Cover Louie Huynh, General Manager Legacy Yen Tu - MGallery
Louie Huynh, General Manager Legacy Yen Tu - MGallery
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A place that reaches the deepest emotional core needs no comparison; it stands alone. This is the vision that enabled General Manager Louie Huynh to transform Legacy Yen Tu into a truly one-of-a-kind global destination.
Upon taking over as General Manager, Louie Huynh and the leadership team made the most crucial decision that laid the foundation for all strategies Legacy Yen Tu - MGallery has implemented in the heritage area: to go beyond simply being a hotel within a heritage site. This place must be an integral part of the heritage itself, a living entity, and continuously write its own story. The resort proactively prioritizes the customer experience above purely aesthetic or functional aspects, focusing all resources on creating deeply meaningful experiences. When guests genuinely feel the “soul of Vietnamese history” in every moment of their stay, they are not only satisfied but will desire to return many times, each time discovering a deeper layer of experience.
From that direction, the “Legacy Journey” was shaped as a seamless journey, helping guests step by step touch the heritage, understand the land, understand themselves, and let Yen Tu become a part of their memories and spiritual lives.
A living heritage that carries the soul of Vietnamese history
Above Louie Huynh, General Manager Legacy Yen Tu - MGallery
Louie Huynh, General Manager Legacy Yen Tu - MGallery
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Many projects speak of “Vietnamese identity,” but Legacy Yen Tu - MGallery chooses to tell a story through more than 700 years of history. What pressure does this create in daily operations, staff training, and service standards?
I don’t see it as pressure, but as a mission.
The fact that more and more projects are moving toward “Vietnamese identity” is a positive signal. Legacy Yen Tu - MGallery cherishes this and recognizes itself as a vital stream within that shared current. However, when choosing to tell a story with over 700 years of historical depth, the greatest challenge lies in the people. The operations team and the local community need a deep and consistent understanding so that the story does not become hollow or fragmented.
We focus on training our team beyond pure professional knowledge, guiding them to feel the values of Yen Tu through the flow of history and culture. When that spirit is internalized, each employee will naturally radiate the land's story to the guests.
Legacy Yen Tu was inspired by the Hue Quang Golden Stupa - a relic almost intact from the 13th century. How do you translate a historical heritage into an emotional experience for today’s travelers?
To me, the Hue Quang Golden Stupa and the Ancestral Stupa Garden (which I often call the "Garden of Enlightenment") are symbols of the Vietnamese Soul, where worldly grace meets the Truc Lam spirit. It is not just a monument, but the crystallization of a lifestyle and a philosophy preserved through centuries.
We choose to continue those spiritual values through space, light, materials, operational rhythm, and especially intentional silence. What I want guests to feel first is not overwhelming awe, but a natural, slow pace. When they instinctively lower their voices, slow their steps, and breathe deeper, the architecture has fulfilled its silent role.
A historical heritage may be static, but the emotions it evokes are not. We allow guests to touch it naturally. It is the silence, the subtle restraint, and those preserved voids that help Hue Quang Golden Stupa no longer be a ruin of the past, but a living entity in the present.
Development anchored in core values
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King Tran Nhan Tong was a King, Warrior, and Zen Master. As a leader of a heritage site inspired by him, how does the philosophy of “Living in the World, Joyful in the Way” (Cư trần lạc đạo) affect you?
To me, “Cư trần lạc đạo” is a mindful lifestyle. This philosophy helps me be fully present in my work, facing challenges alertly without being swept away by stress or fleeting emotions. It allows me to make difficult decisions while maintaining composure, pursuing efficiency without losing humanity.
I can sincerely say that this philosophy has changed me, from how I perceive myself and lead my team to the development path of Legacy Yen Tu - MGallery: developing in the midst of real life, but never straying from core values.
As a Vietnamese leader holding the highest position in a large tourism ecosystem, how do you build a working culture that both preserves identity and drives performance?
