New Mercedes E-Class arrives at Caravelle Hotel
Saigon’s most historic addresses–Caravelle Hotel, continues to set the pace for five-star
properties in Vietnam’s largest metropolis with a 'luxury' fleet of the 4 brand new Mercedes-Benz E-Class on October 9, 2013.
Caravelle Hotel has been a loyal customer of Mercedes-Benz for years. The illustrious 5-star
hotel became the first fleet customer of Mercedes-Benz in 2004. Since then, The Caravelle
has been the first customer of Mercedes-Benz to install in-car Wi-fi hotspot, making it easier
for guests to be online and touch base with business and family no matter where they are or
what they are doing. The complimentary service has been much appreciated by guests as it
is quite handy in a city famed for its chaotic traffic. This updating of the new fleet is considered as a continuation of long-term and trustworthy co-operation between Caravelle Hotel
and Mercedes-Benz.
“The low maintenance and excellent service support that we’ve had from Mercedes-Benz
made our choice obvious. The two top brands - even in the different business areas, share
the common values: Luxury, Safety and Reliability. The 4 brand new E-Class will completely
satisfy the high-class travelers and business people. Moreover, we can generate our unique
selling point with Mercedes-Benz.” shared Mr. John Gardner, General Manager of the 5-star
Caravelle Hotel.
The stylish design, the efficiency and advanced technologies in safety have been ingrained
into the core values of the latest E-Class model series. The intelligent light system of the EClass is truly a masterpiece of art with 4 curved emotional "eye-lids". At the intersection,
the ECO Start/Stop function pauses the engine to reduce fuel consumption and air pollution
unnecessarily. With each minute of working, the E-Class can go for another 400m’s distance. The new E-Class is also the first car whose body was sealed in the most advanced
and environmental friendly manner, world-wide. This makes Mercedes-Benz E-Class a logical choice for the 5-Star Caravelle’s chauffer service.
----------------------------Caravelle Team with The 3rd Prize at The Final Vietnam Classic Pastry Cup — We
are proud to announce that Caravelle Hotel, with the representative of Ms. Ngô thùy Đan
Thanh – Pastry Chef de Partie and Mr. Nguyễn Ngọc Dũng – Pastry Demi Chef de Partie,
won the 3rd prize of the Vietnam Classic Pastry Cup FINAL 2013 which took place in DOBLA
BA RIA VUNG TAU.
This is a prestigious and honorable contest which aims to encourage and develop the professional skills of Vietnamese Chefs as well as the teamwork’s spirit. For the 4th edition of
the only true pastry competition in Vietnam, 6 motivated teams including: Intercontinental
Asiana Saigon, Caravelle Hotel, Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel, Hyatt Regency Danang Resort &
Spa, Sofitel Plaza Hanoi and Sheraton Hanoi Hotel have shown their skills, team spirit and
creativity to a panel of recognized national and international pastry chefs. These judges will
assess the teams upon originality, creativity, innovation, presentation and taste of their creation. In addition, the panel will grade the contestants on their technical and organization
skills, hygiene and professionalism. With this prestigious prize, the team of Caravelle Hotel
will be attending a training in Hong Kong and Malaysia under the tuition of Master Chef inclusive of accommodation and air fare.
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----------------------------Caravelle Goes Biking for the Environment. In a show of support for this year’s World
Environment Day, on the morning of June 2, The Caravelle’s senior management, department heads together with nearly 130 associates and friends set off to pedal the distance
between Lam Son Square in the city centre and the Nhieu Loc Canal to raise awareness for
public sanitation and cleanliness.
Donning green t-shirts and hoisting flags, banners with the slogan “Let’s keep Nhieu Loc
Canal CLEAN & CLEAR”, the group cycled along Hoang Sa and Truong Sa, streets bordering
Nhieu Loc Canal and part of an area that’s recently been cleared, cleaned and replanted by
the city’s authorities. The Caravelle staff hung banners in a bid to call on residents to the
need of protecting and maintaining this newly created green space by handling waste
properly and stop littering.
This is The Caravelle’s third year of participation in World Environment Day. In 2012, the
hotel organized a flashmob on the steps of the Opera House; and in 2010, the hotel staff
planted more than 1,200 flowering bushes and spread 100 bags of soil and fertilizer around
this area. The United Nations Environment Programme founded World Environment Day in
1972 as a vehicle to stimulate worldwide awareness of environmental issues. Today, the
event aims at being the biggest and most widely celebrated global day for positive environmental action.
Press Release (14 March 2013)
Caravelle Hotel Powers Off for Earth Hour 2013
As a gesture of its commitment to protecting the future of the planet, Ho Chi Minh City’s
historic Caravelle Hotel will be turning off its lights to mark Earth Hour 2013.
From 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm on March 23, The Caravelle will switch off lights on its façade, in
its guestrooms, fine-dining restaurant and on its website. Candlelight dinners and drinks will
be offered in Reflections, and the hotel will place letters in all its guestrooms to invite guests
to switch off air-conditioning and other electronic appliances for Earth Hour.
In its fifth year of participation, The Caravelle is encouraging its staff and partners to join
the action, and will hang a banner from its façade to encourage others to take part in the
annual event.
Since starting in 2007, Earth Hour has grown into the world’s largest voluntary action for
the environment, bringing landmarks, corporations, celebrities, schools and people in 152
countries and on seven continents together in an hour-long contemplation of the planet’s
future.
Other landmarks from Vietnam taking part in the event are Hanoi’s Turtle Tower and Hue’s
Trang Tien Bridge. Earlier in March, Ho Chi Minh City launched its own Earth Hour 2013
campaign to raise awareness about the importance of energy conservation. In Hanoi, Earth
Hour 2013 will be celebrated with the main event taking place in Cach Mang Thang Tam
Square at 8:00 pm on the same day.
Since 2008, the Caravelle Hotel has redoubled its sustainability efforts in the conservation
and social arenas. In the past year alone, the hotel installed a $75,000 wastewater treatment facility that recycles 40% of the property’s water and implemented a property-wide
switch to energy saving light bulbs and biodegradable cleansers.
In 2011, the Caravelle achieved international ISO 14001:2004 certification for environmental management and became one of three properties in Vietnam to be awarded Silver Certification by EarthCheck, a top benchmarking program used by the travel and tourism indus-
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try. In 2012, the Caravelle installed a state-of-the-art heat pump to replace its boiler system, and reached new environmental targets in recycling by re-using 33,000 cubic meters
of treated wastewater. The hotel also reduced its CO2 emissions by 5.18% from the previous year.
Worldhotels Cites Caravelle Hotel for Global Marketing Award. The Caravelle Hotel
scooped up the distinction of ‘Best Marketing Engagement Award’ at the 2013 Worldhotels
World Conference in Barcelona on Jan. 19. The historic property in downtown Ho Chi Minh
City was handpicked for the award from among 500 top hotels in 65 countries that make up
the Worldhotels portfolio.
Press Release (4 Feb 2013)
Motorcycles and Meetings Star in Caravelle Hotel’s 2013 MICE Package
The Caravelle is entering the running for most memorable MICE package in Vietnam with a
residential meeting offer showcasing a cross-section of Saigon’s colourful history and its
legendary motorcycle traffic.
