"We opened in March, but in the last few months we've taken the product to the next level," said Scott Hodgetts, Sheraton Nha Trang's general manager. "It's only after every aspect of your operation has been finely-tuned that you can really celebrate the introduction of a tremendous hotel. We're there now."

Located on the sunny south-central coast, less than an hour's flight from Ho Chi Minh City, the 30-story Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel & Spa drinks in views of one of the world's most beautiful bays (www.world-bays.com) from virtually every space, including all 284 guest rooms.

From the ornate lobby chandelier made of glass seagulls to top-floor suites bedecked in earthed-tinged furnishings, the entire hotel exudes a harmonious relationship with the region's beaches and maritime environment.

"Blending the resort charm with modern comforts, the Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel & Spa is a choice addition to the Sheraton resort portfolio," said Wayne Buckingham, Regional Vice President - Starwood Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Singapore. "The hotel is in one of the most beautiful beach resort destinations in the country and offers visitors a variety of sites to explore and a wide selection of restaurants, markets and exciting adventures."

The hotel's modern feel is exemplified by its collection of Sheraton-branded restaurants and bars, three of which are entered from above the lobby: The Wine Bar, Feast and Steam n' Spice, an upmarket noodle shop specialising in dimsum and noodles - a dining concept not yet offered at Sheratons in China, the cuisine's birthplace.

The contemporary theme is taken a step further several floors up, where the first Shine Spa for Sheraton in mainland Asia employs clean lines and tawny tones to transmit a sense of organic tranquillity. The spacious couples treatment room overlooks the bay and the 6th-floor infinity pool.

Other standout features include the first purpose-built cooking school inside a hotel in Vietnam; Link@Sheraton experienced with Microsoft, a unique WiFi community lounge launched by Sheraton last year; and sky-high Altitude, a multi-purpose function room on the 28th floor.