I built a working culture based on the harmony between heritage identity and the global standards of the MGallery Collection – Accor Group. “Vietnamese Soul - Secular Grace - Truc Lam Spirit” is translated into daily behavior: from how we welcome guests and listen to each other to how decisions are made and responsibility is taken. Culture does not lie in slogans, but in attitude, discipline, and mindfulness.
Read more: Jesper Larsen, General Manager InterContinental Ha Long Bay Resort: The heritage storyteller
Culture does not lie in slogans, but in attitude, discipline, and mindfulness.
When bringing the raw heritage of artisans into the framework of luxury service, what is the most difficult ‘friction point’ to reconcile?
The greatest lesson is to see the local community as a living value chain. Legacy Yen Tu does not impose; it listens and accompanies. With artisans, respect is mandatory - respecting their rhythm of life, creative space, and spiritual values. Support is not about changing them, but about letting them continue to be themselves.
The most memorable experiences for me are not grand events, but simple moments when an artisan says they are allowed to practice their craft with appreciation, or when the community feels proud because their own story is told with kindness.
Turning down short-term financial gains
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In operations, what is the most difficult decision you have ever faced?
It is saying “no” to opportunities that bring quick financial results but risk harming the environment, the heritage space, or the spirit of Yen Tu. I always ask myself: if we damage the heritage today, what is left to carry on tomorrow? The greatest risk is not slow growth, but the loss of core values.
In your opinion, what is the “transformation” moment when international guests truly realize they are in a place that cannot be replicated?
It is a very quiet moment: when a guest sits alone, amidst the early morning mist or in a silent space, and realizes their internal rhythm has slowed down. No need for photos, no need for explanations, only full presence. Many guests say they understand themselves better after leaving Yen Tu. It is that moment that makes them realize this is a place that cannot be copied.
When a place touches a person's deepest emotions, it needs no comparison and cannot be repeated.
What is the vision for the next 5 - 10 years of the project, especially in balancing economic development and cultural preservation?
In the next 5 - 10 years, Legacy Yen Tu is oriented to develop as an indispensable part of the Living Heritage of Yen Tu. Sustainable development is not an option, but a foundation. We respect the landscape, cultural depth, and Truc Lam spirit, while operating according to the highest international standards.
I believe that when heritage lives true to its essence, economic value will come naturally, sustainably, and for the long term.
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Best of Asia 2026 marks the first time Tatler Vietnam brings together thirteen General Managers of Vietnam’s leading hotels and resorts on the January cover. This moment reflects a powerful shift within the hospitality industry as Asia enters a period of profound redefinition. Today, the leaders behind global brands are no longer merely operating systems; they are collectively shaping new benchmarks for luxury hospitality in Vietnam.
This January cover captures Tatler’s vision of industry leadership: transcending competition to assume a shared responsibility for preserving experience, standards, and the enduring stature of the art of hospitality, positioning Vietnam as a leading destination in Asia.
Tatler is proud to present thirteen features - thirteen touchpoints between thought and emotion, guiding readers from iconic destinations to East–West culinary dialogues, from international standards to local spirit, from sustainability philosophies to an aesthetic distilled in every detail of service.
This article is a reproduction of an original piece from Tatler Vietnam's January 2026 issue.
CREDITS:
Editor-in-Chief: Nikita Chu
Art Director: Andy Tran
Head of Dining & Travel: Hong Dang
Photographers: Le Lai, Tran Khoa
Producers: Giang Thảo, Joanne Dao
Videographers: Hai Pham, Nguyen Duc Kha, Tu Le, Pham Gia Khanh
Editors: Xuan Phuc, Priscilla N., Tra My
Designer: Chau Duong
Marketing & Social: Joanne Dao, Pham Gia Khanh, Tat An Thuan
Stylists: Tran Cong Linh, Long Ngoc
Makeup: Nguyen Huynh Nhi, Mai Mai, Vuong Cam Thien, Ngan Kim
Production Assistants: Huynh Hai Dang, Tuan Sang, Brian Nguyen
Photo Assistants: Nhân Tomato, Võ Hoàng Huy
Video Assistant: Hung Van
Gaffer: Bao Hoang Nguyen, Long
Stylist Assistant: Quoc Nam
Fashion: Canali
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