Planners looking for a dynamic destination to hold their business events can book the
Caravelle’s new MICE Package featuring full-day meeting room rental, deluxe accommodation with a choice of river or city views, international breakfasts in Saigon’s most buzzedabout buffet restaurant, a tailored lunch menu and two coffee breaks per day with freshlybaked pastries, fruits and squeezed juices.
As the highlight of their Vietnam visit, groups can opt to take a two-hour Vespa City Tour
around the main district and French-influenced quarters of Ho Chi Minh City.
Beginning in the afternoon, each passenger on the tour will have the chance to witness local
life up close on the back of a vintage Italian scooter that will cruise along the Saigon River
and past the city’s historic landmarks. English-speaking guides will accompany the group
which will make one stop at a chosen attraction and another for drinks at sundown.
The Caravelle’s 2013 MICE Package also covers free Wi-Fi Internet throughout the hotel,
and in-room welcome drinks and fruits. The Caravelle is dropping additional perks for planners, with one complimentary room and one upgrade to a suite per 20 rooms booked. Planners will also receive a 10% commission on the booking from the hotel, after deduction of
appropriate taxes and charges.
A minimum of two nights and 30 persons per group is required to book the deal, which runs
until Sept. 30, 2013, and is priced at USD 159++ per single room per night.
For bookings and inquires, email: hung.tran@caravellehotel.com
Press Release (28 Jan 2013)
Travellers Rate Caravelle One of Vietnam’s Top 25 Luxury Hotels
Guest reviews from all over the globe elevated the Caravelle Hotel to a place among Vietnam’s Top 25 Luxury Hotels in the recently announced TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice
awards for 2013.
The world’s largest travel site revealed the winners of its 11th annual rankings on Jan. 16.
The winners were based on millions of traveler reviews of more than 650,000 hotels in 82
countries. Properties with the highest feedback from guests were grouped regionally and
into categories such as Luxury Hotels, Small Hotels, B&Bs and Inns. The Caravelle’s 4.5-star
rating from some 774 reviews on the TripAdvisor site earned it a spot among the 25 most
outstanding luxury hotels in the country. Other winners from Vietnam in the same category
are the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, The Nam Hai in Hoi An, and La Residence Hotel &
Spa in Hue.
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“There are certainly bigger, newer hotels in Ho Chi Minh City,” said John Gardner, the hotel’s general manager. “But the Caravelle’s fascinating history, gracious Vietnamese service
and magical location add a special dimension to the hotel experience that guests really respond to and appreciate.”
03 Jan 2013
PRESS RELEASE
Caravelle Revisits Old Saigon with Package Celebrating The Historic Opera House
A 115-year-old municipal theatre designed by French architects is the centerpiece of a new
luxury holiday showcasing Vietnam’s colorful culture in the heart of its most progressive
metropolis.
The Caravelle’s three-night Historic Opera Discovery Package aims to amplify the echoes of Ho Chi Minh City in its early days, as a beautifully laid-out city of wide boulevards,
tree-lined parks and grand buildings along the Saigon River.
The package will see guests installed in the Caravelle’s 119-square-metre Opera Suite overlooking historic Lam Son Square and the Saigon Opera House, where guests will be given
tickets to an evening performance of the critically acclaimed cultural show, Hon Viet (Soul of
Vietnam) on the night of 15th or 23th each month.
Before attending the programme, the couple will be served one of three new L’Opera menus
in the hotel’s fine-dining restaurant Reflections.
Additional highlights on the package are a 3-hour and 30-minute Relaxation Spa Package
for two at Kara Salon & Spa, and full benefits such as complimentary cocktails, canapés and
all-day refreshments at the hotel’s 9th-floor Signature Lounge.
Daily breakfast buffets, taxes and service charges are included in the offer, priced at VND
48,550,000 (equivalent $2,237). Running from January until May 2013, the package is
available for three-night stays covering the 15th or 23rd of each month.
In addition to its ‘Opera Nights’ package, Reflections is starting the new year with all-new a
la carte and set menus, freshening the culinary appeal at the heart of Ho Chi Minh City.
Scottish Executive Sous Chef Darren Watson and the Caravelle’s Executive Chef Timo Reuss
collaborated on the creation of the seasonal menu, which is divided into special sections for
Asian-inspired dishes, grilled fish and meats including US Beef and New Zealand Lamb, as
well as two sections titled ‘From the Sea’ and ‘From the Farm.’
The chefs have also put together a range of prix fixe menus: a three-course western menu,
a five-course degustation menu, a four-course Vietnamese menu and the all-new Opera
Menus featured on the ‘Opera Nights’ package.
Staged twice monthly at the Saigon Opera House, Hon Viet weaves hundreds of years of
history into an hour-long production featuring traditional music and dancing from Vietnam’s
three regions. The show is designed to offer insight into Vietnamese culture, depicting
scenes as diverse as the Legend of the Trung Sisters, the life of city sidewalk vendors, and
ethnic bamboo dancing.
Built in 1897 under the direction of architect Ferret Eugene, the ornate façade of the 800seat Saigon Opera House was designed to mimic France’s Petit Palais, erected in the same
year. Partially destroyed by Allied bombings in 1945, the façade was restored in 1998 in
time for the 300th anniversary of the founding of Saigon.
For reservation, please email rsvn@caravellehotel.com.
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Caravelle Hotel Converts to Non-Smoking Status in 2013
One of Vietnam’s leading eco-friendly city hotel is poised to join a growing number of hospitality properties around the world in implementing a smoke-free policy.
From Jan. 1, 2013, all 335 rooms and suites at the Caravelle Hotel on Lam Son Square will
be designated non-smoking spaces. A room recovery fee of VND 3,500,000 will be levied on
guests who are caught lighting up in their rooms.
“Some 90% of our guests request non-smoking rooms,” said John Gardner, the hotel’s general manager. “Many smokers actually prefer non-smoking rooms; but even those who don’t
still expect their rooms to be well-aired and smelling fresh when they check in – which is
something we can guarantee for all our guests as a result of this shift.”
The Caravelle is one of only three hotels and resorts in the country to attain Silver Certification from the international benchmarking program, EarthCheck. In June of 2012 the hotel
staged a clean-up campaign and flash-mob on the steps of the HCMC Opera House in celebration of World Environment Day.
Reflections Welcomes 2013 with New Culinary Adventures
Reflections is starting the new year with all-new a la carte and set menus, freshening the
culinary appeal at the heart of Ho Chi Minh City.
Situated on the third floor of the Caravelle Hotel overlooking historic Lam Son Square and
the Opera House, the restaurant claims some of the best views in town and is known for its
atmospheric tables, elegant decor and gourmet cuisine.
Scottish Sous Chef Darren Watson and the Caravelle‟s Executive Chef Timo Reuss collaborated on the creation of the seasonal menus, as well as the new Opera Menus of light dinners served between 4 pm and 6 pm.
“Every now and then we rewrite our menus to focus on fresh ingredients and to update our
plating and techniques in step with current gastronomical trends,” said Darren Watson. “But
the goal of the menu at Reflections has always stayed the same: To cook high-quality fresh,
seasonal, locally sourced products and present them well.”
