Luxury hotels in Vietnam are offering home deliveries, day-long retreats and other innovative services to maintain their cash flow amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

Five-star hotel JW Marriott in Hanoi. Photo by Shutterstock/Ovu0ng.

The fourth wave of Covid-19 has crushed many hopes of hospitality businesses for a summer of recovery after suffering a year of dampened demand.

Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi is now offering free home delivery of meals for minimum orders of VND1.5 million ($65).

Its menu includes high-end dishes like Wagyu ribs and seared Scottish salmon with a variety of wine.

The hotel is also promoting six-hour getaway stay for city dwellers at the rate of $60 per room.

The JW Marriott Hanoi has also launched takeaway and delivery services. The latter requires a minimum order of VND750,000 and a 24-hour notice.

The InterContinental Hanoi Landmark 72 also offers delivery with minimum orders of VND700,000, with free delivery within five kilometers.

It also has working options at the cost of VND2.4-3.4 million per day, including lunch. Customers can also book a half-day package from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers, meanwhile, is offering cooking classes for children aged 5-16. They will learn how to make pizza, kimbab and and other dishes in an hour-long class that costs VND450,000.

The ongoing pandemic has devastated the hotel industry. In the first half of last year, the hospitality market was nearly frozen, making Hanoi occupancy fall to the lowest in 15 years and prices lowest in five years, according to real estate consultancy Savills Vietnam.

Industry insiders expect a recovery only after the pandemic has been contained and travel restrictions are lifted.

By Dat Nguyen