The hotel industry is a beast in perpetual motion.
When I first started writing about travel Fairmont was an upmarket brand centred on Canada, known for its rather grand hotels in mountain settings and most of Canada's big cities.
Nowadays, Fairmont - founded in 1907 - is a global brand, part of the Accor portfolio, with properties around the world.
Now the Fairmont brand will be introduced to Vietnam with news of a 241-room luxury hotel The Fairmont Hanoi to open in 2024 in the city centre.
Fairmont was founded in San Francisco but has been involved in landmark locations including The Plaza in New York, Le Château Frontenac in Quebec City and more recently in Seoul and the Maldives.
The hotel will take inspiration from the art of lacquer with the traditional colours of Vietnam, the Indochinese style from the French colonial period.
Just a 10-minute walk to Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter, Fairmont Hanoi will feature extensive leisure and event facilities.
There will be six dining and bar venues including a rooftop restaurant, along with two indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a gym, wellness spa and bathhouse.
The exterior (top image) looks extremely generic and ugly to me - and out of place in beautiful Hanoi. More suited to Des Moines or Bristol. Just my opinion. Hopefully, it looks better than the supplied picture.
“The signing of the first Fairmont city hotel in Vietnam is a significant step forward in Accor's development within the country," said said Garth Simmons, CEO of Accor Southeast Asia, Japan and South Korea.
"Our ambition is to debut a greater collection of premium and luxury offerings to meet the rapidly growing demand for high-end hospitality in the market.
"A stay in any Fairmont hotel is truly unforgettable - our guests love to visit this collection of grand, awe-inspiring properties and appreciate the thoughtful service they receive each and every stay.
“The signing of the first Fairmont city hotel in Vietnam is a significant step forward in Accor's development within the country," said said Garth Simmons, CEO of Accor Southeast Asia, Japan and South Korea.
"Our ambition is to debut a greater collection of premium and luxury offerings to meet the rapidly growing demand for high-end hospitality in the market.
"A stay in any Fairmont hotel is truly unforgettable - our guests love to visit this collection of grand, awe-inspiring properties and appreciate the thoughtful service they receive each and every stay.
"Fairmont Hanoi will offer an experience that is steeped in local culture and is sure to become intrinsic to the local neighbourhood."
