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Hanoi
Hanoi’s charm
shines amid renewal Hotels in the budding West Hanoi area are giving the city’s historic and lakeside venues a run for their money By Connla Stokes
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ince the turn of the century, development has been rife in Hanoi, but the Vietnamese capital has retained much of its historical charm. Ancient pagodas and temples,
French colonial villas, Art Deco-style façades and proud socialist edifices are all still apparent despite the urge to modernise and accommodate the metropolitan area’s six million plus residents. Modern conveniences Guests enjoy waterfront rooms at InterContinental Hanoi Westlake (top); the JW Marriott Hanoi is due to open in June (left)
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Certainly, no amount of progress and development will erase the city’s most celebrated lakes, the fabled Ho Hoan Kiem and colossal Ho Tay (West Lake), both of which serve as calming focal points away from the somewhat frenzied traffic. “Hanoi is at a crossroads between the old and the new,” says George EhrlichAdam, managing director of Exotissimo Travel in Hanoi. “But it remains a unique capital.” The city’s attraction of myriad cultural heritages has never been in doubt for event planners, but outdated infrastructure has been an issue. This is where progress is warmly welcomed. “Congestion issues are being addressed with road widening and flyovers,” says Ehrlich-Adam, who adds that a new terminal at Noi Bai International Airport will boost the capital’s arrivals capacity – as well as visitors’ first impressions – in 2014. The business events sector certainly ticks a lot of boxes for a government keen on enhancing the capital’s profile as a modernday business hub, and industry insiders are upbeat about the city’s prospects. WWW.CEI.ASIA
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Hanoi
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Trusted choices High-end options like the Meliá Hanoi (above) and Hilton Hanoi Opera (left) are stalwarts compared to newer properties in the West Hanoi area
Luxurious lobby Sofitel Plaza and other hotels in Hanoi’s Old Quarter and West Lake districts provide charm
“Hanoi is growing in recognition as a MICE destination, and we are seeing groups signing up for 2014,” says Carl Sladen, director of marketing and communications at Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, the city’s most illustrious address. “This may not sound
significant in Singapore, Sydney or Shanghai, where 24 months is common, but to have 12-to-16-month leads for Hanoi is a more recent experience and one that bodes well for the future.” The government’s mission to expand and relieve the strain on central districts is in progress, if not fulfilled. The newly created area of West Hanoi – a land populated by farmers and defined by paddy fields just six years ago – is now home to vast structures such as Keangnam Hanoi Landmark Tower (developed to the tune of US$1.05 billion by a South Korean firm), where InterContinental Landmark 72 is reportedly set to open in the third quarter of this year after delays. According to Ehrlich-Adam, West Hanoi has proved popular for conferences at the Vietnam National Convention Centre and
delegations visiting government ministries, but less so for the Western incentives market. Adding to the area’s prestige will be the JW Marriott Hanoi, slated to open this year, while IHG successfully launched Crowne Plaza West Hanoi in mid-2011. However, it’s not hard to see why many event coordinators will still choose the old city centre or West Lake over the more generic West Hanoi area. Accommodations such as Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, InterContinental Hanoi Westlake, Sofitel Plaza Hanoi, Meliá Hanoi and Hilton Hanoi Opera will all retain an edge in this increasingly competitive sector, as it is the capital’s historical core, stunning lakes and underlying elegance that set this captivating destination apart for business groups in search of inspiration.
