A hotel that has been in the nation's top ten for five years running plans for the future
Bill, a veteran of the Vietnam War, chooses De Nhat Hotel (First Hotel) for his month-long trips to HCM City. "The hotel really gives me some peaceful feelings when I come back to Vietnam. The service quality here is also so good that I feel I am home, which I don't feel in other countries," Bill said.
This year, First Hotel has had two pieces of good news. First, it was being approved as a four-star standard hotel by the Vietnam National Administration for Tourism. Second, it also won the Top-ten International Hotel Prize 2003. First Hotel has received this prize since 1999.
Being only about 1.5 km from Tan Son Nhat Airport, close to the international exhibition center and other entertainment centers, and covering a large area, First Hotel has many the advantages to attract a large number of tourists. In 1968, a businessman in Saigon, now HCM City, established First Hotel with 40 rooms. After 1975, the hotel was transferred to Saigontourist, and it has been growing with the name of De Nhat Hotel or First Hotel since then. Before a grand upgrade in 2003 for SEA Games 22, First Hotel had 120 rooms, five restaurants, a conference room, a swimming pool and a tennis court. Now, the hotel has 128 well-equipped rooms of all categories.
Diversifying services
One of the strengths of First Hotel is its food programs. The hotel has five grand restaurants with more than 3,000 seats and menus suitable for conferences, meetings, get-togethers and wedding parties. "We have won the love of lots of diners. The most important factor is that we have to try to meet their increasing demands for food every day," said Nguyen Van Loc, hotel general manager. First Hotel is always at the top of the list of wedding organizers. At peak times, customers have to book reservations at least six months in advance. Not only is the hotel the "hub for wedding parties" but it is also a place for foreign visitors to meet.
"When the hotel gets the four-star ranking, we will have to make changes to deserve it. The most important problem is service quality. Everything has to give good value for our customers' money," Loc said.
In line with diversifying services, besides room food service, the catering for banquets and wedding parties of up to 1,000 people and outside parties upon request, the hotel also has a security service with safes installed in rooms, a speedy laundry service, air-ticket ordering, tour information, car renting, mailing, exchanging currencies, high-speed internet service, baby-sitting, and conference facilities with LCD projectors, overhead projectors and word processors.
In late April, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai approved the Bingo Club at the hotel, with 45 slot machines with alluring names like Alfastreet Roulette, Sega Blackjack, Dragon Baccarat, Universal Card Games, and Stargames Progressive Jackpot. Bingo Club covers 550 square meters. Young waiters are friendly and ready to serve customers with free soft drinks and snacks. It has cable TV, billiards and more. These activities are meant to serve international tourists at the hotel in particular, and in HCM City in general, especially tourists from Korea, China, Europe and America.
"Besides diversifying our services, we also pay attention to service quality to bring complete pleasure to our customers and to make them feel like home when they stay at our hotel. "Come once, never forget" is our service policy," Loc said.
Summer discounts
To attract customers, this summer the hotel has many discount programs. For rooms, prices are from US$40 to US$50, till September 30. If customers take part in the "Playground for Families In Summer" program, they will have the chance to enjoy a discount of US$20 for a four-bed room with free access to the swimming pool. For conferences, the hotel has the "Conference in Summer" program, where customers who rent 10 rooms or more will be able to enjoy a discount of US$22 to US$30, including a free buffet breakfast, swimming tickets and cocktails. A large conference room rented for one day will be accompanied by 10 free hotel rooms. If customers stay three nights or more, they will be invited to the Pho Nuong De Nhat or grill bar with special menus and great surroundings. Besides, families traveling to HCM City will be offered a discount of US$25 for each room, including a free buffet breakfast, free stay for two babies in a room, and a swimming ticket for the family.
For food programs till August 31, at the Pho Nuong Restaurant, there are lots of discounts, for instance, bills that are valued at more than VND1,000,000 will enjoy a 50% discount for a tennis court, two free swimming tickets or two massage tickets.
First Hotel: 18 Hoang Viet, Tan Binh District, HCM City
Tel: 8441199, email: first@sgtourist.com.vn
website: www.firsthotel.com.vn
