LookAtVietnam – Having few customers, a lot of 5-star hotels and resorts have decided to slash service fees or offer discounts.

Vinpearl in Nha Trang

Her family, comprising 24 members, booked rooms at Vinpearl at $125 per night only from June 3 to 6, nearly a 50 percent decrease in comparison with the previous rate of $200 per night.

Nga related that she and her family members felt lucky because they did not have to worry about meals when they were there because the resort provided free breakfasts, lunches and dinners. This is part of a promotion programme the resort is offering to travellers who stay there through the end of August.

When asked about total expenses, Nga said she spent only 20 million dong on five members of her immediate family, including two children.

The economic downturn and H1N1 super flu have led to the sharp decreases of numbers of travellers, which has forced hotels and resorts to launch promotion campaigns to lure travellers back.

Sand Doclet has launched a relax package priced at $155 per person which includes hotel room, meals for two days, free pick-up and drop-off at the airport and massage services. At Sun Rise resort, guests who stay here for three nights only have to pay for 2.5 nights, while those who stay for five nights only have to pay for four nights.

In Hanoi, Tran Khanh Ngoc, Marketing Director of Hilton Hotel, said that from June 1 to July 31, if guests book rooms for stays between now and August 31, they will have to pay only a 1-night fee for two-night stay. On weekends, the hotel serves breakfast until 11 am, while guests don’t have to check out until 6 pm and children enjoy free meals and stays.

The five-star InterContinental has launched a promotion package which sets the fee of $238 for a room for two people for two nights. Guests can have free use of the sports room, swimming pool and sauna. Previous, two guests had to pay $170 for each night.

As hotels and resorts have begun slashing service fees, travel firms are doing likewise. Saigontourist has launched the “easing the summer heat” tours of sea beaches, namely Tuy Hoa, Phu Quoc Island, Ha Long and Nha Trang. The 3-day Saigon-Phu Quoc Island trip costs 3.155 million dong per traveller, not including airfare.

Regarding tours to Phu Quoc Island, families are able to save 300-550,000 dong for a trip for two adults and two children. Travellers will stay at Saigon-Phu Quoc resort.

Nguyen Cong Hoan, Deputy Director of Hanoi Redtours, has said his travel firm has reached an agreement on room rate reductions with Diamond Resort & Spa.

The travel firm has launched a series of tours to Da Nang city, Lang Co beach, Da Lat city, Mui Ne beach and Phu Quoc Island, in which travellers will enjoy room rate reductions at high-grade hotels. Travellers have to pay 3.8 million dong per person for the Hanoi-HCM City-Mui Ne tour and 5 million dong for Hanoi-Phu Quoc.

Ngoc Ha