France 
Vietnamese
Vietnam’s fantastical new JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay has picked up the prized title of Asia’s Leading New Resort at the 2017 World Travel Awards Asia & Australasia Gala Ceremony.
The Bill Bensley-designed conceptual luxury resort, inspired by the legend of a fictional former university for French colonists, saw off stiff competition to claim the prestigious accolade at a glittering ceremony.
“We’re delighted to be named Asia’s Leading New Resort, and in particular to be recognised in this way by our colleagues in the hospitality industry,” said Ty Collins, resort general manager.
“The opening of the JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay marks the birth of luxury hospitality in Phu Quoc, and has established a benchmark of excellence and quality for future Marriott developments throughout Asia.”
The first international luxury hotel brand on Vietnam’s ‘pearl island’, JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay opened its doors to the public in January, with the irreverent style of renowned architect Bill Bensley evident throughout this fantastical resort.
Bensley’s design narrative for the site was a fictional academy of learning, Lamarck University, inspired by French naturalist Jean Baptiste Lamarck.
This vision is carried throughout the resort, giving it a truly harmonious aesthetic.
An evolution in the architectural style, from its supposed beginnings in the 1880s through to the 1940s, ensures that resort feels like a collection of individual boutique hotels, rather than a large resort, and each building is modelled after an academic department.
Featuring 244 beautifully appointed rooms, suites, and stand-alone villas, JW Marriott Phu Quoc enjoys a spectacular, unrivalled location on Bai Khem – which translates as ‘ice cream beach’ - with its own pristine white beach, overlooking the rugged Vietnamese coastline and neighbouring islands.