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| Ho Chi
Minh City - Vietnam |
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Extraordinary -
Society
January - 2007 |
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5 Stars
& 6 Stripes
Overall - 'Hotel & Service' |
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The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes® |
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We flew 'Business' non-stop from Frankfurt, Germany to
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam with
Vietnam Airlines and landed safely and completely relaxed viewing a breathtaking sunrise. This was the first time Seven Stars and Stripes was reviewing in Ho Chi Minh City, by many still referred to as 'Saigon'. The fascinating city is a 'must' and belongs on every global traveler's list. Our arrival at the Caravelle Hotel's main entrance, after less then an hour's ride from SGN airport in a Mercedes
E 200, was nothing shy of 'grand'. The 1st district of Ho Chi Minh City is
the heart of one of the most pulsing and adventurous cities of the world and we
just couldn't wait to get our fill. Just imagine, four million mopeds and
bicycles are carrying anything and everything, besides people. The Caravelle is
located opposite the famous opera house and in the midst of shopping, commerce,
art, museums. This area of 'controlled chaos' is a wonderful base for all kinds
of excursions.
We
were greeted with friendly respect. Our check-in was handled at the front
desk by a well- mannered US-native gentleman. The overall appearance of the
arrival hall was that of understated elegance, sparkling chandeliers,
fabulously decorated, dramatic arrangements of freshly cut exotic flowers and
squeaky clean, precious marble floors. |
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| Suite -
Caravelle Hotel |
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| We felt content, safe and cared for. This landmark
hotel (first opened in 1959) received a complete rework in 1998 and a 24-story
tower was added to the 10 story existing hotel, today offering over three
hundred spacious accommodations, an in-house casino, a spa and salon and a
top-of-the-line fitness center. The Caravelle offers breathtaking views of the
Saigon River, downtown Saigon and features a couple of restaurants and bars.
Our gracious accommodations combined comfort with a colorful, elegant, stylish
décor. The highly functional suite provided all modern amenities along
with fabulous views of the exciting city. |
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| I unpacked my laptop and
experienced 1st hand why so many business teams prefer to work with an 8 to
12-hour time difference. My office in New York had already edited my latest
review and while they were headed home for the night, I was able to continue.
Time is money, in Saigon as well as in New York; the world has become a village
with WIFI - proving to work once again perfectly. |
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| A couple of hours later I met with GM Guido A.J.
Gydé, a man with a solid handshake and an understated elegant
appearance. Responsible for the hotel's smooth operation, Gydé, a
Belgian native, is a highly experienced hospitality pro who has worked all over
the world and was appointed to this position in early 2006. Later that evening
at the historic infamous Saigon-Saigon Bar, (with a view to die for) and over
fabulous cocktails, I had the pleasure of meeting
Director
General - Martyn Davis; a worldly visionary with hospitality savvy through
and through. These hands-on movers and shakers were instrumental in the recent
unveiling of Qi at Caravelle, a Zen spa overlooking the city's skyline from the
seventh floor and also for the renovation of the old Port Orient Restaurant -
now known as 'Nineteen'. Renovation of the accommodations by 2008 is the next
focus. |
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| Seven Stars and
Stripers® - Award-Hand-Out at the Caravelle Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City,
Vietnam |
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At an award ceremony a few days later, we had
the pleasure of addressing the entire management team, their staff and guests.
Approximately fifty journalists, one local TV station and 2 national TV
stations were present as we presented the Seven Stars and Stripes Award to this
winning team. |
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“The Caravelle conveys a sense of luxury throughout and is one
of the best hotels in Ho Chi Minh City,
located right in the heart, it has
superb vistas of a cityscape that is uniquely Caravelle.” ~ TB |
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| Editor's Note: |
Since our Seven Stars and
Stripes review January 2007, the Caravelle Hotel has appointed John Gardner as
new General Manager. Gardner, who replaced Guido Gydé as of March 30th
2007 moved to Vietnam after working and living for years in Asia and China. The
native New Zealander has managed a number of premier hotels in Sydney,
Melbourne, Pattaya, Surabaya, Zhengzhou, Jinan and Chongqing. We are looking
forward meeting Mr. Gardner in 2008. |
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by
Thorsten & Simone Buehrmann
Editor: Ingrid
Lemme
Editor-in-Chief: John Lomitola |
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| © 2007 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes, Inc. |
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