Three New Luxury Hotels For HCM City

Posted by admin on December 30, 2010 under Vietnam Travel in the South, Vietnam travel News, vietnam hotel | Read the First Comment

By Dat Tien

An artist’s impression of the live-star Pullman Saigon Center Hotel

On November 29, 2010, Saigontourist will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for its five-star Pullman Saigon Center Hotel, complete the foundation for its four-star Novotel Saigon Center Hotel and inaugurate its four-star Liberty Central Hotel.

The total investment capital for the three hotels is about US$113 million. These three hotels belong to Que Huong Liberty Joint Stock Co., under the umbrella of Saigontourist Holding Company.

Nguyen Huu Tho, general director of Saigontourist, said: “Regarding the development strategy for the period 2010-2015 and the vision for 2010, Saigontourist aims to become the biggest tourism corporation in Vietnam and the region in the fields of accommodation, tourism, gastronomy and other services. The company strives for a total turnover of over US$1 billion in 2015, making tourism a key industry of HCM City and Vietnam. The three hotels, Pullman Saigon Center, Novotel Saigon Center and Liberty Central of Que Huong Liberty Joint Stock Co., are among the tens of key investment projects of Saigontourist in HCM City.”

Pullman Saigon Center Hotel

The five-star Pullman Saigon Center Hotel, on the site of the former three-star Metropole (at 148 Tran Hung Dao St., Dist. 1), will be built with a three-level underground car park, 24 floors, with 300 bedrooms, restaurants, meeting rooms and fitness clubs. It has an investment capital of US$60 million and is due to be completed in 2013.
Pullman — a prestigious upscale five-star hotel brand of Accor group — will manage the Pullman Saigon Center Hotel. Currently, the Pullman network has 46 hotels around the world, and in the future Accor plans to develop 150 hotels under this brand.

Novotel Saigon Center Hotel

Work on Novotel Saigon Center Hotel, on the site of the former QueHuong 1 Hotel (at 165-167 Hai Ba Trung St., Dist. 1), started in April, and to date the foundation has been completed. The four-star hotel is due to commence operation in 2012, with three-level underground parking, 18 floors of hotel space, 250 bedrooms, restaurants, meeting rooms, leisure and entertainment rooms. The project’s investment capital is about US$38 million.

Liberty Central Hotel

Que Huong Liberty Co. started building Liberty Central Hotel (formerly Que Huong Liberty 6 at 177-179 Le Thanh Ton St., Dist. 1), with the design by Ong & Ong Company (Singapore) and construction by CotecCons.
In February 2010, the company put part of Liberty Central Hotel into operation, consisting of one-level underground parking, 12 floors of hotel space, 139 bedrooms and other international four-star standard services, capitalized at US$15 million.

Central Restaurant can host up to 150 guests, serving breakfast and Vietnamese specialties in a Fusion style. LIO Coffee Lounge on the ground floor is a relaxing area for welcoming guests.

To meet the demand for meetings and parties, there are the luxurious Apollo conference room hosting up to 150 people, with modern equipment and two small meeting rooms, holding from 20-40 guests.
There are two private dining rooms on the second floor and the Executive Lounge on the 11th floor serving business guests.

In addition, staff at the Business Center and Concierge are ready to answer any questions. Guests can relax with services such as spa, massage, an outdoor swimming pool on the 12th floor and a gym on the top floor.
Liberty Central Hotel is managed by Saigontourist. Pullman Saigon Center and Novotel Saigon Center hotels will be under Accor’s management.

“The combination of Saigontourist and Accor will help increase international tourists, diversify and upgrade product and service quality as well as professionalism. The cooperation between Saigontourist and Accor will also contribute to perfecting management techniques of Saigontourist in line with international standards,” Nguyen Huu Tho said.

SGTimes

Surf’s up on Malibu Beach in Mui Ne

Posted by admin on under Attractions, Vietnam Travel in the South, Vietnam tour, Vietnam travel News | Be the First to Comment

By Michael Smith in Mui Ne

A longboarder surfs at Mui Ne’s Malibu Beach also known by Vietnam locals as Ghan Beach – Photo: Chiga Balazsd

I had two of my best surfs so far in Vietnam over Christmas on the back beach at Mui Ne also known as Malibu Beach.

The surf on Christmas Day and Christmas Eve had three foot sets with some good rides, both lefts and rights. It was slightly bigger down the south end of Malibu Beach near the No Mad kitesurfing camp, but it was glassier down further near the resorts, which was particularly good. Boxing Day was reportedly excellent as well.

December has swung the wind from the South to the North bringing the wind-swell onto the east-facing Malibu beach. The front beach at Mui Ne has very little surf this time of year. The website, forecasts.swellwatch.com, demonstrates really well where the wind and swell are coming from. For another tip to find secret spots to surf in Vietnam  look at Google Earth.

It’s best to go around sunrise before the wind picks up at 10am when it starts to get blown out.

I got my hands on a motorbike with a board rack, which was a great score, so I could cruise along the beach and choose the best peak. Otherwise I recommend you get a taxi or a xe om (motorbike taxi) and hold your board under your arm. If you get in and out of Malibu Beach before 10 in the morning the wind is not going to be too much of a problem for carrying the board on the bike.

To get to Malibu Beach from the main resort strip, just head up to the fishing port and turn left at the roundabout at Mui Ne Town, then follow your nose.

I took my own board (borrowed actually) from Saigon on a Phuong Trang bus from De Tham Street. It’s an eight footer and truly if it was another inch longer it wouldn’t have fitted in the luggage compartment, so be mindful of that if you’ve got a longer board – you might need a bus with roof racks on top. It can be handy to have some octopus straps as well.

Surfing at Malibu Beach is nothing like Uluwatu in Bali or Nias in Sumatra or other legendary surf spots. It’s just a beach break but it’s much better than Vung Tau and I suspect more consistent this time of year. But it hasn’t been a good season for wind so far – leaving all the kite surfing schools in Mui Ne feeling a bit down.

It may not be Uluwatu but it’s definitely frontier Asia surfing with waves, coconut palm trees and fishermen in basket boats just beyond the break, which makes for an epic adventure.

Chiga takes half day surfing safaris around Mui Ne for US$95.