectations, not surprising-
ly, are on par with the expectations for
accommodation in New York and Paris.
“Last year, we brought in a new
fleet of 2013 BMW X5s because the
Toyotas we had before could not keep
pace with what our guests expected of
their stay with us,” said Anthony Gill,
general manager of The Nam Hai. “They
understand that Vietnam is an emerg-
ing economy, but they’re not prepared
- and we’re not prepared - to make con-
cessions. We’re holding ourselves to the
highest standards anywhere.”
That juxtaposition - of Vietnam as a
destination that offers both an authen-
tic experience of a country on the make
and, at the same time, has developed a
series of high-end perches from which
to watch the dynamic pace of life - is
part of the country’s allure on the in-
ternational stage. The dynamism of the
Vietnamese people - a people for too
long bottled up, if you will, and now
uncorked! - is one of the country’s most
compelling attributes.
People meeting people
Indeed, Vietnam passed a remark-
able milestone just last month when
Travel + Leisure called out La Residence
Hotel & Spa in Hue as one of the top 500
hotels in the world, and one of only four
hotels in Vietnam on the list. Why is this
especially remarkable? Because for more
than a year, the general manager has
been Phan Trong Minh, a Hue native and
the first Vietnamese to manage a hotel
that’s joined such illustrious ranks. That
the Vietnamese people are a real draw to
the international traveller is no surprise to
Minh. He sees evidence of this everyday.
“Most of the people who work in La
Residence are from Hue, and feel this
incredible responsibility to tell this city’s
story to people who visit. We know we
only have a short time to make a deep
impression, and our attempts to leave
that impression - I think - are part of
what actually makes a great impres-
sion,” said Minh.
People don’t say this about travel to
Hong Kong or Singapore, but they do say
it about Vietnam, and that is an asset.
You can’t eat the war
A simple search on Google News
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timeout
The Nam Hai Resort
BRINGING VIETNAM TO THE WORLD