Motor up to the porte cochere of the luxurious French colonial- style Hotel Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, and you encounter stylishly dressed staff at the ready.
One fellow, in a snappy suit and tie, epitomizes Asian efficiency as he grabs your bags and checks off your name. Alongside him, turned out in a fashion-forward take on traditional garb, a stunning woman with a big smile welcomes you as if you are an old friend. Never mind that 45 years ago, during the heat of the Vietnam War, the local females who stood here in tailored fatigues were armed with assault rifles, hoping to pick off low-flying American fighter jets.
Thanks to an interior overhaul that stretched from until , the hotel now exhibits much of its original elegance. Opt for a room in the Original Wing and you get spacious quarters, done up in dark wood, with high ceilings and soft lighting.
Curtained, glass-paned doors open onto the marble-floored bathroom with a magnificent soaking tub. Fittingly, the French restaurant downstairs, Le Beaulieu, goes for classic dishes made from local ingredients whenever possible. The serene Vietnamese eatery Spices Garden offers a refined take on the national cuisine. After dinner, cigars are mandatory at one of two spots.
You can eat and smoke in the front room. After 9 p. Regulars can keep cigars and Scotch lockered. For the rest of us, Angelina maintains a decent selection of single malts and a small roster of terrific cigars all Cuban and sadly pricy, with the Montecristo No. However, you can bring your own without incurring a clipping fee.
