As Christmas is drawing nearer, restaurants at leading hotels in town are taking pains to satisfy the increasing demands of customers, many of whom reserve tables for Christmas or New Year celebrations with friends and families. It is noteworthy that Vietnamese diners make the overwhelming number this year.
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It has become trendy that locals look for a special place for festive days such as Christmas or New Year Eve. If in the past one might think that restaurants at luxury hotels were not the locals but the rich expatriates only, the current trend proves that the presumption is by all means wrong, as more and more Vietnamese diners book tables there for eating out in the festive days.
"At the Nineteen Restaurant, which can seat some 110 guests at a time, some 90% of booked seats are Vietnamese guests," says Juan Costa Ribas, executive assistant manager of food and beverage at the midtown Caravelle Hotel.
Philip Stephen, financial controller of the Legend Hotel, seconds Ribas's idea, saying that Vietnamese gourmets make up 90% of reservations at the hotel's garden view Atrium Cafe, which can accommodate 200 persons, plus some 250 in the adjoining poolside in the festive days.
"This perception has changed in the last few years due to the ever-increasing income of local people. Vietnamese gourmet now becomes connoisseurs.
Besides good food, they also look for good service and stylish environment that makes 5-star hotels become their choice," remarks Benny Lee, director of Operations at the Renaissance Hotel, where Vietnamese diners account for 60% of its guests.
The higher income and the improving standard of living among locals make them the regular patrons at leisure facilities. Thus, hotels are cannoning their focus to this potential market.
"Our focus (has shifted) to locals as the culinary culture changes and the income increases," says Matthias Widor, director of food and beverage of the New World Hotel, adding that the hotel sees 75% of its diners being Vietnamese gourmets.
"Vietnamese guests are our main market and we love it!" Ribas of the Caravelle comments.
In these days when Christmas is only a few days away, hotels are busy taking reservations for Christmas as well as New Year parties from diners.
The New World Hotel says 65% of tickets have been sold and expects its restaurant will be full on those days. Meanwhile, the Caravelle Hotel says 80% of tables are already booked. Most hotels expect their restaurants will be full in the coming festive days.
There is of course interesting exception: the five-star hotel Majestic says it received enough reservations for the Christmas party a month ago!
