Marriott International Inc. on Wednesday signed a strategic agreement with Vinpearl, Vietnam’s largest hospitality and leisure chain, to manage almost 2,200 rooms across eight hotels in the country under its brands.
The deal is set to further strengthen the American giant’s presence in Vietnam as the group expands its portfolio of world-class hotels and resorts in the country.
The cooperation, announced in Ho Chi Minh City, expects to see the debut of the Autograph Collection Hotels brand in Vietnam, while other planned openings span the brands Marriott Hotels, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, and Four Points by Sheraton.
"We are thrilled to be working with Vinpearl to accelerate our growth in Vietnam," said Rajeev Menon, president, Asia Pacific (excluding Greater China), Marriott International.
"With the country's solid foundation for a resilient economy, and continuous growth of its infrastructure especially in the tourism sector, we are confident this collaboration will enable us to better cater to our guests' needs," he said.
Of the eight hotels, six are conversions expected to become part of Marriott’s system later this year, while two will be newly-built.
Firstly, Vinpearl Luxury Landmark 81 by Saigon River in HCMC will become Vietnam’s first Autograph Collection hotel. The lifestyle hotel will join a diverse and dynamic collection of over 260 independent hotels around the globe hand-selected for their inherent craft and distinct perspective on design and hospitality. The hotel is set high up in a gleaming 461-meter tower and features 223 rooms and suites.
In Danang city on the central coast, Danang Marriott Resort & Spa will fly the Marriott Hotels flag following the rebranding of Vinpearl Luxury Danang. Nestled on Non Nuoc Beach close to the downtown area, the retreat features 200 rooms and suites, and 39 villas with a modern, residential design, and locally-inspired accents.
Sheraton Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort on Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s largest island, is re-branded from the existing Vinpearl Phu Quoc Resort. It features 500 modern and residential rooms, suites, and villas.
Sheraton Hai Phong, currently named Vinpearl Hotel Imperial, is expected to become one of the northern port city’s top choices for business and leisure travelers and a hub for conferences and events. The property features 362 modern, residential rooms and suites.
Sheraton Can Tho is set to be a landmark property in the thriving Mekong Delta city. Currently operating as Vinpearl Hotel Can Tho, the 262-key hotel stands on the banks of Can Tho River, surrounded by multiple attractions.
Up north, Four Points by Sheraton Lang Son is a 21-story hotel in the heart of Lang Son town, offering panoramic views of the surrounding forests and mountains. Currently known as Vinpearl Hotel Lang Son, it is anticipated to become the first internationally branded hotel in the town, which borders China, with 127 rooms and suites.
Under the newly-inked agreement, two new hotels are scheduled to open in 2025 - Sheraton Vinh in Vinh town in the central region, and Four Points by Sheraton Ha Giang province in the north. Both are located in unique locations promising to attract both domestic and international travelers.
Marriott International operates 10 hotels and resorts in Vietnam. The company recently announced its plans to more than quadruple its portfolio in the country with a signed pipeline of 30 hotels. The latest deal put the American major’s pipeline in the country close to 40 hotels.
In a neck-to-neck race with Marriott in Vietnam, Melia Hotels International - a major Spanish hotel chain - is in the process of taking over the management of 12 hotels and resorts already opened and in operation in the Southeast Asian nation.
Located from the north to the south, the 12 properties are expected to help the Spanish hotel group bolster its footprint in Vietnam, which it first entered in 1999 with the opening of the five-star hotel Melia Hanoi in the heart of the capital.
Notably, Melia’s bold move is also going through a partnership with Vinpearl, the hotel and resort arm of Vingroup, Vietnam’s largest listed conglomerate. Melia had said the partnership would make it the second largest hotel group in Vietnam in terms of number of rooms.