Despite the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic that paralysed the tourism industry, project developer Indochina Kajima persisted in its goal of building 20 Wink Hotels across the country.

Michael Piro, CEO of Wink Hotels, said that after the first Wink hotel with 237 rooms opened in HCM City early last year, the second hotel is expected to open in November this year in the central Da Nang City with 243 rooms. There will be another Wink hotel expected to welcome visitors next summer in this coastal city.

In Ha Noi, two hotels will be built on Thuy Khue and Pham Hung streets as well as others in Phu Yen, Can Tho and Hai Phong.

Piro said that at the current rate of development, Indochina Kajima would complete its goal of building 20 Wink hotels across the country within the next 5-7 years, part of the joint venture's US$1 billion investment plan to develop real estate in Viet Nam.

Before creating the Wink hotel brand, he worked with many famous hotel management groups, such as IHG Hotels & Resorts, to develop hotels of equivalent standards. However, he chose the option to create a hotel brand that carries the spirit of the Vietnamese people and will represent a revolution in the tourism and resort industry.

Wink Hotels is a new Vietnamese hospitality brand emerging in Indochina that takes a bold approach to affordable luxury in the region. The brand caters to modern, aspirational travellers, offering high-quality experiences grounded in the local destination.

"This is a great time for the hotel industry in Viet Nam. Currently, there is still a wide untapped market segment, and that is our ambition to serve and inspire young people with a completely new and dynamic hotel brand.

"Wink hotel has a modern style, full of boldness and steadfast character – reflecting its strong identity and culture while deeply respecting traditional Vietnamese values. At the same time, we also provide customers with exciting destination experiences and are always connected," Piro said.

At Wink, out goes the traditional lobby. Instead, the Wink Space is open plan with no reception desk and 24-hour services such as a bar and Grab & Go area.

Plus, guests can check in instantly with Wink's automated check-in pods, or guests can ask the in-the-know front-of-house Wink Guide team to help.

Each of Wink Hotel Saigon Centre's 237 rooms is space-smart and chic, fine-tuned for maximum comfort. Wink also offers its groundbreaking STAY24 programme, which guarantees guests a full 24-hour stay regardless of check-in time.

Wink Hotel Saigon Centre was the first hotel in Viet Nam to receive LEED Gold Version 4 certification for sustainability thanks to location, transportation, and water efficiency initiatives with a focus on atmosphere and innovation.

Wink Hotels is the first hotel product of Indochina-Kajima, a joint venture between Indochina Capital Corporation, an innovative leader in Viet Nam's rapidly growing real estate, financial services and capital markets, and Kajima Corporation, one of the oldest and largest construction companies in Japan.

Thirteen Wink Hotels are currently under construction.— VNS