Three, four and five star hotels are now beginning to spring up all over the country. Even if it still lags behind Hanoi, this acceleration also concerns Ho Chi Minh City. In 2007, the metropolis in the south of the country only had around 40 top and mid-range hotels - 11 five-star, 8 four-star and 21 three-star - out of a total of 624 registered establishments. Four years later, according to the municipality, these figures had risen to almost 1,500 establishments, including 13 five-star, 13 four-star and 45 three-star hotels.
And this is just the beginning: Saigon tourist, in charge of the city's tourism development, is aiming for an additional 2,000 top-of-the-range rooms by 2015. Alongside many local players, a number of international groups have already established a presence in Ho Chi Minh City, including Marriott with its Renaissance, Starwood Hotels & Resorts and its Sheraton, Hyatt and IHG with their Park Hyatt and Inter Continental, and Accor with a Sofitel.
The French group also intends to take advantage of new opportunities. The Novotel Saigon Center, a 250-room four-star hotel, and the Pullman Saigon Center, a 300-room five-star hotel, have been announced for 2012-2013.
