On the morning of January 28, Sun Group officially broke ground on the Bai Dat Do Urban Area, a project widely viewed as a strategic response to Phu Quoc’s most pressing challenge ahead of APEC 2027: the shortage of internationally standardized, high end accommodation capable of hosting senior delegations and major global events.
With a total investment of VND 64 trillion and a planned capacity of 6,500 five star rooms, the Bai Dat Do Urban Area is being conceived as a true “hotel city”. It represents an unprecedented hospitality ecosystem in Vietnam, bringing together 13 luxury resort brands operated by five of the world’s leading hotel management groups. Particularly significant is the arrival of several ultra luxury brands making their first appearance in Vietnam, including SO/, Conrad and W Hotels.
13 "luxury hotel brands" are arriving at Bai Dat Do, Phu Quoc to serve APEC 2027
Fashion driven luxury or culturally rooted experiences?
Following its earlier collaborations with Sun Group through Premier Residences Phu Quoc Emerald Bay at Bai Kem and Premier Village Phu Quoc Resort at Mui Ong Doi, Accor continues to expand and diversify its footprint on the island. At Bai Dat Do, the group is introducing MGallery, its boutique brand that celebrates local identity; Grand Mercure, positioned around comfort and functionality for large group travel; and notably SO/, a high end brand closely associated with fashion, design and contemporary art.
MGallery, Accor’s premium boutique collection, is developed as a series of “one of a kind creations”, with each property telling a distinct story shaped by local culture and heritage. Its presence in Phu Quoc enriches the island’s accommodation landscape while reinforcing a philosophy centered on personalization, emotional resonance and cultural depth.
In contrast to MGallery’s restrained and introspective character, SO/ embodies a youthful, bold and fashion forward spirit. Positioned as a luxury brand for accomplished Millennials and Gen Z travelers, SO/ is defined by a distinctive DNA that fuses fashion, art and architecture with strong French design influences, adding a contemporary and expressive layer to Phu Quoc’s tourism identity.
Phu Quoc welcomes a brand bearing the founder’s name
Phu Quoc was previously selected by Hilton Worldwide as the first destination in Vietnam to introduce Curio Collection by Hilton, through La Festa Phu Quoc at Sunset Town. The group, which operates 18 hotel brands across 119 countries and territories, is now expanding its presence on the island with Hilton Hotels & Resorts, catering to upscale leisure and MICE travelers; DoubleTree by Hilton; and Conrad, a brand traditionally associated with senior leaders, entrepreneurs and international official delegations.
Conrad is Hilton’s flagship luxury brand, named after the group’s founder, Conrad Hilton. The Conrad at Bai Dat Do will mark the brand’s first hotel in Vietnam, targeting a high end clientele that places a premium on refinement, discretion and sophistication in both leisure and business travel.
A high end hotel system designed for major events and senior delegations
Building on its strong presence in Phu Quoc with JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay and future developments such as Luxury Collection Hon Thom and Ritz Carlton Reserve Hon Thom, Marriott International, which leads the global hospitality industry with more than 30 brands, is expected to introduce a portfolio of top tier names at Bai Dat Do. These include W Hotels, known for bold design and trend driven experiences; Marriott Hotels, specializing in large scale conferences and high level political and diplomatic events; Westin, with its well being focused philosophy suited for longer stays; as well as Le Méridien and Courtyard by Marriott.
Within this lineup, W Hotels represents the avant garde segment of luxury hospitality, distinguished by its energetic WET® Deck spaces and iconic WOW Suites. The brand targets style conscious travelers, creative communities and events with a strong lifestyle orientation.
Marriott Hotels, the group’s core brand, plays a central role in the upscale segment, focusing on business travel, MICE and major political and diplomatic events such as APEC. Its properties are defined by large scale conference facilities, rigorous operational standards and security protocols aligned with international norms.
Westin embodies Marriott’s well being philosophy, highlighted by signature offerings such as the Heavenly Bed and Heavenly Spa. The brand is particularly well suited for long stay guests while also meeting the requirements of conference groups and official delegations.
Le Méridien expresses an elevated lifestyle aesthetic rooted in the “chic” art de vivre inherited from its origins with Air France, the brand’s founding partner. It caters to well educated travelers with refined tastes and a strong interest in art, gastronomy and authentic cultural experiences.
Alongside these prominent Western brands, Phu Quoc will, for the first time, welcome leading luxury accommodation brands from Lotte Group. With extensive experience operating high end hotels in major political and economic hubs across Asia, Lotte is widely regarded as a guarantee of organizational capacity and operational excellence in serving senior level delegations and events with stringent requirements.
The convergence of world class hotel brands at the Bai Dat Do Urban Area not only underscores Phu Quoc’s growing international appeal but also reinforces Sun Group’s role as a leading force in shaping Vietnam’s high end hospitality infrastructure. Sun Group is currently considered the country’s largest owner of internationally branded hotels, with approximately 15 properties and partnerships spanning nearly all major global hotel operators, including Marriott International, Accor, Hilton Worldwide and Rosewood, a structure rarely seen in the market.
While Marriott and Hilton are globally recognized as operational empires with extensive brand portfolios, in Vietnam Sun Group is emerging as an ecosystem architect, leading master planning, investment and brand selection within a coherent and unified development framework. Once Bai Dat Do takes shape, a symbolic accommodation axis comparable to Orchard Road in Singapore is expected to emerge, serving as a crossroads for luxury brands and world class events, and positioning Phu Quoc firmly among the world’s premier high end tourism destinations.
