The upmarket Regent brand, which was acquired by global hotel group IHG Hotels & Resorts in 2018, opened the new resort on the island of Phu Quoc, which is located off Vietnam’s south-west coast, earlier this month.

The resort features 176 suites and 126 villas, ranging between one and four bedrooms, set against the waterfront backdrop of Long Beach.

Juan Losada, the resort’s general manager, told TTG: “Regent Phu Quoc has been designed with today’s most seasoned travellers in mind. We have worked hard to create a truly seamless guest journey and range of unforgettable experiences.

“We hope that Regent Phu Quoc will be a brand-defining resort in Vietnam and south-east Asia, ushering in a new era for the Regent brand and guest experience: one that marries the calm, the imaginative and the extravagant.”

Regent Phu Quoc is the first resort to open since IHG acquired the Regent brand, with six further properties due to debut over the next three years in Hong Kong, Bali, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur.

Losada also stressed the importance of working with the UK trade, especially as travel resumes after the pandemic.

“We recognise that now more than ever, UK travellers are turning to tour operators and travel agents for long-haul travel to offer an added level of assurance over Covid-related cancellations or changing restrictions,” he added.

“We are already in discussions with several tour operators and look forward to nurturing new relationships over the coming months.”

Losada said the “feeling on the ground is hopeful and positive” since Vietnam’s government lifted all entry restrictions in March after two years of the border being closed.

“However, we are realistic that it might take several months before we see a real impact on tourism,” he said.

“The UK market is a key one for Vietnam and we look forward to welcome travellers from the UK to Regent Phu Quoc very soon, perhaps helped by the recent launch of Bamboo Airways’ direct flight route from Heathrow to Hanoi.”