The a la carte menus follow a traditional sequence, beginning with appetizers and soups,
and ending with six decadent desserts. The menu is divided into special sections for Asianinspired dishes, grilled fish and meats including US Beef and New Zealand Lamb, as well as
two sections titled „From the Sea‟ -- where diners will find mains such as Nha Trang lobster
with homemade black ink pasta, sea urchin, basil puree and vanilla Pastis foam -- and
„From the Farm‟, with dishes such as rabbit saddle wrapped in Parma ham, 12-hour slowcooked rabbit leg with celeriac cream, roast root vegetables and Pommery mustard jus.
Opera Menus, like the one put together by Reflections, were traditionally designed to be enjoyed before an evening‟s performance. Diners select from a two-course menu featuring
three appetizers and three mains, for VND 550,000++ per person.
The chefs have also put together a range of prix fixe menus: a three-course western menu,
a five-course degustation menu, and a four-course Vietnamese menu. Wine aficionados
have the option to try the degustation menu paired with matching handpicked vintages. All
set menus conclude with a tiered tray of assorted chocolates and sweets, and a choice of
Lavazza coffee or Ronnefeldt tea.
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Caravelle Scoops Up Top Eco-Tourism Award from Green Lotus Label
The Caravelle Hotel last week 8 Dec 2012 in Hanoi, picked up the highest award from Vietnam’s eco-tourism benchmarking body, Green Lotus Label, in recognition of the hotel’s
efforts to protect the environment and develop sustainable tourism.
The Caravelle was awarded Level 5 status from the Vietnam Ministry of Culture, Sports and
Tourism after completing an on-site audit in late November.
Hotels and resorts aspiring to the Green Lotus Label must meet certain standards of environmental protection, make efforts to protect the environment, use energy and resources
efficiently, contribute to the heritage and development of the local economy, culture and
society, and pursue sustainable tourism development.
“For years the Caravelle has pioneered ways to make our operations as eco-friendly as possible, and to find creative ways support the local community,” said John Gardner, the hotel’s
general manager. “This award is confirmation for us that those efforts are a success.”
“It’s also a step in the right direction, for the country’s rapidly growing hospitality industry
to have the oversight of a national eco-tourism body,” he said.
Green Lotus certification is based on 81 criteria. Properties receive a ranking on one of five
levels, with five representing the highest possible standard in sustainable hotel operations.
Reference criteria for the Green Lotus Label, introduced by Vietnam’s environment and tourism authorities in mid-2012, was drawn from the recommendations of experts, standards of
international sustainable tourism organizations, nationwide sampling surveys and the Global
Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC).
The Caravelle Hotel also reaffirmed its Silver Certified status with international benchmarking program EarthCheck, earlier this year. The hotel is one of three properties in Vietnam to
have attained EarthCheck’s Silver Certification.
In November, the 335-room property announced it would offer only non-smoking accommodation from the start of 2013.
Caravelle Pulls Back the Curtain on Kara Salon & Spa
Iconic Saigon hotel to manage its own spa in-house for the first time ever
As Ho Chi Minh City hurries to cut the ribbon on a new crop of gleaming shopping malls and
high-rise complexes, one of its most iconic hotels is quietly unveiling a nostalgia-tinged
sanctuary of wellness and rejuvenation in the historic heart of the city.
Six weeks after its soft debut, Kara Salon & Spa on the 7th floor of the Caravelle Hotel has
fully opened its doors to guests and visitors seeking a breather from the relentless pace of
the streets below.
“We‟re in the midst of it all, here on Lam Son Square,” said John Gardner, the hotel‟s General Manager. “And with Kara‟s debut, we‟re carving some space out of the bright lights
and big city for an oasis of stillness and calm.”
The first in-house managed spa in the Caravelle‟s history covers 750 square metres of
hardwood and marble floors in the hotel‟s original, 53-year-old wing, made famous as a haven for war correspondents in the 60s and 70s. Previously home to one of the Qi group of
spas, in mid-September the Caravelle embarked on its own wellness story, melding the spa
into its distinct brand of luxury and gracious Vietnamese hospitality. The spa‟s name is a
play on the English word, “carat”, signifying high quality.
Kara Spa‟s two corner VIP suites and eight private treatment rooms overlook the treetops
of the Opera House and Lam Son Square through floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The eight
daybeds in the foot massage parlour face a palm-shaded swimming pool and spray of climbing wall vines.
After a pandan and boot-lily tea welcome, guests retreat to separate men‟s and women‟s
areas, each containing aromatherapy steam rooms, saunas, private showers, a Jacuzzi and
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single treatment rooms. The spa‟s double VIP rooms with their captivating views of the city
centre cater to friends, VIPs and couples.
Kara Spa partnered with luxury Thai product line THANN and all-natural skin-care brand Pevonia Botanical to enhance the quality of its body and facial treatments. Revitalizing ingredients used in the Spa are as diverse as Myoxy Caviar, black sesame and Dead Sea mud.
Giving greater priority to the full-body experience, the spa added a range of three- to fourhour packages, new massages, scrubs and wraps to its menu. „Fit For a King‟, a head-totoe package for a manly polishing-up, balances the indulgent Kara Queen Body Wrap with
Royal Jelly, milk and essential oils. The Kara Saigon Signature massage blends five of the
spa‟s seven massage traditions in one 90-minute session.
The salon‟s menu of hair, nail and waxing services are executed by five hairdressers and
nail technicians using L‟Oreal Professional products and OPI polish.
Ten of the city‟s top spa therapists were brought on board under the supervision of a new
spa manager, Hoang Thuy Vi, who carries almost a decade of experience heading spas at
the Ana Mandara Hue, Sofitel Plaza Saigon and Park Royal Saigon.
For
more
information
please
contact
Ms
Thuy
Vi
–
Spa
Manager
at
vi.hoang@caravellehotel.com or 38234999 ext 27032.
Corazon Latino Takes the Party to New Heights at Saigon Saigon Bar
Ho Chi Minh City‟s favorite open-air nightspot is getting a breath of fresh air with the arrival
of a new Cuban band at the Saigon Saigon Bar this month.
From August 2012, the six-member team of singers and musicians, known as Corazon Latino Band will take the stage at the Caravelle Hotel‟s 10th-floor rooftop bar from 9 p.m.
every day except Tuesday.
Oscar Leyva, one of the city‟s most recognizable performers and former frontman of the
Luna Negra Band, directs Corazon Latino Band. The band‟s other members, singers Dayme
and Yalianne, as well as keyboardist Nestor, guitarist Abdel and drummer Edylberto all hail
from Cuba, where they each played key roles in the local music scene.
“In Spanish, „corazon‟ means heart, but we also use that term when we talk about the center, the seat of emotion, and of course, passion,” said Leyva. “We like to think the band‟s
expressive music is a perfect match for Saigon Saigon Bar, which is itself situated in the
heart of this city.”
With extensive experience performing for live audiences, Corazon Latino is planning to debut a mix of danceable Latin Music and English favorites for the crowd at Saigon Saigon Bar.
Music and dance lovers can expect four sets of ten songs per night, with the entertainment
factor boosted by the band‟s focus on guitar and its energetic dance routines.
