The Myst Vietnam: Boutique hotel inspired by Saigon’s alleys

In recent years, Saigon residents have witnessed a new and unfamiliar appearance right in the city center. With distinctive features such as walls decorated with greenery, The Myst Dong Khoi is one of the next generations in the boutique hotel industry, providing a challenge in both the landscape and offering something different to attract "The New Collective," the target audience of young domestic and international tourists from Asia and Europe.

The design style of The Myst draws inspiration from forests and nature, while its soul is inspired by the alleys, a characteristic feature of Saigon. The Myst's customers are aesthetically inclined people who appreciate the first glance when visiting this new hotel system hidden in the quiet alley of this bustling city center. At The Myst, customers can explore all the street food, shopping, or enjoy the taste of Vietnamese coffee in the alleys here and experience the true life of the locals around them.

To create a new image for boutique hotels in Vietnam, the couple Mr. Vu Hong Nam and Mrs. Nguyen Thi Phuc founded this hotel system. They are also the heads of the Silverland Hotels & Spas hotel chain.

Instead of creating another branch of Silverland Hotels, they decided to take a risk by investing in a different brand to expand further in the future.

Mr. Nam said, "I want to build a brand that can meet society's expectations, a place that gives you completely different memories, and the brand story will be expressed in an entirely new way."

There was no detailed plan, but stories about local culture were skillfully expressed in modern and profound designs under the talent of architect Nguyen Hoa Hiep – who had won awards in architectural design. Known for his creative and wild styles, in line with The Myst's brand concept, architect Hoa Hiep attracted Mr. Nam's attention after other architects believed they were not suitable for The Myst's bold style.

Architect Hoa Hiep, the founder of the design company a21studio, had a meeting with Mr. Nam, agreeing to design only when both agreed on the viewpoint and ideas. With no experience in designing hotels, Hoa Hiep's reputation was associated with large-scale designs indoors and outdoors in unconventional ways.

Mr. Nam said, "In that meeting, we chose each other." It takes something called "destiny" to bring us together and cooperate.

A few weeks later, they met again. Mr. Nam wanted to see Hoa Hiep's plan, but instead, Hoa Hiep took out a green sheet of paper with a white square in the middle. The architect said that all the buildings in the area were built with glass and concrete, so he wanted to create something completely different, something like a forest in the heart of the city.

Hiep continued the project without a specific drawing or plan, instead explaining his idea to the construction company. However, not surprisingly, they disappointed him.

Although Hoa Hiep lacked experience in the hotel industry, Mr. Nam believed that was an advantage, allowing them to escape the traditional hotel design mindset.

Sometimes, he found the idea of being lost in the forest intriguing but ultimately found light through The Myst's extraordinary design. The new hotel quickly received community praise and started profitable operations.

When asked about The Myst Hotel, Mr. Nam often jokes, "I do it for the money," but that's just his playful saying. He believes, "All our efforts will be in vain if people find it not valuable enough to use it."