Best Western Hotels & Resorts has signed a deal to open an upscale hotel overlooking Ha Long Bay, the UNESCO World Heritage site in Vietnam.
Developed by Doji Land Real Estate Investment Company Ltd., the Best Western Premier Sapphire Ha Long is a new-build, 31-story project underway in Ha Long City’s hotel district. Slated to open in fourth-quarter 2020, it will have more than 1,000 guestrooms, business and leisure facilities and offer panoramic views. Other amenities will include an executive lounge, an all-day restaurant, a specialty restaurant, a coffee shop, beer bar, cigar lounge and wine bar.
"This hotel reflects our brand’s commitment to bringing world-class hospitality to Asia’s most attractive destinations,” said Ron Pohl, SVP and COO for Best Western Hotels & Resorts, in a statement.
“This landmark signing is a wonderful example of how Best Western’s portfolio is evolving in Asia-Pacific,” said Olivier Berrivin, Best Western Hotels & Resorts’ managing director of international operations-Asia. “As a fully managed property, Best Western Premier Sapphire Ha Long will benefit from our company’s 70-plus years of hospitality expertise and extensive global support network...we look forward to working with Doji Land to bring their vision to life and to welcoming our first guests to Ha Long Bay in 2020."
Ha Long Bay is located in northeast Vietnam's Quang Ninh province, which welcomed 7.5 million visitors in first-half 2018, including 2.5 million international travelers, a 14-percent year-over-year increase. The recent opening of a new highway has cut traveling time from Hanoi to two hours, and the new Van Don International Airport is slated to start operating later this year.