Whether in the mood to sit back, sing along or shake the stress away on the dance floor,
patrons will find that with Corazon Latino providing the beat and the Caravelle‟s awardwinning team of staff manning the bar, there‟s always a party on in Saigon.
Saigon Saigon Bar - Top 10 Exciting Entertainment Venues – 100 Excitements of HCMC –
awarded by HCMC Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, with a birds-eye balcony
view of the neighbourhood and live music, open daily from 11:00 am.
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MORE IS SPICING UP @ SAIGON SAIGON BAR
16 to 22 August 2012
Just like the Saigon Saigon Bar itself, there‟ll be plenty of spice in the bar‟s special fare
from August 16 - 22 during Chili Con Carne Week. All week long, our crack chefs will be
stewing this very distinctive dish. Translated as “chili pepper with meat,” Chile Con Carne is
no one-dish wonder. At the Saigon Saigon Bar, we‟ll be serving versions of the stew with
beef burger, with tortillas, with a Bolognese sauce, with Gruyere cheese and a Thai version
that‟s long on basil, jasmine rice and a fried egg!
From VND 198,000 ++/ dish
Saigon Saigon Bar – Rooftop via 9th Floor – Caravelle Hotel
ONE METER BEER @ SAIGON SAIGON BAR
The lofty rooftop bar at the Caravelle Hotel is pouring an appropriately tall drink for beer
lovers this August. The fastest way to get the party started, the One Meter Beer tradition at
Saigon Saigon Bar means twelve mugs of ice-cold San Miguel Beer are delivered to the table
in a metre-tall beer tower with its own tap. Each Meter Beer is priced at VND 588,000++.
Saigon Saigon Bar – Rooftop via 9th Floor – Caravelle Hotel
Caravelle Boosts Eco-Friendly Status with New Ratings
Historic Saigon hotel cuts oil & water consumption by 8% as occupancy grows
The Caravelle Hotel proved less is truly more by growing guest occupancy while simultaneously cutting back on its consumption of diesel oil, water and electricity, as confirmed by an
international team of auditors last month.
The landmark Caravelle Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City passed its second round of EarthCheck
benchmarking with flying colours, out-performing on nine of 11 key indicators at or above
best practice levels set by the globally recognised EarthCheck Program.
Compared to the previous year, in 2011 the Caravelle managed an 8.3% reduction in diesel
oil, 7.5% reduction in water consumption, and a 2% reduction in electricity, even as its
room occupancy grew by 8.25% from 2010.
According to EarthCheck’s most recent report, over the course of 2011 the Caravelle managed to raise its performance from baseline levels to best practice levels in the categories of
CO2 emissions, potable water consumption and waste management.
“What is great about this new report is that all the improved figures are in categories based
on consumption per guest night,” said John Gardner, the hotel’s General Manager. “We’ve
taken all kinds of measures that we know will pay off in the long run, but it’s heartening to
see there is actually a day-to-day difference taking place in our operations.”
This month the hotel launched a paperless check-in and checkout option for eco-minded
guests. By scanning crucial documents, having guests digitally sign their names onto a
handheld tablet, and offering soft copies of invoices, the hotel expects to slash its paper
waste for some 3,500 guests each month.
The Caravelle Hotel is the first hospitality property in Vietnam to debut a paperless reception service.
In 2010, the Caravelle became the third property in Vietnam to earn EarthCheck Silver Certification. The only other properties in the country currently holding EarthCheck’s Silver Certification are the Novotel Ocean Dunes and Golf Resort and the Intercontinental Hanoi
Westlake.
Since 2008, the Caravelle Hotel has boosted its sustainability efforts, installing a $75,000
wastewater treatment facility that recycles 30% of the property’s water and implementing a
property-wide switch to energy saving light bulbs and biodegradable cleansers. In 2011, the
Caravelle achieved international ISO 14001:2004 certification for environmental management.
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EarthCheck is the top benchmarking program used by the travel and tourism industry.
Properties applying for certification from the program must pass exacting science-based
standards taken by third-party auditors to measure sustainability.
PRESS RELEASE (09 July 2012)
Vietnam’s Caravelle Hotel Names New Director of Rooms
Fresh from the Australian coast and into the motorcycle maze of Ho Chi Minh City, Bryce
Seator takes over as the new Director of Rooms for the historic Caravelle Hotel this week.
Seator arrives in Vietnam off a six-year stint at Australia’s most-awarded five-star resort,
Hayman Island on the Great Barrier Reef. During his time at Hayman Island, Seator was
elevated through the ranks from Event Services Manager, to Front Office Manager to Acting
Director of Rooms.
No stranger to historic properties, 30-year-old Seator’s hospitality career began in front office and food and beverage operations at heritage-listed hotels the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth and the Duxton Hotel Melbourne.
Educated in Hotel Management at the prestigious International Hotel and Tourism Training
Institute (IHTTI) in Lucerne, Switzerland, and the Pacific International Hotel Management
School (PIHMS) in New Zealand, Seator also holds a certificate in Basic Civil Defense and
Firefighting.
The 335-room Caravelle Hotel, located in downtown Ho Chi Minh City, is one of Vietnam’s
most recognizable five-star properties, known for its role as a journalist haven during the
Vietnam War and more recently, for its achievements as one of the country’s leading environment-friendly properties.
Seator replaces the Caravelle’s outgoing EAM-Rooms, Linton Borthwick.
About the Caravelle Hotel
Caravelle Hotel is Ho Chi Minh City’s leading international 5-star hotel – in the center of the
business, shopping and entertainment district, 8 km from Tan Son Nhat International Airport. The hotel opened in 1959 with modern design combination of French and Vietnamese
architecture promotes an ambience of relaxed conviviality despite its 53 years old.
Caravelle Hotel has 335 superbly appointed rooms with complimentary Wi-Fi Internet inroom & throughout the hotel. Six superb wining and dining venues. Famous roof-top Saigon
Saigon Bar - Top 10 Exciting Entertainment Venues – 100 Excitements of HCMC, with a
birds-eye balcony view of the neighbourhood and live music, open daily from 11:00 am.
For conventions, 11 rooms accommodating up to 700 pax are best choice for MICE and private functions.
Caravelle has been honored with numerous local and international awards such as Top 3
Vietnam Hotels among World‟s 20 Best Hotel Values by Travel + Leisure Magazine 2011,
Top 4 Vietnam Hotels among World‟s Top 500 Hotels by Travel + Leisure Magazine, „Business Hotel of the Year‟, “ASEAN Green Hotel Award 2010 - 2011”.
In 2011, the hotel earns internationally recognized Silver EarthCheck Certificate committing
to go extra mile in adoption of green practices and green policies.
Caravelle’s Reflections Debuts New Menu from July 1
Six months after the most recent menu revision, the selections at Reflections Restaurant are
entirely new once again.
Though the Caravelle Hotel’s flagship restaurant still runs long on Western fare and complementary Asian favorites, the new a la carte menu at the eatery on Lam Son Square offers a completely changed line-up.
Anticipating a debut July 1, Executive Assistant Manager – F&B, Juan Costa is steering diners toward several new signature selections.
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The first highlight is an appetizer — a puff pastry or mille feuilles of duck liver torchon and
vanilla brioche with pineapple chutney and peanut dressing.
