Victoria Hotels & Resorts, a boutique group of six luxury off-the-beaten-track Indochina retreats, has promoted Frenchman Eric Simard as its new Managing Director.

He was formerly Assistant Managing Director, having joined the group as Director of Operations.

Mr. Simard will be overseeing expansion of the group, which plans new resort projects in Hue, in central Vietnam, and Phu Quoc Island, off the Mekong Delta. It is also looking at hotel developments in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

With over two decades of experience in the hospitality industry, the 42 year-old hotelier began his career with prestigious French restaurants.

In 1988 he joined the Meridien group, working at hotels in the United States, United Arab Emirates and finally Malaysia, where he was appointed Food & Beverage Director in 1991.

Prior to joining Victoria Hotels & Resorts, he worked for ACCOR Asia in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Victoria Hotels & Resorts operates off-the-beaten-track mountain and beach spa resorts in Vietnam, a colonial-style hotel and resort in the Mekong Delta, and an elegant resort and spa at Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

With a passion for Indochina’s rich cultural and historical diversity, enchanting landscapes and delightful people, the group’s resorts and hotels are uniquely distinguished for their charm and locations in the most authentic and unspoiled areas of Vietnam and Cambodia.

It operates a luxury Victoria Express Train from Hanoi to one spa resort, up in the remote north-west highlands of Vietnam. In the Mekong Delta, Victoria Speed Boats and a converted rice barge are at the service of guests to explore one of the world’s great inland waterways.

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