A new project is underway to reshape perceptions of Vietnamese cuisine, beverages and hospitality in the heritage city of Hoi An, central Vietnam. Owners of the Wafaifo Resort in Hoi An, Quang Nam province, have engaged former international celebrity chef and food-and-beverage concept creator Andrew Joyce of B&B Ideas Group and Vietnamese designer Le Ha Hoang of Shape Us to develop a distinctive series of contemporary dining, drinking and lifestyle experiences for the 134-room urban resort.
© Wafaifo Hospitality
“The creative brief is to deliver a contemporary Vietnamese take that will make eating, drinking and relaxing at Wafaifo not just the talk of the town but of central Vietnam,” says Pieter van der Hoeven, managing director of Wafaifo Hospitality. “We are a proud, modern Hoi An community brand that believes in lifting the hotel experience beyond commodified offerings. What Andrew and Le Ha are developing is genuinely innovative for hospitality in central Vietnam.”
Joyce and Hoang reinterpret central Vietnamese motifs, products and service traditions with a modern Vietnamese sensibility, positioning them at the core of the resort’s outlets. Planned features include the Swim City pool bar and DJ booth, an all-day long bar, a lobby coffee and retail area, a signature Vietnamese restaurant, and flexible meeting and event spaces. Additional amenities will include a V.I.P. pool, club lounge, dedicated kids’ and teen clubs, 24/7 room service, a spa with steam and sauna, a gym, free parking, guest bicycles and complimentary WiFi.
© Wafaifo Hospitality
“Although the resort’s restaurants and bars operate within the hotel, they have been designed as independent, attractively priced leisure destinations,” says Joyce. “The outlets at Wafaifo will deliver a design and wow factor that stands apart from other offerings between Saigon and Hanoi.”
Local producers and flavors from central Vietnam will play a prominent role in the resort’s food and beverage program. Examples include Vietnamese robusta and arabica coffees supplied by Folliet, confections from Savall’s in Danang, Dong Gia chinaware, and locally designed and manufactured staff uniforms — all chosen to celebrate regional craftsmanship and taste.
Le Ha Hoang brings deep experience to the project as one of Vietnam’s most respected architects and designers. With more than 15 years of lighting and architectural study and practice in Germany and the United Kingdom, plus substantial design work in Vietnam, his recent projects include interiors for the Vietage luxury train carriage and the Yugen Japanese cocktail bar and Hanoia concept store in Ho Chi Minh City.
© Wafaifo Hospitality
Scheduled to open in July 2024, Wafaifo Resort is located about a five-minute walk from Hoi An’s UNESCO World Heritage attractions and roughly 30 minutes from Danang International Airport, offering easy access for visitors seeking both cultural exploration and contemporary hospitality experiences in central Vietnam.