WORLDHOTELS Deluxe Collection affiliate the Caravelle Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City has celebrated its 50th anniversary as a colonial icon in Vietnam.

The 5-star landmark which was a legendary base for Vietnam War correspondents in Lam Son Square marked the milestone with a memorable party including a reminiscent speech from renowned journalist Peter Arnett, a Pulitzer-prize winner.

The Opera Room ballroom was transformed into a replica of the former Rue Catinat (now Dong Khoi Street) as it looked in the 1960s whilst the flagship restaurant Reflections created a special �Champs-�lys�es� menu of French cuisine for which it was famed in the 1960s and 1970s. During the war, the award-winning Caravelle Hotel was just across the street from the former National Press Centre of South Vietnam, where the foreign press gathered daily for official briefings known derisively as the 'Five O�clock Follies'.

A number of major news organisations including both CBS News and ABC News kept bureaus in the hotel and its famous rooftop Saigon Saigon Bar served as the unofficial press club.

"The Caravelle was something of a beacon for foreign press, which is why it made sense for us to ask Peter Arnett along for the anniversary celebration,� said John Gardner, General Manager of the Caravelle Hotel. �Fifty years ago, we opened and immediately set the standard as the most memorable, most talked-about hospitality experience in Saigon. You could say the exact same thing about this hotel today.�

The Caravelle today stands as a beacon of restoration after its dramatic comeback in 1998 just as Vietnam was in the midst of doi moi, or economic renovation. The refurbishment of the original 10-storey building was complemented by a new 24-storey tower.

While the hotel soared to new heights, Ho Chi Minh City asserted itself as one of Southeast Asia�s most dynamic cities.

The hotel plans to celebrate its storied history with a book detailing guests stories and experiences and the ups and downs of its history through the 1960s and 1970s.

Roland Jegge, Vice President Asia Pacific for WORLDHOTELS, said: "Today, the Caravelle ranks as one of the country�s most prestigious hotels. Its rooftop bar is one of Saigon�s most popular, as it was during the war, enjoying a surge of popularity as one of the premier rooftop bars anywhere."

The Caravelle offers 335 rooms, 31 of which are suites. All rooms are a minimum of 38 square metres, and offer river or city views, as well as broadband Internet, satellite TV and climate control. The city's leading five-star hotel also features a health club and beauty centre. The hotel has also completely revamped its ground-floor dining venue, Nineteen, which ranks today as one of the city�s most chic and elaborate buffets.

The ever-changing views of Lam Son Square and the Saigon River are a delight, and it's all within an easy seven kilometre transfer from Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

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- For nearly 40 years, the company's mission has been to offer business and leisure travellers easy access to a wide range of accommodation options with a strong emphasis on hotels of character and distinction.

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ASIA PACIFIC Reservation Numbers:

Australia Toll free: 1-800-55 35 49 For groups: 61-2-90 06 10 88 China (North) Toll free: 10-800-650-8221 For groups: 10-800-6 50 00 87 China (South) Toll free: 10-800-2 65 82 21 For groups: 10-800-2 65 00 87 Hong Kong Toll free: 800-96 85 63 For groups: 800-90 85 95 India Toll free: 000-800-6 50 11 60 For groups: 65- 62 27 55 35 Japan Toll free: 0120-55 75 37 For groups: +81 3 67 21 81 41 Malaysia Toll free: 1-800-80 11 84 For groups: 1-800-80 15 86 New Zealand Toll free: 0-800-44 75 55 For groups: 61-2-90 06 10 88 Philippines Toll free: 1-800-16 51 01 67 For groups: 65 62 27 55 35 Singapore Toll free: 1-800-2 27 66 26 For groups: 65- 62 27 55 35 South Korea Toll free: 080-747-10 00 For groups: 82-2-756 90 00 Taiwan Toll free: 00801-65 10 95 For Groups: 00801 651 423 Thailand Toll free: 001-800-65 66 04 For groups: 65 62 27 55 35

Issued on behalf of WORLDHOTELS by Grebstad Hicks Communications.

For further information, please contact:

Grebstad Hicks Communications Ms. Carol Kong Tel: 852 2810 0532 E-mail: carol.kong@ghcasia.com

WORLDHOTELS Mr. Roland Jegge Tel: 65 6227 5535 E-mail: rjegge@worldhotels.com