03 September 2008

VietnamÃ¢â¬â¢s world-renowned Ha Long Bay gets its first international hotel

Ha Long Bay , a UNESCO-listed World Heritage area, is 165 km from Hanoi in the Gulf of Tonkin and is one of the worldÃ¢â¬â¢s most spectacular destinations. The area offers a series of more than 3000 islands with many beaches and grottos. There are hundreds of caves set into the limestone rocks. The rocks (more like small mountains) rise straight out of the ocean, sometimes rising over 500 metres in the sky.

The Novotel Ha Long Bay opens on 1 October 2008, with two special launch offers available and valid till 31 December 2008. Opening rates start from US$110++ per room per night, inclusive of buffet breakfast. A Stay & Cruise package that includes a four hour cruise on the Bay is available from just US$145++ for two, also including breakfast. Both packages include a complimentary in-room drink so that guests can make the most of the spectacular views from their private balcony.

The Novotel overlooks Ha Long Bay with views from rooms and public areas. The hotel features a harmonious blend of modern European architecture and authentic Asian interior design, with extensive use of polished stone, glass and marble set against delicate Asian silk, wickerwork and carved wood, and accentuated by splashes of bright colors and elaborate design centerpieces.

The Novotel is within easy walking distance of local markets, the beach, and the pier where tourists board sightseeing cruises. The 214-room hotel features an outdoor swimming pool overlooking the idyllic Ha Long Bay, a spa, a fully equipped fitness center, the Square restaurant that serves an extensive array of Asian and Western dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner, an executive lounge on the 12th floor, which offers an exclusive environment, and a contemporary style lobby lounge bar, where guests can simultaneously enjoy tropical cocktails and the sunset at Ha Long Bay.

In addition to the leisure facilities, Novotel Ha Long Bay has conference facilities capable of hosting up to 300 delegates, supported by the latest in audio and visual equipment.

The Novotel Ha Long Bay is the first branded international hotel to open in the Ha Long Bay area and the hotel is expected to appeal to the leisure travelers because of its location and also be very popular with conference and incentive groups.

A Report by The Mole