VANESSA DOAN
London
Summary
Experienced Hotelier with a proven track record in the hospitality industry across Australia, Vietnam, and London. Skilled in Front Office, Food & Beverage, Guest Relations, Hospitality Management, and premium cruise line operations. Strong background in training, coaching, delivering exceptional guest experiences, team leadership, and operational excellence. Holds a Bachelor of Business in International Hotel & Resort Management, combining global exposure with a deep understanding of luxury hospitality standards
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
3
3
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Guest Engagement Manager
Sea Containers London
London
08.2023 - Current
- Oversee the end-to-end VIP guest journey, ensuring personalized recognition, bespoke experiences, and exceptional service standards
- Manage and coordinate all VIP amenities, from concept and selection to execution and quality assurance
- Lead, train, and coach the Guest Engagement team and Front Office team; fostering a high-performance, guest-centric culture and embedding luxury service standards and consistency across the guest journey
- Maintain quality control and strong partnerships with external vendors, including transportation providers, florists, and tour operators, to ensure seamless guest experiences
- Establish and nurture strategic new partnerships with 8-Class Chauffeur, Harrods, Bicester Village, and other high-value luxury networks
- Build curated luxury experiences and exclusive packages in collaboration with premium partners (including chauffeur services, retail, and lifestyle brands), designed specifically for family suites and high-value guests
- Serve as the Hotel Champion for the LORE DISCOVERY loyalty programme at Sea Containers London, leading cross-departmental implementation and alignment, and playing a key role in the successful integration of LORE Group and Sea Containers London into GHA DISCOVERY (June 2024), ensuring brand compliance, staff engagement, and guest awareness
General Manager (Pre-Opening)
Meritel Hanoi Hotel
Hanoi
05.2022 - 09.2022
- Meritel's Grand Opening Date: 28th August 2022
- Recruit the pre-opening leadership team.
- Set up brand core values, brand standards, checklists and SOPs for opening.
- Coordinate all of the pre-opening activities on hotel and coordinate with the construction team, the construction timeline and act as a liaison between hotel owners, personnel & construction contractors.
- Develop short & long range plans for the hotel operation. Ensure the plans, once approved, are properly executed. Ensure operational standards are communicated, trained, and maintained.
- Design effective and successful sales, pricing, distributions and yielding strategies to achieve and enhance profitability.
- Manage the operations of the hotel in order to maximize profitability and to ensure superior guest experience and heartist service.
- Meritel Hanoi is an iconic Old Quarter boutique hotel which located at one of the most vibrant and lively streets in Hanoi city center- Hang Bong. 63 rooms and suites, an unique tranquil oasis concept restaurant, a sunset roop-top bar and last but not least an infinitive pool next to our fitness on 9th floor is the pleasant combination of Indochine and Renaissance architects, arts and cuisine.
Director of External Relations to Chairman
VINGROUP
Hanoi
10.2021 - 03.2022
- Establish, manage, and support high-level event committees for the VinGroup Chairman & Board of Directors, coordinating daily and weekly operations
- Provide consultation on nutritional and dietary standards, including the design of bespoke menus and nutrition plans the Board of Directors and the Chairman’s family
- Oversee all event operations, including logistics, funding partners, venues, vendors, emerging trends, and event technologies (VinFuture Prize, VinFast & VinGroup)
- Manage VVIP participation, encompassing end-to-end travel arrangements, accommodation, and catering engagements
- Recruit, train, and coach team members on an ongoing basis, while monitoring performance, productivity, and service standards
- Deliver creative, high-quality, and cost-effective event services by closely managing approved budgets, securing competitive vendor bids, contracting and negotiating with suppliers, and maintaining full oversight of all event components and execution
General Manager
VinPearl at VINGROUP
Nha Trang
03.2021 - 10.2021
- Oversee the operations functions of the Hotel, as per the Organizational chart- Quarantine Scenario.
- Ensure full compliance to Hotel operating controls, SOP's, policies, procedures and service standards.
- Responsible for the preparation, presentation and subsequent achievement of the hotel's annual Operating Budget, Marketing & Sales Plan and Capital Budget.
- Maximizing room yield and hotels/ resort revenue through innovative sales practices and yield management programs.
- Lead in all aspects of business planning, and optimize business infrastructure.
- March till July- General Manager at Vinpearl/Melia Condotel Empire Nha Trang- 1221 rooms
- July till October- General Manager at Vinpearl Luxury Nha Trang- 84 Premium Villas
Guest Relations Manager (Front Office Manager)
Azamara at SYCAMORE PARTNERS
04.2019 - 03.2021
- Provide consistent highly personalized concierge service to our guests and effectively managing the operation of the Front Office Department in order to ensure total guest satisfaction.
- Directs, coaches, supports, supervises and evaluates (in conjunction with the Hotel Director), the performance of all Front Office Team Members including Concierge, Guest Relations Officers, Documentation Officers and Guest Account Officer.
- Coordinates the complete embarkation and disembarkation processes with all the departments involved, in order to ensure embarkation and disembarkation operations smoothly operated on a timely manner.
- Manages and maintains departmental finances within budgetary requirements.
Club Manager
InterContinental Hanoi Westlake at IHG
Hanoi
07.2016 - 03.2019
- Oversee the day to day operations of the Club InterContinental Executive Lounge.
