Hotel & Tours Group

Less than five weeks after taking over as general manager of the Nam Hai in Hoi An, Vietnam, Herbert Laubichler-Pichler rolled out red carpet for the country’s foremost political figure, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

The meeting of leaders occurred January 17, when the two convened for a private dinner at the Central Coast property’s signature restaurant. The PM, who was making an official visit to Quang Nam Province, praised the hotel’s culinary offerings, the talents of the chef and the aura and amenities of a resort steeped in Vietnamese heritage.

A veteran of the world-renowned GHM hotel management group, Laubichler-Pichler assumed the role of GM at The Nam Hai on December 14 2008, after spending three years in the same position at The Saujana in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — another GHM-managed property.

Prior to that job, the Austrian worked in Europe for 20 years, a period that included executive management stints at Annabelle Hotel in Cyprus, Dorint Kongress Hotel in Germany and Hotel Schloss Fuschl in his homeland.

During The Nam Hai’s development, the owners called in not one, but five architects for the design scheme of the resort. AW2 handled the architecture. Jaya & Associates (Jakarta) designed the interiors and furnishings. KPD (Bali) masterplanned the landscaping. The Flaming Beacon (Melbourne, Australia) developed the light design. And Design Studio (Tokyo) focused exclusively on the restaurant.