October 6th, 2008, by Mary Winston Nicklin
InterContinental Hanoi Landmark: Vietnam’s Tallest Hotel to Open in 2011
InterContinental is bringing its distinctive luxury touch to more and more locations across the Asia Pacific region, with 30 new hotels scheduled to open within the next three years. One of the most anticipated debuts is the InterContinental Hanoi Landmark, which will be Vietnam’s tallest hotel when it opens in 2011 in the 70-storey Keangnam Hanoi Landmark Tower. Like the new InterContinental Westlake Hanoi overlooking the 800-year-old Golden Lotus Pagoda on Hanoi’s largest lake, the InterContinental Hanoi Landmark is bound to make waves on the luxury hotel scene with its stylish amenities and first-class service. The Westlake was named to Condé Nast Traveler’s prestigious 2008 Hot List for its “sublime waterfront locale,” and it seems likely that the InterContinental Hanoi Landmark will also land on the list for its resort-style pool, fitness club, and panoramic city views from the atrium lobby located on the 60th floor. The new hotel will join the ranks of the world’s tallest hotels, including the InterContinental Doha West Bay in Qatar (scheduled for 2009) and the InterContinental Nanjing in China (slated for 2010).
What a shame that IHG have decided to build a 70 storey hotel in this historic city.
Space in Hanoi is not a a premium as it is in most other Asian capitals and they could have easily built a hotel with the same amount of rooms that will not permanently ruin the skyline…..
Whilst accepting that Vietnam has to move in to the 21st century, as a tour operator I will continue recommending the historic, but subtle, Sofitel Metropole to my clients luxury clients.
I truly hope this is not the way of things to come in Hanoi!