Hotel
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
Hanoi's grand colonial hotel, open since 1901, with a restored wartime bomb shelter, celebrated restaurants and a guest list from Charlie Chaplin to Graham Greene.
A 120-room hotel on Hang Trong Street near Hoan Kiem Lake, with a 12th-floor outdoor pool, rooftop bars and views over the lake, cathedral and Old Quarter.
Good to know
The Oriental Jade Hotel is a polished, central hotel on Hang Trong Street, within walking distance of the Old Quarter and close to Hoan Kiem Lake. It has 120 guest rooms and suites and is a member of the Oriental Hospitality Group. For travellers who want comfort, a pool and a central address without paying the prices of the city's grandest hotels, it is a sensible choice.
The views are one of the main selling points. Depending on the room, guests look out over Hoan Kiem Lake, St Joseph's Cathedral or the rooftops of the Old Quarter, so it is worth asking for a view room when booking if that matters to you.
The rooftop is where the hotel comes into its own. There is an outdoor pool on the 12th floor overlooking the Old Quarter, which is a welcome escape during the hot months, and the hotel has two rooftop venues: Thang Long Signature Restaurant and Rooftop Bar, and the O' Sky Rooftop Bar. A Coffee Lounge covers daytime drinks. Having two rooftop venues means you can have dinner and a drink with a view without leaving the building, which is handy on a rainy evening. O' Signature Spa offers locally inspired treatments, and there is a gym.
Practical touches make the stay easier. The hotel offers flexible check-in and check-out and a 24-hour contactless concierge, which is helpful if you are arriving late from Noi Bai Airport or leaving early for a day trip. Contact the hotel by phone on +84 24 3936 7777, through its hotline on +84 942 217 271, or by email at [email protected].
With the lake and the cathedral in view from some rooms, Ngoc Son Temple, St Joseph's Cathedral and the shophouse streets of the Old Quarter are all within a short walk. That makes the hotel especially good for first-time visitors and short stays, when being able to walk to the main sights saves time. It suits couples, families who want a pool and business travellers who like to be in the centre. Apricot Hotel is on the same street if you want to compare a five-star art hotel nearby.
120 rooms and suites.
Yes, an outdoor pool on the 12th floor overlooking the Old Quarter.
Yes, Thang Long Signature Restaurant and Rooftop Bar, and the O' Sky Rooftop Bar.
Yes, O' Signature Spa, plus a gym.
Depending on the room, views of Hoan Kiem Lake, St Joseph's Cathedral or the Old Quarter.
Yes, the hotel offers flexible check-in and check-out and a 24-hour contactless concierge.
It is a member of Oriental Hospitality Group.
Call +84 24 3936 7777 or email [email protected].
Bar
Vietnam's first jazz club, founded in 1997 by saxophonist Quyen Van Minh, with live jazz every night from 9pm on Trang Tien Street.
Café
The family café where egg coffee was invented in 1946, still run by the founder's son in an alley off Nguyen Huu Huan Street in the…
Restaurant
Chef Sam Tran's Michelin-starred restaurant opposite the Temple of Literature, serving a single seasonal tasting menu rooted in traditional Vietnamese cooking.
Thing to do
The historic trading district north of Hoan Kiem Lake, known as the 36 streets, where each street was once named after the goods sold there.