Highlights Special venues For unique meetings, groups can reserve the Summit Lounge – a chic cocktail bar offering views over West Lake from the 19th floor of the Sofitel Plaza – or Rooftop Bar and Restaurant on top of Pacific Place in the downtown area. While it lacks the colonial feel of Sofitel Legend Metropole and the transcendent splendour of InterContinental Westlake, WWW.CEI.ASIA
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Meliá Hanoi is highly regarded as a venue for upscale business and conventions, and remains the capital’s leading hotel for diplomatic events. A relative newcomer, Hotel de l’Opera Hanoi – part of Accor’s MGallery brand – offers intimate and stylish function rooms for meetings, dinners or boutique events. The hotel’s dramatic atrium courtyard is
Inside look InterContinental Hanoi Westlake adds local culture to events
also one of the city’s most spectacular venues and frequently in demand for fashion shows, product launches and other events. InterContinental Hanoi Westlake offers customised ‘insider packages’ with coffee breaks and activities that showcase some of the hidden wonders of Hanoi – of which there are many! march 2013 CEI ASIA 39
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Hanoi
City sights
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fun teambuilding event is a treasure hunt through the city’s Old Quarter, the medieval and entrepreneurial heart of Hanoi and one of the most densely populated urban areas in the world. If the weather is hot and muggy, another option is to tour the area in an electric car, stopping at 20 historical sites that line the banks of West Lake along the way. Halong Bay, the crowning glory of Vietnam’s tourism sector, is just four hours away by coach. Delegates can navigate this stunning Unesco World Heritage Site in a revamped traditional junk. Lunch, dinners or cocktail receptions can all be arranged on board – or in one of the area’s caves. Groups can discover more about Red River Delta culture by booking a half-day tour to Bat Trang, a pottery village about 30 minutes by coach from Hanoi, where artisans have been making ceramics since the 14th century. Just over an hour’s drive from the city, historic Duong Lam is a fascinating and well-preserved traditional Vietnamese village also worth visiting. Hanoi has two well-regarded golf clubs, both 90 minutes away from the city centre. Kings’ Island Golf Resort offers two 18-hole courses, while Chi Linh Star Golf and Country Club is located in a stunning valley on the road to Halong Bay and nestled by rolling hills and a lake.
Fancy fare Ly Club is among the city’s high-end restaurants offering French-infused menus 40 CEI ASIA march 2013
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French villa Madame Hien serves a menu inspired by Vietnamese street food in an upscale, colonial setting with a private terrace
Dining out
Event planners can arrange catered dinners in several exceptional settings, including the Hanoi Opera House, the courtyard of the Temple of Literature (the oldest university in Vietnam, first established in 1070), or the National Museum of Vietnamese History, designed by the architect Ernest Hébrard and completed in 1932. There is also no shortage of upscale restaurants housed in wonderful French colonial villas, including Club de l’Oriental, Ly Club, Madame Hien and Ginger, plus Manzi, a new art gallery, café and wine bar which can accommodate 40-60 people for a reception. At Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, Le Beaulieu still offers the city’s premier Sunday brunch experience while Spices Garden serves Vietnamese cuisine with a lunch buffet option and evening a la carte offerings, all prepared under the watchful eye of Chef Nguyen Thanh Van.
Art show One of Hanoi’s newest venues, Manzi is a gallery, café and wine bar that showcases well-known and emerging Vietnamese artists
Special offers Packages from hotels like Sofitel Plaza Hanoi (above) are attracting business events to the city
Sweetening the deal
Sofitel Plaza Hanoi’s residential meeting package offers groups of 20 delegates or more breakfast, full-day use of meeting rooms and top-range audio-visual equipment, lunch and refreshments, and the services of a dedicated meeting planner from US$125 per person. Crowne Plaza West Hanoi is offering a meeting package priced at $99 per person for one night’s stay with a full-day meeting assisted by its events team, which offers responsive, seamless solutions from start to finish. The hotel’s offer is valid until June 30, 2013. Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi’s ‘Live the Legend’ package offers a special rate from $175 per room per night for groups staying from May 1 to September 30, with complimentary in-room internet access and breakfast. InterContinental Hanoi Westlake’s three lakeside pavilions are dedicated event spaces, meaning business groups can have their own ‘hotel within a hotel’ with tailor-made branding options for each pavilion and customised guest arrival experiences. n WWW.CEI.ASIA
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