After two decades of steadily rising up the ranks of Hanoi’s hospitality scene, Phuong Nam Nguyen has the top job at Apricot Hotel located in the heart of the Vietnamese political and cultural capital.
The 48-year-old Hanoian brings a trifecta of distinguishing qualities to her new role as hotel manager with the five-star hotel; a wealth of experience in hospitality management and guest relations, coveted international qualifications and an insider’s knowledge of the capital’s hospitality and culture only a born-and-bred Hanoian can stake a claim to.
Before her appointment to Apricot’s helm, Nguyen was the general manager of Prestige Hotel Hanoi for almost five years. Among other runs on the board, she bolstered services, products, sales and marketing with a particular focus on fostering a positive work environment for all of her employees.
Previously, from 1999 until 2010, Nguyen worked at Hanoi’s Sunway Hotel, starting out as an assistant to the front office manager before moving up the ladder as the front office manager, room division manager and then executive assistant manager.
She began her hospitality career as a guest relations officer at the Guoman Hotel Hanoi (now the Movenpick Hotel) liaising with guests and handling complaints and then progressed to the Nikko Hotel as its Board of Directors’ assistant manager.
The studious manager holds an MBA from Belgium’s United Business Institute and was the first Vietnamese national to gain her Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) qualification from the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute.