For mains a slow braised pork cheek served with lobster and pork fat crackling sweet corn
puree, green beans and Asian spiced jus
Costa’s final counsel is a matter of dessert, figs poached in red wine and served with caramelized filo pastry and crème patisserie with cinnamon ice cream.
The main courses range in price from VND 418,000 for a sea bass filet to VND 788,000 for a
U.S. black Angus beef strip loin steak.
With views of Lam Son Square and the city’s historic colonial French Municipal Theatre, Reflections was once the home of the CBS News Bureau and today the site of Saigon’s most
elegant dining experience.
PRESS RELEASE (15 June 2012)
Saigon’s Landmark Caravelle Hotel Hires New DOSM
The Caravelle Hotel is pleased to announce the appointment of Samuel Gacos as Director of
Sales and Marketing.
Samuel joins the Caravelle as the iconic hotel readies for a top-to-toe renovation that will
rank as the hotel’s most thorough makeover since a 1998 refurbishment and addition of a
complementary 24-storey tower re-establishing itself as the definitive luxury hotel in the
heart of Saigon.
With a career spanning more than eighteen years in sales and marketing, Samuel has
worked in numerous cluster and corporate management roles including the Manila Hotel,
Shangri-La Hotel and Resorts, Hilton, GHM Luxury properties in Bali, and Sutera Harbour
Resort Group in Malaysia.
His most recent role in Malaysia was as Group Director of Sales & Marketing responsible in
overseeing 2 hotels specializing in MICE and Leisure, 5 resorts, a 27 Hole golf course , marina, and country club in charge of the overall planning and directing of business development initiatives.
Samuel brings a wealth of experience to Caravelle Hotel and his knowledge of the Sales and
Marketing hospitality scene will prove indispensable.
Samuel is a Philippine national. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel & Restaurant
Administration from the University of the Philippines.
About the Caravelle Hotel
Caravelle Hotel is Ho Chi Minh City’s leading international 5-star hotel – in the center of the
business, shopping and entertainment district, 8 km from Tan Son Nhat International Airport.
The hotel opened in 1959 with modern design combination of French and Vietnamese architecture promotes an ambience of relaxed conviviality despite its 53 years old.
Caravelle Hotel has 335 superbly appointed rooms with complimentary Wi-Fi Internet inroom & throughout the hotel. Six superb wining and dining venues. Famous roof-top Saigon
Saigon Bar - Top 10 Exciting Entertainment Venues – 100 Excitements of HCMC, with a
birds-eye balcony view of the neighbourhood and live music, open daily from 11:00 am.
For conventions, 11 rooms accommodating up to 700 pax are best choice for MICE and private functions.
Caravelle has been honored with numerous local and international awards such as Top 3
Vietnam Hotels among World’s 20 Best Hotel Values by Travel + Leisure Magazine 2011,
Top 4 Vietnam Hotels among World’s Top 500 Hotels by Travel + Leisure Magazine, ‘Business Hotel of the Year’, “ASEAN Green Hotel Award 2010 - 2011”.
In 2011, the hotel earns internationally recognized Silver EarthCheck Certificate committing
to go extra mile in adoption of green practices and green policies.
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Caravelle Stages Flash Mob for World Environment Day 2012
The Caravelle is taking action for the environment literally.
A flash mob of up to 100 dancers from the Caravelle Hotel is about to captivate bystanders,
tourists and merchants alike when they storm the front of the Saigon Opera House on Sunday, 03 June 2012 at 9 am to perform an upbeat dance routine in anticipation of World Environment Day (05 June).
Staff, department heads and senior management from the historic five-star hotel will shim
to the beat of Owl City’s “Fireflies”, Black Eyed Peas’ “Time of My Life” and Thao Trang’s
“Feel the Life” during the four-minute routine, before dispersing to take part in a clean-up of
the Opera House surrounds and front yard.
This is the second year that the Caravelle has undertaken a beautification project in Lam
Son Square for World Environment Day. In 2010, the hotel’s staff planted more than 1,200
flowering bushes and spread 100 bags of soil and fertilizer around the Opera House gardens.
This year, in addition to its clean up efforts, the Caravelle is going to stage the flash mob in
a bid to encourage public attention and action for the planet.
The United Nation Environment Programme founded world Environment Day in 1972 as a
vehicle to stimulate worldwide awareness of environmental issues.
Caravelle’s Hosts Beauty Bash for Secretary’s Day 2012
Here’s one appointment your secretary won’t want to miss.
The Caravelle Hotel is giving a special party in honour of Ho Chi Minh City’s career ladies for
this year’s international Secretary’s Day on April 25. Some 50 women from the hotel’s loyal
corporate accounts are invited to the beauty-themed bash, beginning at 10:30 a.m. in the
Caravelle Function Room.
A collaboration between the Caravelle Hotel and renowned cosmetic brand Shiseido, this
year’s Secretary’s Day Party will feature a special portion on skincare guidance with a practice skincare routine demonstration.
Attendees will be consulted on their skin using Shiseido’s Skin Visiom II, a comprehensive
testing program that uses cutting-edge technology to define skin type and help women understand the benefits of proper skin care.
After Shiseido’s showcase, the hotel will treat the ladies to lunch. The attendees will get a
chance to win prizes in a lucky draw and each will be given a set of surprise gifts to take
home.
Last year the Caravelle’s Secretary’s Day Party featured a baking class with the hotel’s expert pastry chef. This year the event’s organizers chose to focus on proper skincare techniques and tips, an area that is highly valued by career women worldwide.
Get Fit & Stay For Free
Planning to get fit this summer? Caravelle can assist with your goals at a discounted rate,
and also invite you for a complimentary stay at the hotel valued at up to VND 15,000,000.
The first 25 applicants for a six-month or one-year membership at the Caravelle’s fitness
centre will receive a 15% discount off their membership fee, plus a one night complimentary
weekend stay for two people with breakfast at the five-star hotel in downtown Ho Chi Minh
City.
Fitness fans signing up for one-year membership on the promotion will receive a two night
complimentary weekend stay from the Caravelle.
Bringing along a gym buddy? Introducing your friend to become a Caravelle Fitness Centre
member to earn a complimentary weekend night for 2 persons including breakfast. Valid for
successful applications for Individual full 6 month and yearly memberships referred by a
current member.
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Special gym promotions is valid until 31 July 2012.
Fitness Centre members have free reign of the facility’s state-of-the-art gym equipment,
sauna, steam bath, and Jacuzzi, as well as the hotel’s free-form swimming pool and sun terrace.
Overlooking the pool and an expanse of tropical greenery on the hotel’s 7th floor, the
Caravelle’s fitness centre boasts top-range Star Trac equipment imported from the US, including Star Trac’s E-series cardio trainers and Instinct machines, four elevated treadmills
with built-in television screens, two body trainers, polyurethane dumbbells, Olympic plates
and more.
The fitness centre and swimming pool are open to members from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
‘Get Fit and Stay for Free’ is open to new and renewing applicants. For more information,
please contact: Mr Khuong – Fitness Center Manager at 3823 4999 ext 27020 or email fitnesscenter@caravellehotel.com
Caravelle Carves Out Exclusive Membership for Dedicated Guests
When VIP isn‟t enough, add another „V‟.
