British botanist, scientist and naturalist Charles Darwin is to feature in the first of a new hotel brand being created by luxury Asian resorts company Fusion.
The first Fusion Originals property, which will carry Darwin’s name, is due to open in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietman next summer.
Each Originals hotel will bear the name of a pioneering artist, inventor, scientist, or social leader.
Darwin – a Fusion Original is under construction in the heart of Saigon’s District 1, less than 200 metres from the city’s iconic opera house and close to shops, restaurants, cafes, bars, and tourist hotspots.
The 88-room hotel will pay homage to its namesake by creating an air of 19th-century discovery and adventure.
Designers have focussed on Darwin’s studies of plants, animals, and people from all over the globe and will honour this by featuring botanical motifs, super-sized extracts of Darwin’s manuscripts, and all-natural tones and textures in the interiors.
There will even be a copy of Darwin’s famous publication, On the Origin of Species, inside every bedside unit.
Origins Restaurant, home to a breakfast concept known as TOAST – The Original Answer to Snooze Time – will serve dishes inspired by Darwin’s global journeys.
Fusion’s chief architect Remco de Hoog said: “Charles Darwin is the perfect person to launch this exciting, slightly rebellious all-new brand.
“With Darwin and every Fusion Original that comes after it, you’ll never quite know what to expect.
“We love shaking things up, and we think our guests will really enjoy the feeling of entering the unknown each time… in a good way, of course.”
Fusion has five resorts and hotels in Vietnam, with more than 1,500 staff, including 300 spa specialists.