Minor Hotels has bought a train carriage from the Vietnamese state-owned railway, with which it hopes to reimagine transportation between two Anantara resorts in a marriage of old-timey romance and modern-day comfort.
Mark Thomson, spokesperson for Minor Hotels, recalled that he had tried to travel from Quy Nhon to Hoi An by train, thinking “it will be the most romantic experience”, but this did not quite hit the mark.
Transporting guests from Anantara Quy Nhon Villas (pictured) to Anantara Hoi An Resort.
The Thailand-based hotel group now wishes to take the rail experience into its own hands, Thomson said on the sidelines of ILTM Asia Pacific.
“We still like the idea of train travel; it (strikes us as) quite romantic”, mused Thomson. “And so we approached the state railway asking if we could buy a carriage.”
Minor’s vision of glamorous rail travel from Anantara Quy Nhon Villas to Anantara Hoi An Resort could soon become a reality, with its own spruced-up carriage set to hit the tracks in July, according to Thomson.
The carriage is now in late stages of being decked out to “five-star standards”, complete with spa therapists, mixologists, lounge areas and more, he added.
More details including the carriage’s capacity will be announced at a later time. Thomson hinted that the carriage will be towed behind a public train along a fixed route from Quy Nhon before Minor guests break away en route to Anantara Hoi An Resort.
It remains to be seen if Minor’s touch of ingenuity will offer a more seamless and fuss-free way to travel between Quy Nhon and Hoi An compared to domestic flights.
But suffice to say, if this materialises, hotel guests will be introduced to another layer of the Anantara treatment and extra reason to pair the brand’s resorts during their visit to Vietnam.
The experience of travelling out of Quy Nhon by train could also help preserve parts of the quaint charm associated with the destination for Anantara guests, before this eventually gets chipped away by mass market tourism.
“We brought Anatara to Quy Nhon, which I believe is one of the last untouched parts of Vietnam that is not touristy. Today it has stunning beaches and the charming countryside. But this is going to change completely. In two or three years, there will be a new international airport, which I think will ruin (the destination’s charm).”

Reference: TTGAsia.