Patricia Neo, senior director of Customer Contact Centre for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Asia Pacific, said Starwood was launching five-star Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel & Spa located along Tran Phu Boulevard in Nha Trang in November.

The 30-story hotel will be the tallest building in the coastal city and all of its 284 guest rooms will enjoy breathtaking views of the bay.

"Besides the international, the local market is an important market for us. 80% of the tourist arrivals to Nha Trang are domestic, so we will be offering a special promotion that will help local residents experience the services of the new Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel & Spa and enjoy the fantastic view of the bay", Neo said recently in Hanoi.

Another Starwood outlet - Sheraton Hoi An Resort & Spa - is also scheduled to open in 2011, with 242 rooms which is situated in a new destination along Vietnam’s popular China Beach and will offer exclusive beach access to the resort’s guests.

Neo told the Daily that the hotel management group would open Westin Resort & Spa, Cam Ranh in Nha Trang in 2012, featuring 330 rooms and a range of Westin products and services including Westin Heavenly Bed, Westin Workout and Heavenly Spa.

Starwood said Cam Ranh Bay - a protected inlet off the Eastern Sea situated between Phan Rang and Nha Trang and about 290 kilometers northeast of HCMC - would help lure both high-end domestic and international travelers to the Westin.

The U.S. hotel manager is operating two hotels in Vietnam, namely Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers and Sheraton Hanoi Hotel. The three hotels and resorts under development are part of the long-term business strategy of Starwood in Vietnam’s hospitality market.

"We are also actively working on potential projects in HCMC, Dalat and Danang. When Sheraton Nha Trang joins the Starwood family in Q4 of this year, it will give us presence in all of north, south and central Vietnam, said Neo.

Neo said the growth and stability of the Vietnam market in relation to other Southeast Asian nations were bringing opportunities in expanding Starwood brands to key destinations across Vietnam.

"The growing demand presents us with tremendous opportunities with the demand for travel infrastructure, including hotels. We continue to see growth opportunities and potential even during this time" said Neo.

"We’re planning ahead for the recovery so we can come out of the gate fast, ahead of the competition. We also believe that today’s reduced travel budgets, cancelled meetings and staycations are tomorrow’s pent up demand".