Hotel Activity Heats Up Southeast Asia

INTERNATIONAL REPORT—Hotel activity is on the rise in Southeast Asia with two signings in Vietnam and an opening in Cambodia. Here’s a look:

IHG expands Crowne Plaza brand in Central Vietnam
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has signed a management agreement with Minh Dong Travel Service and Trading Company Limited—a member of PGT Group—to open the second Crowne Plaza in Danang, Vietnam.

The 300-room Crowne Plaza Danang Waterfront will welcome guests in 2023. The 38-story hotel is located next to the beachfront on the city’s main thoroughfare Vo Nguyen Giap street, and a five-minute drive to central Danang.

This expansion of Crowne Plaza is part of the rejuvenation of the brand in Vietnam and designed to fulfill the needs of the modern business traveler. The hotel features the brand’s signature Social Workspace lobby concept that affords guests a seamless transition from work to that all-important downtime.

With nearly 5,00 sq. ft. of dedicated space, there will be a strong focus on meetings and events, ranging from corporate functions to weddings for up to 400 people.

IHG has been in Vietnam for over a decade and has 14 hotels operating under four brands: Six Senses, InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn, with another 17 in a pipeline which includes brand entries for Regent and Hotel Indigo.

Marriott International Signs Milestone Branded Residential Project
Marriott International, Inc. has signed an agreement with Vietnam-based real estate firm Masterise Homes to develop a dual-branded residential and officetel project in Ho Chi Minh City.

According to the Savills International Development Consultancy, the agreement marks the largest hotel-branded residential project announced to date worldwide, with close to 4,200 residential and officetel units. The project is anticipated to include branded units from two Marriott International brands—JW Marriott and Marriott Hotels. Expected to open in late 2024, the project will play a key part of an integrated mixed-use complex slated to include residential, office and commercial units.

Located in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, the dual-branded project is expected to house Marriott residential and officetel units with sophisticated spaces meant to inspire residents and JW Marriott residential and officetel units designed for mindfulness and fostering togetherness with loved ones. Each private retreat will offer access to an array of facilities including quality hotel-like amenities and on-demand services. The officetel units are expected to be designed in a similar fashion as the residential units. Officetels have the benefit of dual functionality of both commercial as well as residential components.

Hyatt Regency Phnom Pehn Opens in Cambodia
Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh, the first Hyatt hotel in the Cambodian capital and the second Hyatt hotel operating in Cambodia, has opened.

The 247-room property is the largest hotel from a global brand in the city and is located in the heart of the cultural and business district of Doun Penh, which is a 30-minute drive from the airport and within walking distance to the Royal Palace, National Museum and the riverside.

Conceived by Singapore-based SCDA Architects and Thailand-based PIA Interior, the hotel’s interiors reflect Cambodia’s unique history, seamlessly blending Khmer architectural accents with French colonial influences alongside specially commissioned artworks by contemporary Cambodian artist FONKi.

As guests pull into the hotel’s driveway, they are greeted with a welcoming centerpiece, a French heritage building flanked by frangipani trees. Originally built as a Colonial villa in the early 20th century, the carefully restored lemon-colored Colonial House with wooden shutters, arched doorways and terracotta-tiled roof now serves as the hotel’s entrance.

Behind the Colonial House stands the newly constructed, 14-story main building, with 247 guestrooms, including 43 residential-style suites, all with hardwood floors and marble bathrooms. Starting at 328 sq. ft., the guestrooms offer modern comforts, including complimentary high-speed WiFi, 65-inch TVs, a walk-in rain shower, Staycast systems and Hyatt Mobile Entry technology for keyless entry. Distinct Khmer touches are found throughout the rooms, including an intricately carved headboard depicting Bayon Temple, one of the most celebrated temples at Angkor. The 1,087-sq.-ft. Royal Suite features two ensuite bedrooms, a walk-in closet, separate living and dining areas and floor-to-ceiling views of the city.