Starwood Worldwide Eyes Two Hotels in Ha Long Bay

Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide has reached agreement with Royal International Corp. to develop two hotels in Ha Long Bay, or "Descending Dragon", in northern Quang Ninh province, bringing more high-end accommodation options for tourists.

 

The 160-room Four Points Hotel is expected to open in early 2008, and the 300-room Sheraton Ha Long Bay Resort plans to open in 2010.

 

Detailed construction works are not available at the moment.

 

World Heritage-listed Ha Long Bay is located in the northern province of Quang Ninh and features a picturesque expanse of 1969 limestone monolithic islands, rising from the ocean along the 120km coastline, forming a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars. Its location is very suitable for the two constructions, President of Starwood Hotels and Resorts in the Asia Pacific, Miguel Ko said.

 

The two-hotel project further strengthens Starwood’s position as one of the largest international high-end hotel chains in Thailand and the Indochina region, which includes Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

 

Miguel Ko expected Vietnam’s entry into the World Trade Organization to boost leisure and business travel to the country even further, as Vietnam gains international prominence.

 

The giant now operates 13 hotels in the region, including Sheraton Sai Gon Hotel and Towers and Sheraton Hanoi Hotel in Vietnam, with 11 more under development in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Kon Samui, Angkor and now Ha Long Bay. (VNA)