Exclusive talk with Mr. Luke Benbow – GM of Wyndham Garden Hanoi Hotel

In an interview with VietnamGOLF, Luke Benbow – General Director of Wyndham Garden Hanoi Hotel share about the hotel unique features, the love of Hanoi as well as the hotel’s future plans.

Mr. Luke Benbow – GM of Wyndham Garden Hanoi Hotel

What kind of hotel is Wyndham Garden Hanoi? 

The hotel is a great stopover for groups heading to and from Halong bay, the upcoming f1 grand prix in April of 2020. The corporate business traveler is also well looked after with various corporate accounts staying in the hotel and using the access to Haiphong and the local business area of…

There are a number of hotels around Hanoi. How does Wyndham Garden Hanoi set itself apart? 

Being the only Wyndham Garden in Hanoi the hotel has that unique feature that many companies and agents want to know who we are and the Wyndham brand portfolio growing ever so fast in the country the hotel has been able to promote itself quite well. The hotel is based in the Van Phuc district a few minutes from the national convention centre and museum, the My Dinh sports complex. Giving us a great opportunity to attract visitors to these international events. The region itself is growing very fast with the local banking and manufacturing headquarters of many prominent institutions in the region 

What is the best time to visit Hanoi, Vietnam and the property? 

Anytime is a great time visit the city and to stay the night with us. Climate is great in HANOI from October till March. The country itself is booming with areas such as Da Nang, Nha Trang Cam Ranh, halong bay all seeing growth in tourism and many hotels along the coast line. 

Name your one must do in Hanoi?

Well having a chef background I would definitely say you have to go and sit on a plastic stool and table with your family or friends and have this great meal. Bun Cha is a Vietnamese dish of grilled pork and noodle, which is thought to have originated from Hanoi, Vietnam. Bún chả is served with grilled fatty pork over a plate of white rice noodle and herbs with a side dish of dipping sauce.

Around the vicinity of the hotel Van Phuc Silk village definitely a must do. Preferably first thing in the morning before it gets to hot. See the tradition of how the Vietnamese weaving silk from over 1200 years ago.

Wyndham Garden Hanoi our gym and spa is as good as any other 5* property in the country and with our yoga room we cover all the bases for those who want a quick workout or some morning meditation

What, in your opinion, is the biggest challenge I the travel business – especially in a tourist hotspot like Hanoi?

There is never enough time to see it all. Read the many blogs to find out the out of the way places. I always pick one must do in any city I visit even to this day that I have never done before when I go back. The next stop for me in Hanoi is to have a coffee on the train street. Last week I had Bun Cha at the restaurant Barack Obama and Anthony Bourdain had dinner. 

What is the one thing you wish people knew about Hanoi and travelling there? There is more to this city then the lake, traffic congestion of bikes or its many beautiful museums. Vietnamese people are very engaging and have this tremendous warmth to all visitors. Get into the local restaurants and bars try the food which varies all over the country and just have a chat with the locals over an egg coffee. Enjoy the hospitality and maybe pick up a few word of Vietnamese for your next trip.

What are the future plans for Wyndham Garden Hanoi? 

Well onwards and upwards we hope. The hotel opened in march so we hope to gather more momentum and enjoy a successful 2020. The F1 is exciting for us as we are the closest hotel to the track, so looking forward to that.