Page 29 - Thirst Magazine Issue No. 3 Coffee & Tea

VILLA

SONG

SAIGON

Traffic eases as we cross the Saigon River
(Sông Sài Gòn) into District 2 where the
hotel is located. Villa Song is like a sanctuary
with its property right by the Saigon River,
surrounded by international schools, beautiful
bungalows, boutique hotels and high-end
service residences along the streets in this
quiet neighbourhood.
The boutique hotel is run by General
Manager Yega Thiyagarajan, a Penangite with
26 years’ experience in the hotel industry,
who moved to Vietnam with his family as
part of the start-up team. “The process of
getting licences was very lengthy. I was in the
government offices almost every day, to the
point that they (the officers) were so scared to
see my face when there wasn’t any update.”
The hotel received its final grant and opened
its doors in 2014. Villa Song is currently on
a 50-year lease by its Singaporean owners.
Although Vietnam has opened up for
foreigners to purchase properties in recent
years, there are still red tape and uncertain
rules that makes the process difficult.
The 23-room luxury boutique hotel’s
unique feature is that no two of their rooms
are the same, even those in the same room
category. The hotel caters for romantic and
relaxed getaways with impeccable service in
a peaceful yet convenient location. The pool
and gym are also open 24 hours for guests’
use. The hotel is also suitable for smaller
corporate gatherings with their state-of-
the-art facility and function room, sharing
space with their wine cellar which houses
the hotel’s premium wines.
The kitchen is headed by Singaporean chef
Jeremy Choo, himself with 40 years culinary
experience under his sleeves (if you’re lucky
he’ll personally make you a spicy laksa with
local ingredients!). The all-day breakfast with
choices of western and Vietnamese cuisine
never disappoints, nor do their regular menu
offerings or drinks from their bar. There is no
time limit for breakfast, order it as early or as
late as you rise.
A shuttle boat on the Saigon River takes
guests between the hotel and District 1
six times a day, giving us stress free and
convenient transport into downtown. We also
found the small pocket guide and map that
is given to every guest very useful, showing
the city’s attractions to ease our visit into the
city. There were also little bed time snacks
whenever we returned to our room at night.
villasong.com

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