Calmed by the tranquility and charm of the Champa Coast, Antonio decided to settle down and establish a trading business with the merchants of the Silk Route. Knowing that in order to succeed, he would have to learn the local culture and customs, he made friends with native residents and created jobs for the hardworking but unemployed. As his wife, he chose Lieu An, a lovely young woman with long, black hair and discreetly seductive eyes, who guided him master the intricacies of her culture and customs. Thanks to his good business acumen, their fortune expanded and their passion for each other grew stronger. Although they belonged to two separate civilizations and cultures, their love and respect for one another won over all their differences and clashes. Thus, they were admired and honored by all.

The growth in business and the extended family demanded a bigger building. The trade required a larger space for their clients’ needs – more working sewing machines and showrooms. They also needed to provide more comfortable living quarter for their children. The details of the beautiful house they built was described in Lieu An’s diary along with the bond of passion and romance that was between them. Having survived the wrath of war, the diary was read by all family members until one of the great, great, grandsons took possession of it more than a century later.

Thomas was inspired by the tales of adventure, passion, and romance in the diary. He decided to honor his ancestral love by recreating their love nest. The building’s neoclassical Portuguese architecture has come alive in Vietnam with beautiful construction material, thus uniting the styles and tradition of two different cultures.

“La Residencia” is created to provide world travelers with a luxurious and romantic place away from home where they will experience comfort and feel the passion of Antonio and Lieu An.