As part of Vietnam’s Best Workplaces 2026, Great Place To Work is honoring three organizations that have reached “Legend” status, marking five consecutive years of excellence in workplace culture.
In the first eight months of 2025, Vietnam welcomed 13.9 million international visitors. The country’s tourism sector is expanding at a pace that would make most Southeast Asian economies envious.
However, only 43% of the tourism workforce has received formal professional training. More than half of the people serving guests learned their craft on the job or arrived from other sectors, while hotels routinely pay expatriate premiums for management roles because the domestic talent pipeline can’t keep up with the rate of construction. Capella Hanoi has chosen to treat that challenge as part of their strategy.
The opera-inspired hotel on Lê Phụng Hiểu Street is one of only two Vietnamese properties to receive Three Michelin Keys and holds a Michelin Star at Hibana by Koki. It has also just been recognized as a Best Workplace in Vietnam for 2026, the fifth consecutive year the company has earned a place on the list.
Here colleague care sits at the centre of the business strategy. “At Capella Hanoi, we are committed to caring for our colleagues with the same dedication and attention that we offer our guests,” said General Manager, Hildegard Anzenberger.
Hospitality Starts With People Felling Genuinely Cared-For
“Being named a Best Workplace in Vietnam reflects our strong belief that exceptional guest experiences begin with exceptional colleague experiences,” explained Anzenberger.
In a sector where Vietnam’s hospitality industry is struggling to find talented chefs, bartenders, and management-level professionals, and where high turnover in the first six months of employment is an industry-wide pattern, that commitment to parity between guest experience and colleague experience carries weight.
“For us, caring for our people goes far beyond the workplace,” Anzenberger explains. “It means standing by our colleagues in moments that matter most. For example, following the severe storms in 2025 that impacted many families in provinces such as Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Lang Son the hotel organized donation campaigns to support colleagues whose families were affected, helping them recover from the damage and ensuring they felt supported during difficult times.”
When a storm devastates a family home, the employer who mobilizes support is the employer you stay with. “When our colleagues feel this level of care and belonging, they naturally pass it on to our guests through heartfelt and exceptional service.”
Growth, Flexibility, and Keeping Your Best People
Vietnam’s post-pandemic hospitality recovery has been strong on the demand side (international arrivals up 21.7% year-on-year) and fragile on the supply side. Many experienced professionals who left during COVID haven’t come back, and students are increasingly choosing other industries.
Anzenberger’s approach at Capella Hanoi focuses on making growth stable. “At Capella Hanoi, we support our colleagues by combining growth opportunities with genuine appreciation,” she says.
“We create an environment where our colleagues feel motivated, supported, and inspired to deliver outstanding service every day.” On navigating the post-pandemic landscape specifically, priorities are clear.
“The most important practices have been transparent communication, agility, and continuous support for colleague well-being. We focused on helping our teams adapt through ongoing development, flexible learning opportunities, and strong leadership guidance.”
In a 47-room operation where every interaction between staff and guest is highly visible, and where the Michelin inspectors show up unannounced, transparent communication is vital. When the team trusts the leadership and feels safe enough to flag problems early, you get seamless, personalized service.
“Great Place To Work recognition reinforces our long-term commitment to building a workplace where talented people can thrive and build meaningful careers,” Anzenberger says. “It motivates us to continue investing in our people through leadership development, career opportunities, and initiatives that strengthen employee engagement.”
The certification process gave Capella Hanoi data-backed confirmation of what its team already felt. “In hospitality, workplace culture is fundamental to business success. Memorable guest experiences are created by engaged and motivated colleagues, and this can only happen when organizations invest in their people,” she says.
“A strong workplace culture drives service excellence, employee retention, and long-term performance. It’s a strategic priority that directly impacts business results.”
In Vietnam’s overheated hospitality labor market, that engine is the competitive advantage that no amount of expatriate hiring can replicate.
