ACCOR ADDS SOFITEL IN HANOI

Latest five-star property strengthens Accor's position as leading international hotel company in Vietnam

In a move to further strengthen its lodging portfolio in Vietnam, Accor has signed a management agreement that will add another Sofitel to its six existing hotels in the country.

The 322-room Sofitel Plaza Hanoi (formerly the Meritus Westlake Hanoi) enjoys a prime location, 35 minutes from Noi Bai International Airport and just 10 minutes from the capital’s historic Old Quarter. It overlooks Hanoi’s beautiful West Lake and the Red River in the capital’s scenic Lake District.

The property features four fantastic bars and three exciting restaurants, in addition to extensive meeting and convention facilities. The pillar-less ballroom can accommodate up to 400 people, making it one of Hanoi’s favourite entertaining choices for business and social functions.

It also has an all-weather, heated 18-metre swimming pool with a retractable roof, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia.

Accor Asia Pacific Deputy Chairman, Jochen Dobel, said the addition of the Sofitel Plaza Hanoi was part of the company’s strategy to align itself with strong investors that are well respected and established in the region.

“Accor sees this agreement as taking our relationship with United Overseas Land (UOL) to the next level. This is our fourth hotel management contract with them, and is a clear indicator of how we view this very important partnership.

“UOL is an extremely valuable strategic partner for Accor. They have a significant presence around Asia, and we are confident that the two companies will continue to find future business opportunities to explore together.”

In addition to the Sofitel Plaza Hanoi, Accor currently manages the 290-room Sofitel Plaza Saigon, in which UOL through its subsidiary holds equity interest; UOL’s wholly owned 146-room Novotel Garden Plaza Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City, and UOL’s majority owned 359-room Sofitel Plaza Yangon.

According to Mr Dobel, the Sofitel Plaza Hanoi would perfectly complement the historic Sofitel Metropole Hanoi, offering business and leisure travellers two exciting locations from which to experience Vietnam’s unique northern hospitality.

“The Metropole has traditionally been strong in the corporate market and has also attracted travellers fascinated by the history of the hotel. The Sofitel Plaza Hanoi is a modern hotel located in a different part of the capital that will appeal to another market segment,” Mr Dobel, said.

Other Accor managed hotels in Vietnam include the Sofitel Dalat Palace, Novotel Dalat and the Novotel Coralia Phan Thiet.

The announcement of the Sofitel Plaza Hanoi follows recent Sofitel launches in Bangkok, New York, Paris, Tokyo and Siem Reap; with additional Sofitels scheduled to open over the next year in London, Buenos Aires, Chicago and Washington.