Laguna Lang Co

Vietnam’s Laguna Lang Co held its grand opening in April, with the first of its hotels now ready to receive guests. More accommodation options and facilities will be added to the vast 280 hectare site over the coming years, with the IR eventually set to emulate the scale of Laguna Phuket.

Like its Thai sister, Lang Co is targeted at a broad spectrum of high-end travellers. Banyan Tree offers luxury with its spacious private pool villas, while Angsana’s inventory ranges from the more modest deluxe rooms to rooftop pool suites. Rates start from US$280++ at Angsana and US$735++ at Banyan Tree.

MICE business is integral to the business plan, with top-end meeting facilities, a huge ballroom and the capacity to cater to major events outdoors.

Weddings are also part of the mix. “We are the only hotel with a dedicated chapel on site,” said Khiet Le, marketing and communications manager, Laguna Lang Co.

Other facilities include the world-class Nick Faldo-designed golf course and two spas.

Sitting amid UNESCO World Heritage sites – Hoi An’s ancient town, the Cham ruins of My Son and the imperial city of Hue – the resort provides day-trip access to all three. That said, the location also means Laguna Lang Co is somewhat out on a limb. It is best reached via Danang International Airport, a 40-minute drive away.

“At present almost all our customers request hotels or resorts in the centre of Danang city, but Laguna Lang Co is an attractive and exciting new development that we will consider in the future,” said Vietravel’s director of marketing, Nguyen Minh Man.

Khiem Vu, general manager of Indochina Travelland, believes that the combination of the Laguna brand, the beauty of Lang Co bay and its location between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, will make it a success. He said: “We have already made a couple of early bookings for this property, and we predict strong local demand as more and more Vietnamese travel in the luxury segment.”

Meanwhile, Buffalo Tours has yet to work with Laguna in Vietnam, but they are close partners in Thailand. Explained head of international business development, Ed Pettitt: “We know the quality and consistency of the product, but we have not sent clients as it has only been recently completed and we need to be able to guarantee everything is in order first.”  – David Lloyd Buglar.