Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi marks its 1901 opening with anniversary rituals, a 125-hour Spice Garden pho and suites where Charlie Chaplin once honeymooned.
By Karen Barr
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year. Opened in 1901, the hotel gained notoriety as Indochina’s largest and most glamorous address. Located in the serene French Quarter, with wide boulevards for strolling yet close to the bustle of the Old Quarter, this five-star, 358-room hotel has hosted legendary guests, from royalty and presidents to icons of film and literature.
The 106 rooms in the Heritage Wing radiate colonial charm with Vietnamese influences. Stay in the Charlie Chaplin Suite, where the Hollywood legend honeymooned with his new bride, actress Paulette Goddard, in 1936. Filled with hand-crafted furnishings, natural wood floors and hand-tufted carpets throughout, the suite has a separate living room and a private balcony overlooking Con Coc Park.
The Opera Wing is located nearest to the Hanoi Opera House, a replica of the famed Parisian Palais Garnier. Stylized in bold black-and-white with red accents and neoclassical touches, this section of the hotel provides a dramatic contrast to the Heritage Wing. The Grand Prestige Suite makes the most of this design choice, with cream interiors, dark wooden floors, patterned carpets and pops of vibrant colour in pillows and wall hangings. Glittering crystal chandeliers and candelabras in the dining room contribute to the overall decadence.
Orchids, lilies and bird-of-paradise flowers evoke Indochine elegance and tropical vibrancy in the hotel’s interiors and gardens. Guests can lounge by the pool with a chilled beverage from Bamboo Bar, or step inside the thatch-roofed, wooden-floored building for some shade. Try the Graham Greene Martini, a signature drink crafted in the early 1950s when the English author visited several times while writing The Quiet American.
During a 1940s milk shortage, hotel bartender Nguyen Van Giang ingeniously whipped up a cappuccino topping alternative using egg yolks, sugar and condensed milk. Now known as Hanoi egg coffee, Bamboo Bar has crafted it into an Egg Coffee Martini, adding vodka and coffee liqueur. Another historical note: directly below the space is a protective underground bunker, built in the 1960s to shelter guests from Vietnam War air raids.
Le Spa du Metropole, set in the garden courtyard, invites guests to explore the Legend Wellness Journey, a 90-minute ritual offering a sensory experience where Eastern tradition meets French refinement. High-end shopping is right outside the door at Trang Tien Plaza, with Rolex, Cartier, Versace, Gucci and more. Stroll to nearby Hoan Kiem Lake and visit Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre for a traditional show that blends history with folklore.
Dine in one of two signature restaurants. Le Beaulieu serves gourmet French cuisine, with recipes passed down through generations of chefs throughout the hotel’s history. Think Lobster Bisque and Crêpe Suzette complete with guéridon service. At Spice Garden, savour the Golden Era of Pho, a historically beloved broth-based soup made with premium beef bones and charred spices, simmered for 125 hours and presented with Wagyu beef and gold-leaf short ribs.
A charming French-inspired on-site patisserie offers elegant cakes and pastries, including the classic Opera Cake, an almond sponge soaked in coffee syrup, filled with coffee buttercream and chocolate ganache. Come Mid-Autumn Festival, the patisserie turns out mooncakes, golden-crusted, sweet or savoury round pastries traditionally given as gifts.
Staying at Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi is a step back in time, filled with a storied past, the glamour of yesteryear, and a blend of French and Vietnamese culture found nowhere else. With 125th-anniversary celebrations continuing throughout 2026, now is an especially fitting time to book a stay at this Hanoi icon.