Hanoi's Old Quarter has many constants, from its French Colonial architecture, Opera House and 1,000-year-old Temple of Literature to its vibrant street food and the chaotic two-, three- and four-wheel traffic that swirls all day and much of the night around picturesque Hoan Kiem Lake.
The Vietnamese capital has a further constant: the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, one of Asia's legacy grand hotels. Opened in 1901, it has now daringly and, as I saw for myself, quite spectacularly refurbished its original Heritage Wing, adding six suites.
Never out of the top rankings of the world's most prestigious luxury hotels, it's easy to see why this heirloom property -- the oldest continuously operating hotel in Vietnam and one of only six Sofitel Legends -- is the most awarded of the Accor Group's upscale brand.
The icing on the cake of the 21-month refurbishment was the mid-December opening of the six new Metropole Suites. These take pride of place in the Heritage Wing alongside the hotel's Legendary Suites, named for Charlie Chaplin, Somerset Maugham and Graham Greene, three of the celebrated guests whose names are in the packed visitors' book, alongside Jane Fonda, Bill Clinton and Joan Baez, to mention just three more-recent patrons.
In November, I got a sneak preview of the work and the new suites from Andrew Slewka, the hotel's director of sales and marketing.
On the Heritage Wing's third floor, which was added to the original two floors in the 1960s, we sidestepped squads of hard hats putting the finishing touches on the rooms and the suites. Slewka told us that Chaplin spent his honeymoon here in 1936 with his wife Paulette Goddard, but this third floor, which now has the suite named after him, did not exist at the time.
I used the word daring for this refurbishment because meddling with history is always a gamble.
The lobby sitting area in the refurbished Heritage Wing at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
New touches, old elegance
Just how much of an old master, or in this case a historical building, can you restore without losing its soul?
The architects seemed to hit just the right note, respecting the Metropole's age and spirit by refreshing the rooms with a palette of rich classical shades and adding delicate, white wall moldings. They also played with mood lighting, which, as any art curator will tell you, is the secret to turning even the dullest exhibit into a star attraction.
The ground-floor reception area has been given a new antique mirrored ceiling and new desks, furniture and soft lights, evoking a sense of nostalgia with contemporary flair. And the original wooden staircase, banisters and handrails from the lobby to the guestroom floors got plenty of TLC.
The wooden floors in the rooms and the new suites have been resurfaced or replaced, and they have new beds, desks, side tables, sofas, hand-tufted carpets, upholstery and curtains. Two cutting-edge comforts we liked were the bold, easy-to-read numbers on the control pad of the new air-conditioning system and the WiFi, which has a router in each room for maximum speeds. I also liked the ceiling fan, and the vintage hanging lamp over the desk that can be raised and lowered using a vintage pulley system.
The six new Metropole Suites, two on each of the three floors, with either garden or city street views, were formerly interconnected rooms and each measure 743 square feet. They, too, have high ceilings and a parlor-cum-study with a desk and a minibar between the living room and the king bedroom. Here again the new color scheme, rich drapes and glowing floors create an ambience of curated luxury and, like the refurbished rooms, they have lavishly outfitted Italian marble bathrooms with Balmain amenities.
Premium guests in the Heritage and the newer Opera Wing can enjoy the services of the 28 Metropole butlers, who will also welcome them to the Club Lounge. Breakfast there is available from the small buffet or a la carte, the latter option with an extensive egg menu and pho beef noodle soup, which is Hanoi's iconic dish. Afternoon tea is served with sandwiches, cakes and fruit, and happy hour at the lounge offers a choice of house cocktails as well as Champagne and a selection of hot and cold appetizers.
The foyer of the Heritage Wing. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
Spice Garden Restaurant reopens
Another recent milestone for the hotel was the relaunch of the Spice Garden Restaurant, with a new look and new menus. The room now has much more natural light, locally sourced table linens and handsome new pottery underplates and glassware, while everything on the menu is made to order, rather than the former buffet service.
Our set dinner menu had a family sharing appetizer that included Vietnamese-style prawn and pork sausage on sugar cane, wok-fried wagyu black pepper beef and a tempura banana beignet. All were beautifully plated and skillfully served by the charming and knowledgeable restaurant staff.