The Grand Ho Tram Strip
Billed as Vietnam’s first beachfront integrated luxury
resort, The Grand Ho Tram Strip certainly aims to live up to its name in
both size and decadence. Set on a long stretch of isolated beach two hours
southeast of Ho Chi Minh City (accessible via helicopter or a
complimentary shuttle that makes the trip multiple times a day), the hotel
promises non-stop entertainment with a casino, a championship golf course,
three swimming pools, 11 food and beverage outlets, a night club and more.
With its unique beach/casino feel, Ho Tram gives off a Vegas-meets-Honolulu
vibe, where glitz and glamour pervade in a low-key, laid-back atmosphere. It’s
the ideal backdrop for a Vietnamese-style Ocean’s Eleven movie recently filmed
there. Throw in the occasional cameos by world-class golfers like Greg Norman
(who designed the adjacent golf course) and local celebrities with Vietnamese
supermodels, singers and entertainers and you’ve got a party.
- As a one-stop entertainment complex, Ho Tram has all its bases covered. The beach and swimming pools with water slides call out to families while gamblers can while away the day (and night) at 90 live tables and more than 500 electronic game positions. Non-gaming spouses can spend their partner’s winnings getting pampered at the expansive spa.
- With nine dining outlets plus a scenic restaurant in the palatial 21,528-square-foot club house across the road, there’s no shortage of choice when it comes to eats at the Vietnam hotel.
- The Bluffs, directly across the street, is a Greg Norman-designed 18-hole golf course featuring coastal sand dune topography. Elevation changes ranging from 16 to 164 feet and lightning-fast greens will have even the most skilled of golfers turning to the stunning views over dunes, jungle, sea and distant mountains for inspiration or solace.
- A second 559-room tower is under construction, set to open in 2018.
- Youngsters have access to a separate Kids’ Corner complete with art supplies, video game stations and a nap area, and don’t forget to catch a movie or try your singing skills in one of their family-friendly karaoke rooms.
- The luxury hotel has 541 rooms, all in a single 20-story tower.
- More than half the rooms look out over the ocean while the others have views of the sand dunes and The Bluffs golf course. The Grand rooms feel spacious at 506 square feet, courtesy of floor-to-ceiling windows and large bathrooms with two sets of sliding doors to open up the space, while muted tones of gold and purple keep things fashionably chic.
For even more luxurious accommodations, opt for one of two massive 3,810-square-foot Emperor Suites, where walls of windows offer a glimpse of the East Sea and beyond.
- Most of the restaurants (including Grand Bistro, a French spot; Ju Bao Xuan, a sophisticated Cantonese restaurant; and Grand Cafe, a bistro) inside the extended lobby area are set in an arcade, making them ideal places to people-watch while affording views out to the pools and ocean beyond.
- Quick bites can be had at the Asian hawker-style Nam Nam Express as well as the Korean-themed 8 Dragons located within the casino itself.
- Khoi and its accompanying swim-up bar service the pool and beach areas, whereas Ginger offers up all-day buffet dining with Western and Asian items.
