Furama Hotels and Resorts International to manage new resort in Vietnam

A new 5-star tropical island resort with brand-name sports, recreation and nightlife operators is being developed in southern Vietnam -- to be managed by Furama Hotels and Resorts International, a Hong Kong based hotel management company which also manages the luxury Furama Resort, Danang and Caravelle Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.

The Hon Tre Island Resort off the coast of Nha Trang is scheduled to soft open on 15 December 2003.

Famed for its gorgeous beaches and turquoise water, the provincial seaside city of Nha Trang lies midway between Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Danang – close to the fabled hill-station ‘City of Eternal Spring’, Dalat.

The region is rich in culture, heritage and natural beauty and an ideal holiday destination.

But the luxury offshore Hon Tre Island Resort promises to be much more -- the most exclusive and cosmopolitan resort in this relatively undeveloped tourism destination which was chosen by the last emperor of Vietnam as his seaside retreat.

“This is going to be a top class leisure resort hotel providing a superb range of guest facilities and entertainment,” promises Paul Stoll, FHRI’ s operator representative in Vietnam.

The resort intends to contract international specialists such as Burwash International, a renowned tennis and tennis tournament consultant, and the famous discotheque operator, Juliana's among other partners.

“It will be packed with brand-name operators,” says Mr Stoll. “Even watersports will be contracted out to specialists."

Being built to international 5-star standards, the resort hotel features 500 beach-style guestrooms (phase 1 – 250 rooms, phase 2 – 250 rooms) as well as eight honeymoon villas and two presidential suites. The five-storey resort hotel aims to attract high-end tourists, business travelers and conferences.

Facilities for the meetings and conference market include a ballroom / banquet hall for up to 1,000 guests, fully equipped with international standard conference aid to handle meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions.

Fully self-contained, Hon Tre Island Resort also features an al fresco seafood restaurant, an all day international dining restaurant, a poolside cafe and snack bar, various bars and lounges, discotheque, nightclub, gaming centre and karaoke lounge.

The resort intends to have its own 18-hole golf course with clubhouse, a marina and offers bowling, squash, tennis and archery facilities. Myriad water sports will also be available and the crystal clear waters around the island offer excellent fishing, snorkeling and scuba diving. Meanwhile, the mountainous hinterland of the Hon Tre Island is ideal for hiking and horse back riding.

Incorporated into the resort’s lush tropical gardens is an extensive beachfront swimming pool complex, and a large Health Club inspired by the  ancient local Champa culture will provide traditional treatments, state-of-the-art fitness equipment, massage facilities, sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi, and an indoor and outdoor pool.

Meeting and conference facilities are supplemented by a modern Business Centre offering a full range of business support services and Internet services.

The Hon Tre Island Resort is a 10-minute ferry ride from Nha Trang and 20 minutes from the city’s airport, where daily flights operate to Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Danang. By road, the resort is 450 kms north of Ho Chi Minh City. Early 2004 Nha Trang will be connected to the new Cam Ranh airport, which is able to handle the largest modern aircraft. Once in service, it will take travelers 45 minutes by car to reach Nha Trang and 55 minutes to reach the Hon Tre Island Resort.

Guests arriving at the Hon Tre Island Resort will check-in at a reception on the mainland before being shuttled by ferry to Hon Tre Island. Once on the island, they will be driven by open–air carriage along a landscaped road lined with mango trees to the Hon Tre Island Resort, which is framed by crystal clear sea, mountains and virgin forest.