Beautiful Hanoi haunt of Chaplin, Greene and Fonda gets a facelift

If you’ve been to the Vietnamese capital, you’ve probably had a drink at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi. The hotel was the first to be given the “legend” label by Sofitel owners Accor. But the landmark that opened in 1901 as the Grand Metropole when Hanoi was French-occupied was legendary way before Accor came along.

Largely rebuilt over the years, it remains a jewel in the French-Oriental architectural legacy of Hanoi. Its history includes the great silent movie star Charlie Chaplin honeymooning there with actress Paulette Goddard in 1936, W Somerset Maugham writing The Gentleman in-house, and Graham Greene penning The Quiet American.

Founder of the Vietnamese communist movement, Ho Chi Minh, used the hotel for meetings during his revolutionary activities, and a bomb shelter underneath, opened for public tours since 2012, harboured American activist actor Jane Fonda and folk singer Joan Baez during the Vietnam War.

Now, the 358-room, double-winged Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi has a new story to tell, with the relaunch of its original heritage wing after an extensive refurbishment mapped out by Singapore-based designers David Grace that took 21 months.

Historic features in the 103 guest rooms and suites have been meticulously restored, and the new interiors have been designed to maintain a traditional aesthetic while introducing new comfort, colour, airiness and technology.

The extensive works involved either refurbishing or replacing 60 per cent of the wooden flooring augmented by specially designed, hand-tufted carpets, while bathrooms were given new Italian marble surfaces and floors, and new bathtubs and showers.

Six pairs of connecting rooms have been transformed into new suites, featuring a distinct master bedroom, a reception area and a living room equipped with a sofa bed.