The Caravelle Hotel is launching an elite category for its Caravelle Heritage Club (CHC)
members, designed to deliver preferred treatment and select benefits to the hotel‟s most
loyal guests throughout every aspect of their stay.
Beginning April 1, Signature membership will open to all current CHC members holding a
minimum of 10,000 points or 60 qualifying nights.
The upgrade to Signature membership covers all benefits of CHC Basic membership such as
F&B discounts and early check-in, late check-out, in addition to new offers:
-dining voucher for two at Reflections Restaurant
one point
Some 2,100 individual travellers have joined the CHC since it was introduced in January
2010 as a means to reward the hotel‟s growing group of repeat guests. One in four of
CHC's members hail from either Singapore or the United States, with each country evenly
represented. About 10% of members are from the UK, and travelers from Australia and Vietnam make up the next largest groups.
“When a guest has shown up at your reception desk more than 100 times, he or she deserves the red-carpet treatment,” says John Gardner, the hotel‟s general manager. “We
want every part of their experience with us to be enhanced by this new membership.”
Signature members will need to stay at the Caravelle a minimum of 30 nights per calendar
year to maintain their membership category.
Full terms and conditions for all CHC members are detailed on the hotel‟s website,
www.caravellehotel.com.
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Caravelle Flips the Switch for Earth Hour 2012
March 31, 2012 is no ordinary day for Ho Chi Minh City’s leading environmental hotel.
As a symbol of its yearlong commitment to saving the planet, Caravelle Hotel is joining
iconic landmarks worldwide in turning off lights for Earth Hour 2012, starting at 8:30 pm on
March 31.
For its fourth Earth Hour celebration, the downtown hotel will shut off lights on its façade
facing Lam Son Square and Dong Khoi St., and will use candlelight to illuminate Reflections
Restaurant, Nineteen Restaurant, Saigon Saigon Bar and Lobby Lounge.
The hotel is encouraging guests to participate in the annual lights-off event by placing tent
cards in all its guest rooms. Caravelle has also called on its staff and partners to join in the
action, and has set up a banner on its homepage to direct visitors to the Earth Hour website.
Observed last year by 1.8 billion people in 5,251 cities on every continent, Earth Hour is the
world’s largest voluntary action for the environment, bringing landmarks, corporations, celebrities, schools and people from all walks of life together in an hour-long contemplation of
the planet’s future.
Other landmarks joining Earth Hour 2012 from Vietnam are Hanoi’s Turtle Tower and Hue’s
Trang Tien Bridge.
Since 2008, Caravelle Hotel has redoubled its sustainability efforts in the conservation and
social arenas. The hotel installed a $75,000 wastewater treatment facility that recycles 40%
of the property’s water and implemented a property-wide switch to energy saving light
bulbs and biodegradable cleansers.
The hotel’s Eco-Meeting Package, launched in May 2011, provides businesses with an environmentally friendly venue to talk shop in Ho Chi Minh City. Featuring a waste reduction
plan and energy and stationery-saving scheme, the half-day and full-day meeting packages
are priced at VND 803,000 ++ per person and VND 910,000 ++ per person, respectively.
For every person booked on an Eco-Meeting Package, Caravelle donates VND 48,000 to fund
the printing of comic books on environmental and nature conservation for Vietnamese primary students.
In 2011, Caravelle achieved international ISO 14001:2004 certification for environmental
management and became one of the first three properties in Vietnam to be awarded Silver
Certification by EarthCheck, a top benchmarking program used by the travel and tourism
industry.
Caravelle Hotel Achieves EarthCheck Silver Certificate for Eco-Friendly Management
International credentials spur Caravelle closer to green ambitions.
A ripple of celebrations spread through the rooms and corridors of the Caravelle Hotel last
week, as staff and management received news of the hotel’s long-awaited EarthCheck Certification.
The EarthCheck Program recently announced the Caravelle’s achievement of the Earthcheck
Silver Certificate, after the hotel passed exacting science-based standards to join a select
group of sustainable tourism operators worldwide.
EarthCheck Certification is a globally recognised system that has been adopted by leaders in
the travel and tourism industry. Third party auditors incorporate annual measurements of
key indicators such as energy, and water consumption, paper & chemical use, waste treatment and community involvement, to determine whether a hotel meets criteria for certification.
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Caravelle Hotel is proud to be one of the first three enterprises in Vietnam to achieve EarthCheck Silver certification, along with the Novotel Ocean Dunes and Golf Resort and the Intercontinental Hanoi Westlake.
More than three decades after the events that catapulted the Caravelle into the centre of
attention, the iconic property is emerging in the spotlight again by proving itself to be ahead
of the curve when it comes to running an environmentally sound hotel.
“The announcement of our EarthCheck credentials was a highlight for our entire team, who
made our collective goal a reality through their enthusiastic efforts over the past several
years,” said John Gardner, General Manager of Caravelle Hotel. “As EarthCheck Benchmarking Assessment report, six important indicators in Hotel activities like Energy Consumption,
Water Savings Rating, Waste Recycling Rating, Community Contributions Rating, Cleaning
Products Rating and Pesticide Products Rating, are at or above the Best Practice level, which
is an achievement to be highly commended.”
Earlier in 2008, the hotel launched its ‘Green Initiatives’ program throughout the property;
and in January of 2011, the Caravelle was granted international ISO 14001:2004 certification for environmental management.
Caravelle Rolls out Summer Excursions Package for Vietnam Visitors
Caravelle Hotel is aiming to inject some adventure into guests’ itineraries with a new promotion offering hassle-free expeditions into Ho Chi Minh City’s must-see spots as its highlight.
Summer Excursions Package features a choice between two all-inclusive half-day tours, the
City Tour or Cu Chi Tunnels Tour, plus two nights’ deluxe accommodation at the iconic
downtown hotel with breakfasts at Nineteen Restaurant for USD 428++, from now until
September 18, 2011.
Included in the package is transportation by the hotel’s private car with an English-speaking
driver, an accompanying private English-speaking tour guide, admission fees, a selection of
cold beverages and refreshing cold towel.
Rates are subject to 10% VAT and 5% service charge, and are based on double/twin sharing.
At the Cu Chi Tunnels, a 75-mile-long underground maze of connecting tunnels and one of
the most famous battlegrounds in the Vietnam War, visitors explore subterranean life as a
Cu Chi Guerilla; while the City Tour immerses travelers in the colonial masterpieces and cultural landmarks of dynamic Ho Chi Minh City.
Guests are required to book their tours with the hotel 24 hours beforehand.
Summer Excursions Package cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotions. A
Non-refundable prepayment must be deposited at the time of booking, with no cancellation
or amendment allowed.
For inquiries and bookings, please email: rsvn@caravellehotel.vnn.vn.
Caravelle Slashes Rates for Facebook Followers
First ever social media effort to reward the hotel’s 4,300 Friends
What’s not to “Like” about putting up in the center of dynamic Ho Chi Minh City?
The Caravelle Hotel is rewarding its fans on Facebook with an exclusive discount on rooms
during the summer of 2011. This is the first time the hotel has flexed its social media muscle in a rate promotion.