- Ensure the delivery of the highest quality personalized service and focalise on making every guest stay a memorable experience with frequent training sections for department on weekly and monthly basis.
- Club Lounge Capacity at 75 pax, Club Lounge Occupancy breakdown:
- 2016 - 10,000 room nights sold (OCC 27%)
- 2017 - 28,000 room nights sold (OCC 76%)
- 2018 - 24,000 room nights sold (OCC 65%)
- Increased Club Rate from US$60 to US$100 per night.
- Colleague Heart Beat +85% Hotel and +90% Department.
- Partnership with Maison Marou Chocolate to created unique Local Experience for our Guest at Club Lounge.
- Participate in IHG Country Exposure Program for Middle Management at InterContinental Saigon, September 2018.
Guest Relations Manager
InterContinental Sydney Double Bay at IHG
Sydney
07.2015 - 06.2016
- Oversee the day to day operations of the Club InterContinental Executive Lounge.
- Be involved in training, hiring, counseling and evaluation of team members.
- Gather guest feedback by talking and interacting with them, implementing requested changes/improvements, and following this throughout guests’ stay at the hotel.
- Ensure the delivery of the highest quality service and focalise on making every guest stay a memorable experience.
Club Team Leader
InterContinental Sydney Double Bay (Pre-Opening) at IHG
Sydney
10.2014 - 07.2015
- Played a key role during the pre-opening phase, supporting the setup and launch of Club InterContinental in alignment with IHG luxury brand standards
- Wrote, implemented, and maintained Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Club operations, service standards, and guest experience delivery
- Recruited, trained, and coached the Club team, embedding a luxury service culture and ensuring operational readiness from day one
- Collaborated closely with Front Office, Food & Beverage, and Housekeeping teams to align Club services with the overall guest journey
- Contributed to VIP and elite guests experience planning, including personalized recognition and service delivery frameworks
- Assisted with guest engagement and service recovery during the soft-opening period, ensuring high satisfaction and brand compliance
Club Lounge Attendant
Sofitel Sydney Wentworth at ACCOR
Sydney
12.2012 - 10.2014
Food & Beverage Attendant
Sofitel Melbourne on Collins at ACCOR
Melbourne
07.2011 - 05.2012
Education
Bachelor of Business - International Hotels & Resorts Management
Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School
Sydney, Australia 04.2011 - 12.2013
Skills
- Attention to Execllence – Ensuring every aspect of service and operations meets luxury brand standards
- People-Centric Leadership – Leading with empathy and focus on team development to create engaged, high-performing teams
- Results-Driven – Consistently achieving operational excellence and guest satisfaction outcomes
- Strategic Thinking & Forward Planning – Anticipating challenges and proactively implementing solutions
- Training & Coaching – Passionate about identifying talent, delivering effective training programs, and mentoring teams to achieve peak performance
- Quality Control & Standards Enforcement – Dedicated to upholding and exceeding luxury service standards through regular audits, feedback, and process optimization
- Team Development & Empowerment – Committed to investing in people by equipping them with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to deliver exceptional guest experiences
LANGUAGES
Vietnamese
Proficient (C2)
English
Proficient (C2)
Korean
Elementary
Chinese (Mandarin)
Elementary
REFERENCES
References available upon request
PROJECT
T.H.E Summer Camp- G'Connect Hospitality Education, Da Nang- Hoi An, Vietnam July 2018 — July 2022, T.H.E. Summer Camp is an annual event that creating an environment for students to study, exchange cultures and make friends. Besides the Switzerland and Australia Culture Explore the students also have an opportunity to visit the 5-star hotel, participate in activities such as Master Chef contest or explore the limits of themselves in Amazing Race., IHG Country Exposure Programme- InterContinental Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam September 2018 — September 2018, HOPE Center- Day Care Organization for Mentally and Physically Impaired Children, Hanoi, Vietnam September 2010 — Present
PERSONAL ACHIVEMENT
Passion for Excellence Award , Sydney, Australia January 2014 — March 2014, Be 'Magnifique' Award , Sydney, Australia April 2013 — April 2013
Timeline
Guest Engagement Manager
Sea Containers London
08.2023 - Current
General Manager (Pre-Opening)
Meritel Hanoi Hotel
05.2022 - 09.2022
Director of External Relations to Chairman
VINGROUP
10.2021 - 03.2022
General Manager
VinPearl at VINGROUP
03.2021 - 10.2021
Guest Relations Manager (Front Office Manager)
Azamara at SYCAMORE PARTNERS
04.2019 - 03.2021
Club Manager
InterContinental Hanoi Westlake at IHG
07.2016 - 03.2019
Guest Relations Manager
InterContinental Sydney Double Bay at IHG
07.2015 - 06.2016
Club Team Leader
InterContinental Sydney Double Bay (Pre-Opening) at IHG
10.2014 - 07.2015
Club Lounge Attendant
Sofitel Sydney Wentworth at ACCOR
12.2012 - 10.2014
Food & Beverage Attendant
Sofitel Melbourne on Collins at ACCOR
07.2011 - 05.2012
Bachelor of Business - International Hotels & Resorts Management
Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School
04.2011 - 12.2013