Asian VIP services provider Suncity Group has opened the first facilities at its long-awaited Vietnam integrated resort, Hoiana.
Just over four years since first breaking ground in April 2016, Suncity Group has now held the exclusive preview opening of its Vietnam integrated resort, Hoiana.
Located around 45 minutes by car from Danang International Airport on Vietnam’s central coast, Hoiana – which is 34% owned by Suncity in partnership with VMS and VinaCapital – represents the company’s first major step into the realm of IR operations.
Phase 1 of the development incorporates four hotel brands managed by Rosewood Hotel Group consisting of Hoiana Hotel & Suites, New World Hoiana Hotel & Residences, KHOS Hoiana and Rosewood Hoi An, offering more than 1,000 rooms, suites and villas.
Hoiana Hotel & Suites is the first showcase of the Hoiana hotels experience to open, and offers “sophisticated elegance which blends traditional artistry with genuine Vietnamese service in 143 sumptuous suites featuring enchanting vistas of the lush resort and sparkling coastline,” according to Rosewood.
Casual yet stylish dining experiences are available at The Terrace and The Edge, while the Hideout, which opens soon, will offer exclusive cabanas alongside a landscaped outdoor pool. Recreational options will also include an infinity pool with panoramic views, a state-of-the-art Fitness Center and a dedicated reflexology area.
Hoiana also features one of Vietnam’s finest golf courses. Celebrated architect Robert Trent Jones II designed Hoiana Shores Golf Course to complement its unique location.
Carved from a treeless dunescape with six holes in direct contact with the sea, the par-71, 7,004-yard layout is one of the very first truly authentic links courses to be developed in Southeast Asia.
Hoiana Shores clubhouse was designed and outfitted to complement the early 20th century architectural sensibilities of the golf course it serves. Its 6,000 square meters accommodate all the elements that modern clubhouses require: fine dining, casual café style dining, private dining, function spaces, a ballroom that seats 300 and expansive locker room facilities.
The casino, Hoiana Suncity, was among the key facilities opened to guests from 28 June, featuring 140 gaming tables and 330 slot machines. Aside from offering a range of games for guests, including high limit tables and slots, Hoiana Suncity casino comes with a stage bar called “Một-Hai-Bar” at which entertainment shows will be performed for guests from late afternoon until midnight each day. Shows will also be performed in the Hoiana lobby and The Promenade, allowing guests of all ages to enjoy free entertainment. They also have access to Hoiana’s wide array of retail and F&B options – some of which are already operational, with more to open over the coming months.
While the entire resort is due for completion over the next few years, Phase 1 of Hoiana has been described by its Group CEO, Steve Wolstenholme, as a hub of “hospitality and experiences” that are “very much aligned with what the market wants – particularly when we look at our primary markets in China, South Korea and Japan.
“Those markets are where the opportunity is and when we look at those markets they certainly want to experience something unique. We’ve done a lot of research to ensure we are providing what they want to see.
“We expect to have guests from the Rosewood Hotel Group database that will come from all over the world. Yes we will have gamers but also families and people who want to experience Vietnam, so this is not just about gaming.
“Gaming is an important part of our integrated resort but it is not the only part, and certainly we want to provide a Vietnamese experience to our guests.”
Hoiana Phase 1’s entertainment facilities will include 30 restaurants and bars plus five swimming pools in various locations around the resort.
It is also a significant step forward for Suncity, Asia’s largest VIP entertainment service provider now establishing itself as one of the region’s most predominant IR owners and operators. The company last year acquired a 24.74% stake in Hong Kong-listed Summit Ascent, which owns and operates casino-resort Tigre de Cristal in Russia’s Vladivostok.
It also reached an agreement to develop a US$700 million hotel and casino at Westside City Resorts World – an expansive development in Manila, Philippines, being undertaken by real estate giant Megaworld and Travellers International Hotel Group, the latter being the owner and operator of Resorts World Manila. Suncity struck a co-development agreement with Westside and Travellers to build and operate the hotel and casino, which will consist of 400 five-star hotel rooms, 400 tables, 1,200 slot machines, a leisure club and pool club. The complex will also be part of the broader Westside City Resorts World complex which will boast theaters, shopping streets, food streets, 2,000 hotel rooms and other facilities – described as a complementary relationship with each party bringing their own specialties to the table to develop a truly “integrated” resort.
And the privately-owned Suncity Group remains a leading contender to develop an integrated resort in Japan as one of only two companies to qualify earlier this year for the Request for Proposal process in Wakayama.
Dubbed IR2.0, the Wakayama IR concept aims to celebrate the region’s culture, historical traditions and natural landscapes while taking advantage of Suncity’s own resources, networks, advantages and experience in resort management.
“This is a very exciting time to witness my vision for Suncity to sprout from ground zero into a truly integrated resort company – a true metamorphosis for Suncity,” said Suncity Chairman Alvin Chau after the company was recently granted its Casino Operating License by the Vietnam government.
“We are now ready … Hoiana is now finally allowed to open its doors to offer guests an authentic Vietnamese experience embellished with sun, sea and sand.”