Friends of the Caravelle Hotel on the social networking site can save 20 percent off regular
nightly rates by booking through a new reservation engine on the hotel’s Facebook page.
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Valid until the end of August, the promotion offers Deluxe rooms at the iconic hotel for USD
168++ per night for single rooms, and USD 189++ per night for double rooms. A daily buffet breakfast and complimentary unlimited use of Internet in the room are included in the
promotion price, subject to 10 percent VAT and 5 percent service charge.
Guests must first visit and become fans of the Caravelle Hotel’s Facebook page before they
can take advantage of the reduced rates.
The Caravelle Hotel’s reservation engine on Facebook is the latest technological move by
the hotel in its efforts to offer exceptional service and convenience to its guests. As of the
moment, the hotel’s page has over 4,300 fans on the popular Facebook platform, with updates in both English and Vietnamese.
Visit the Caravelle Hotel on Facebook at www.facebook.com/caravellehotel or email
rsvn@caravellehotel.vnn.vn for inquiries.
Caravelle Pioneers Environmentally-Sound Events Package. Commerce with a conscience finds a meeting ground in Vietnam. Caravelle Hotel is getting down to business with
its latest green initiative. Starting in June, the iconic hotel is launching an eco-meeting
package that will provide companies with an environmentally-friendly venue to talk shop in
Ho Chi Minh City.
Iconic Hotel Goes The Extra Green Mile
One of Vietnam‟s most venerable hotels is proving bang up to date when it comes to promoting cutting-edge environmental policies.
The iconic Caravelle Hotel in Saigon completed installation of a wastewater treatment facility in December 2009 that recycles 40% of the property‟s water. The innovation – a first in
the Southeast Asian country‟s southern hub - was a central plank of the hotel‟s efforts to
set the stage for ISO certification. The hotel earned the internationally recognized standard
last week.
The hotel‟s previous wastewater recycling facility was installed in 2006 but lacked sufficient
capacity to make an appreciable impact. The new state of the art model – an investment of
$75,000 – is proving significantly more effective. The water is used for flushing toilets and
to supply the hotel‟s cooling tower. Every month between 2,500 – 3,000 cubic meters of
wastewater is recycled.
The installation of the wastewater recycling facility is an example of how the hotel has gone
above and beyond over the past year in its bid to secure certification. An Environmental
Management System (EMS) was introduced to identify areas of concern, oversee improvements and co-ordinate training of staff in green best practices. The hotel also embarked on
a major drive to reduce electricity consumption by switching to energy saving light bulbs
and installing a high-efficiency chiller to power its air-conditioning system.
While other hotels in Vietnam‟s southern hub also have the ISO certification, the
Caravelle‟s commitment to going the extra mile in its adoption of green practices is indicative of how seriously it takes its environmental responsibilities.
Indeed, the hotel continues to go way beyond the minimum ISO requirements in its drive to
bolster its green credentials.
Another recent innovation is the use of „green‟ chemicals to clean all the floors. At almost
1.5 times the cost of regular chemicals, these products represent quite an investment but
are biodegradable within 24 hours.
“You can‟t put a price on safeguarding the planet for future generations,” says John Gardner, General Manager of the Caravelle. “That‟s why we won‟t be cutting any corners when
it comes to being the best we can be in terms of our commitment to looking after the environment.
“As one of the most recognizable hotels in Ho Chi Minh City, we realize that we are in a position to lead by example and that is something we are determined to do,” he said.
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Accordingly, the Caravelle has a number of major green goals for the year ahead. Targets
for 2011 include a 4% reduction in harmful CO² emissions. To achieve this the hotel will replace its current diesel fuelled boiler with a high efficiency heat pump. Work on the project
is planned to start in July and will be carried out step by step to ensure that guests are not
affected.
Another priority aspiration for the hotel is the attainment of Green Globe certification, which
is regarded as the premier standard for environmental sustainability development worldwide, especially in the field of tourism.
“It‟s very easy to pay lip service to the environment,” said Gardner. “The tourism industry is
rife with talk about green innovations and sustainability, but often the truth is outweighed
by hype.”
Saigon’s Caravelle expands free Wi-Fi environment to hotel cars
One of Saigon’s most historic addresses, the Caravelle Hotel, continues to set the pace for
five-star properties operating in Vietnam’s largest metropolis. In fact, the Caravelle’s progressive approach to Wi-Fi means you can now log in before you check in.
Starting this month, the Caravelle’s new hotel-wide Wi-Fi system reaches as far as the hotel’s fleet of cars, whether the chauffeur-driven vehicles are picking up guests at the airport
or ferrying business travelers between appointments.
“This brand new complimentary hotel-wide service ensures that guests can touch base with
work and stay in touch with family no matter where they are or what they’re doing,” said
John Gardner, General Manager of the Caravelle. “Whether in the car on the way to the airport or sitting in the lobby, as long as you’re with the Caravelle, you’re always online.”
And the Caravelle’s picking up the tab.
Two years ago the Caravelle became the first five-star hotel to offer free access to the Internet in Ho Chi Minh City, one of the most rapidly developing business hubs and talkedabout tourist destinations in the world. Now, the Caravelle has gone one step further by installing state-of-the-art systems in the hotel’s half-dozen cars.
The four interchangeable Wi-Fi routers create hotspots using 3G and HSPDA technology that
enables download speeds of up to 7.2MB per unit.
Within the hotel, fiber optic lines fuel hotspots from the hotel’s guest rooms, to the restaurants, bars and pool deck while copper lines service the hotel’s administrative back side. At
just a single day’s notice bandwidth can be upgraded still further to meet any requirements.
Guest rooms can accommodate wired and wireless demands.
“Both business and leisure travelers today expect instant and easy access to the Internet –
and here you don’t even need a password,” said Gardner. “Furthermore, with our hotspot
connection in all hotel cars, you are online minutes after touching down. That’s especially
handy in a city famed for its chaotic traffic.”
The General Manager said the hotel believes the benefits of the goodwill engendered by
complimentary access outweigh the revenues, and compliants, that result from squeezing
$10 - $20 per day fees from guests.
Meanwhile, the Wi-Fi free hotel is enabling all sorts of social media, anticipating Tweets,
Flickr uploads and other forms of instant communication.
Caravelle Means Business: Cited for service to consumers and community
The Caravelle Hotel has won inaugural awards for best business hotel in Vietnam and for its
dedication to community development.
The first of these is the Travel Tourism Award, conceived “to recognise and celebrate the
brightest tourism stars in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam,” and bestowed at the recent International Travel Expo in Ho Chi Minh City. Supported by the Vietnam National Administration
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of Tourism and its counterparts in Laos and Cambodia, the expo seeks to promote improved
service and continued investment in regional tourism.
“Like business travellers themselves, we’ve worked hard to meet the needs of guests coming to Saigon on business,” said John Gardner, the Caravelle’s General Manager. “And like
any business, it’s great when all the effort pays off, particularly as the first recipients of this
honor.”
Among the innovations devised especially with business travellers in mind, the Caravelle is
the first five-star hotel to offer guests free Internet access, both in guestrooms and in public
spaces. Special periodic promotions include such extras as free transfers to and from the
airport, continental breakfast, and cocktail-hour receptions on the hotel’s executive floor.
