Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi – Hotel Review
History meets luxury at this character-filled colonial hotel on a corner of Hanoi’s French Quarter. The louvre-shuttered Metropole is a landmark in the city, having traded for over 120 years – surviving both the French Indochina and Vietnam wars – and welcoming well known guests including Charlie Chaplin, Jane Fonda and Graham Greene (who wrote The Quiet American at the hotel). Inside it’s all polished hardwood floors, whirring fans and tranquil colonial charm, providing a soothing haven from the busy streets outside.
Where is Sofitel Legend Metropole
In the heart of Hanoi’s old city, the French Quarter, with its leafy boulevards and wide pavements lined with grand French colonial buildings. Close to the Hanoi Opera House and Hoàn Kiêm Lake and 35 kilometres from Hanoi Noibai international airport (allow plenty of time for traffic).
Room types
Earn Qantas Points
364 rooms and suites, including 106 in the historic Metropole Wing and three suites named after their famous guests (Graham Green, Charlie Chaplin and Somerset Maugham). The Metropole rooms are decorated in 1920s French colonial style but can be noisy as many are street facing. The newer, more contemporary Opera Wing is quieter, closer to the pool and has interconnecting rooms for families.
Restaurants and bars
The casual Bamboo Bar is a great place to eat with children as it’s close to the pool and has a classic bar menu that includes burgers and fries. Alternatively, call the sitter and have dinner in A Wonderland by Le Beaulieu, the hotel’s swish French restaurant. The room is stunning – 1920s Parisian-style furniture, high ceilings and white-jacketed waiters who whip silver cloches from exquisitely presented food. There are several dining options in the hotel including Spices Garden for Vietnamese food and Angelina for European favourites. L’Epicerie du Metropole is the street-facing deli attached to the hotel and a good place to grab a takeaway coffee and patisserie.
Travel for work
In the dedicated Business Centre there are two meeting rooms, one of which can be divided, and the centre can accommodate between six and 20 people. The hotel’s Thang Long Hall can take up to 120 people and the Dong Do Hall 32.
Spa and gym
There’s a lovely pool in the central courtyard, not enormous but welcome on hot days. The gym is spacious, well equipped and only open to hotel guests. Yoga and tai chi classes are held daily on Le Balcon – a pretty open-air balcony overlooking the garden. The Spa du Metropole offers the usual array of massages, facials, manicure and pedicures and there is a steam bath and sauna.
What you need to know
The Metropole is the total package – charm, character and history in a luxurious French colonial setting.
Best for: Couples, families and history buffs
Number of rooms: 364 rooms and suites
Rates: From US$300 per night
Wi fi: Fast and free for guests and visitors
Parking: Guests can park at Con Coc Park next to the hotel for an hourly/daily fee.
Address: 15 Ngo Quyen Street, Hanoi, Vietnam 100000
Telephone: +84 24 3826 6920
