Travel Agent - January 21, 2008 - (Page 26) DESTINATIONS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25 John McCain. Renovations have kept the 1920s style of the hotel. Last year Vietnam Airlines increased its service to Dalat and now offers daily flights from Hanoi and nine flights a week from Ho Chi Minh City. Part of Dalat’s appeal is Vietnam’s toprated golf course, the Dalat Palace Golf Club. The Sofitel’s 43 rooms and suites overlook Xuan Huong Lake, a setting that has made it popular for honeymoons. The six Deluxe Premier Rooms—numbers 103, 105, 107, 117, 119 and 121—are preferred for their lake views and terraces. The most requested premium accommodations are the two Lake View Junior suites (number 101 and 201), which have great views and a convenient location at the center of the building, with access from the central atrium. Families would do well with the two-bedroom Presidential Suites. Other good bets for families are the four connecting Deluxe Rooms (the only connecting rooms in the hotel) and the three Superior Rooms. Christmas and New Year’s are the busiest times at the hotel. If your clients want to visit then, reserve four months in advance. The Dalat Palace general manager is Tony Chisholm. He’s open to hearing directly from travel agents and can be reached at tony.chisholm@dalatresorts. com, 011-84-63-825-444, ext. 3000. Travel agent liaison at the hotel is Tran Quoc Hung, director of sales (hung.q.tran@dalatresorts.com). At the hotel’s spa, the most popular treatment is the Chocolate Wrap. There are four treatment rooms. Agents can book spa appointments in advance of clients’ arrival with spa director Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy at thuy.t.nguyen@ dalatresorts.com. Le Rabelais restaurant in the Dalat Palace is known for its seasonal menus created by chef Didier Corlou. For example, Corlou has added dishes suitable for Dalat’s cool winter weather, including wild boar stewed in red wine with deer satay and red berry chutney. The Nam Hai (www.ghmhotels.com) is an all-villa resort in central Vietnam that has been garnering accolades since its opening in December 2006. It occupies 86 acres of tropical gardens overlooking the South China Sea, along a half-mile of China Beach. The easiest way to get to Nam Hai is to fly into Da Nang airport, a 30-minute drive from the resort. There are flights from Singapore and Bangkok. The colorful city of Hoi An, an ancient Silk Route trading port rich in history, sightseeing and shopping, is 10 minutes from the resort. CONTINUED ON PAGE 28 AGENTADVICE Ask Staci Fialkoff, president of Source International Travel in Laguna Niguel, CA, what’s the next hot destination in Asia and she’ll say “Vietnam, definitely.” Fialkoff takes frequent trips to Vietnam to keep up on new hotels. “Business is booming in Vietnam right now, and business travelers—especially those out of China—are snapping up the available five-star rooms.” She recommends booking a minimum of six months in advance to secure the desired accommodations. “Vietnam has to be done right,” says Fialkoff. “I tell my clients they have to see the whole country: the south, middle and north.” She describes the cities of Hoi An and Hue as overlooked by tourists intent on Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, although they’re an important part of a complete Vietnam itinerary. “I have clients who have money but not time—I discourage them from trying to see Vietnam in six days,” says Fialkoff. “You really need 10 days on the ground.” Room at the Caravelle, a famous hotel in Ho Chi Minh City 26 | TravelAgent January 21, 2008 http://www.ghmhotels.com
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