The Caravelle was also recently cited with a first-ever Vietnam Golden FDI award, presented
by Vice PM Nguyen Thien Nhan and sponsored by the Ministry of Planning and Investment.
The award commends conscientious business practices, including environmental stewardship, capacity to attract foreign investment, and community awareness.
“We’re of course excited about winning each of these awards,” added Gardner, “but it’s
doubly welcome to win them together. Apart from confirming that business travellers find
the Caravelle a desirable place to stay when they’re in town,” added Gardner, “it validates
our view that being good neighbors and a successful hotel go hand in hand.”
While the two awards are the first of their kind for the Caravelle, which is celebrating its
50th anniversary, it has frequently been lauded for excellence. Last year, for example, the
downtown landmark was named the country’s best by the Vietnam Tourism Association.
PRESS RELEASE (30 March 09)
Caravelle Hotel Plans 50th Anniversary Celebration in May
Fifty years after opening as the ne plus ultra of upscale accommodation in Vietnam, the
Caravelle Hotel has set the stage for an anniversary celebration in May. On May 8, the
Caravelle will recognize its 50 years on Saigon‘s Lam Son Square with an anniversary cocktail celebration in the hotel ballroom. Renowned wartime journalist and Pulitzer-prize winner
Peter Arnett will keynote the anniversary celebration, accompanied by Robert Wiener, another wartime journalist who won later fame as the author of Live from Baghdad.
At the same time, the hotel will mock up the Opera Room as Rue Catinat (now Dong Khoi
Street) as it looked in the 1960s. In concert, the hotel‘s flagship restaurant, Reflections, has
worked up a special ‗Champs-Élysées‘ menu of French cuisine (See menu details below.)
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the hotel‘s flagship restaurant was the Champs-Élysées.
For hotel bookings made in May, the hotel will cut its room rate by 50% through 31 December 2009. (See details below.)
―Fifty years ago, we opened and immediately set the standard as the most memorable,
most talked-about hospitality experience in Saigon,‘ said John Gardner, general manager of
the hotel. ―You could say the exact same thing about this hotel today.‖
No tired old reflection of its former self, the Caravelle today stands as a beacon of restoration. As it made its dramatic comeback in 1998, with the refurbishment of the original 10story, building and the complement of a 24-story tower, so too was Saigon in the midst of
doi moi, or economic renovation. While the hotel soared to new heights, Ho Chi Minh City
asserted itself as one of Southeast Asia‘s most dynamic cities. Today, the Caravelle ranks as
one of the country‘s most prestigious hotels. Its rooftop bar is one of Saigon‘s most popular,
as it was during the war.
This year, the hotel plans to celebrate the storied history of the hotel with publication of a
book that details the comings and goings of the hotel‘s guests, and the ups and downs of
the hotel through the 1960s and 1970s. Opened in 1959, the Caravelle won enduring fame
during the American War (known as the Vietnam War in the West) when correspondents
watched the conflict erupt on the fringes of the city from the hotel‘s rooftop terrace and filed
stories from bureaus located within and around the hotel. In 1975, the hotel renamed as the
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Doc Lap (Independence) Hotel and gained second Long Service Medal by The Vietnam Government through its business and services.
In October of 1992 for further its developing, Saigon Tourist Holding Company, teamed with
Glynhill Investment Vietnam (Lai Sun – Hong Kong & Keck Seng – Singapore) as a joint investment partner in a new company called Chains Caravelle Hotel Joint Venture Company
that sought to revive the landmark property, renovated 135 rooms to 75 bigger rooms.
Over the past several years, the hotel has completely revamped its ground-floor dining venue as Nineteen, which ranks today as one of the city‘s most chic and elaborate buffets. The
signature restaurant was recast as Reflections, and the rooftop terrace has enjoyed a surge
of popularity as one of the premier rooftop bars anywhere.
For the half-price booking deal referenced above, the booking must be via hotel‘s website
www.caravellehotel.com from 1 May to 31 May 2009. The discount is based on published
rates, with conditions applied. From May 5th to 18th, the Caravelle‘s Champs-Élysée menu
will offer modern diners a taste of the Caravelle‘s culinary heritage. The menu leads off with
a foie gras, moves on to bouillabaisse and then offers up either a rouget or coq au vin — all
French classics. The meal concludes with ‗L‘Opera,‖ an almond biscuit with chocolate and
butter cream, with Lavazza coffee or Dammann teas, as well as an assortment of sweets.
The anniversary menu costs US$ 39 per person.
In addition to the booking and meal promotion, the Caravelle‘s bartenders have concocted
the ‗Caravelle Cowboy,‘ a mix of champagne, wild berries and gold leaf. The special drink
will be on offer through the month of May.
PRESS RELEASE (05 March 09)
Peter Arnett to keynote Caravelle Hotel’s 50th Anniversary
Peter Arnett, one of the 20th Century‟s most distinguished war correspondents and winner
of the 1966 Pulitzer Prize for his reporting from Vietnam, returns to Saigon May 6-10, as the
Caravelle Hotel celebrates the 50th Anniversary of its opening.
Arnett, who filed more than 3,000 dispatches from Vietnam as an Associated Press correspondent, will keynote an anniversary celebration at the hotel May 8.
“More than any other member of the foreign press corps, Peter Arnett opened the door to
an honest appreciation of what was happening on the ground in Vietnam during the war,”
said John Gardner, general manager of the Caravelle Hotel. “From the rumblings of wider
war in 1962 to the Fall of Saigon in 1975, Arnett worked tirelessly to make sure there was
clear flow of information issuing from the quagmire of that conflict. That so much of this information emanated from the Caravelle is part of what we‟re celebrating this spring.”
Fellow war correspondent and historian David Halberstam hailed Arnett as “the best reporter of the war,” in his landmark book, “The Best and the Brightest.” Arnett won later fame as
a CNN reporter, covering conflict from Latin America, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa. He interviewed Osama Bin Laden in Bora Bora in March 1997, and is perhaps best
known for his Emmy-award winning coverage from Baghdad during the first Gulf War in
1991.
A native New Zealander, Arnett first arrived in Saigon June 26, 1962, to begin work on a
story that would last 13 years. On his first night in the country, he checked into the
Caravelle Hotel, then open less than two years and already making a name for itself as a
preferred watering hole of the foreign press corps.
“Because the Caravelle is so closely associated with the foreign press corps, and because
Mr. Arnett‟s relationship to this city nearly as long as the hotel‟s itself, we were really keen
to have him come back after all these years,” said Martyn Davies, general director of the
Caravelle.
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In 1998, the landmark Caravelle Hotel was completely refurbished and complemented by a
new 24-story tower. Today, the Caravelle ranks as one of the country‟s most prestigious
hotels. Its rooftop bar is one of Saigon‟s most popular, as it was during the war.
Like many reporters, Arnett frequently visited the Caravelle, whether to meet with colleagues who worked out of news bureaus within the hotel, or for drinks on the hotel‟s rooftop terrace.
Arnett later wrote a memoir that detailed his experiences in Vietnam. That book, “Live from
the Battlefield,” was selected as one of the New York Times‟ „Notable Books‟ of 1994. Today, Arnett teaches journalism at Shantou University north of Hong Kong.
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