A Lao company is building a five-star hotel at the southern end of Don Chan in Vientiane, and vows the project will be finished in time for the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in November.
The design concept of the hotel to be built for the Asia-Europe Meeting Summit in November.
Krittaphong Group company director Ms Orathay Santikhongkha told Vientiane Times on Tuesday that despite the fact they would have to speed up construction to finish the hotel before the Summit, safety standards would not be compromised.
“We have invested a lot of money in this project, so standards must be our number one priority.”
Ms Orathay said the com pany expects to spend about US$30 million to build the 8-storey hotel. The high-class facility will have 196 rooms and is set for completion in October, ahead of the Summit on November 5-6.
Located near the Maytichit government guesthouse, the project site is four hectares, with the hotel itself to take up two hectares.
The company reached an agreement with the government to build the hotel in December and has been granted a 50-year land concession, which can be extended for another 40 years.
Workers are now leveling the ground before they start sinking the foundations. The foundations are expected to be in by March and all the major concrete work is scheduled for completion in May, before the onset of the rainy season.
“If we can finish all the concrete structures before the rainy season, I think we can absolutely finish the job on time. If the rainy season starts before May, we will face some challenges but we will do our utmost to finish on time,” Ms Orathay said.
She said there is plenty of room for growth in the hotel business because Laos is now open for trade, investment and tourism, and more and more people are coming to Laos for both business and pleasure.
“Even though many hotels are now under construction, I think there is still a shortage of accommodation, particularly in the luxury range. Our country is full of attractive tourist sites and cultural interest, which more people are starting to discover.”
The Don Chan area will be one of the most sought-after pieces of real estate in Vientiane once development gets underway, which is why the company chose to build the hotel there. Ms Orathay said guests staying in any room of the hotel would be able to enjoy spectacular views across the Mekong River.
After the Summit, the company plans to build a trade centre, conference hall and function rooms for receptions or wedding parties. They also plan to landscape the surrounds of the hotel, and provide a lush garden area where people can relax and unwind.
