Hanoi houses many of the best hotels in Vietnam and we were looking for those which offered that edge over the others. The ones that oozed of luxury and service, and brought in the overall ‘wow factor’ that many hotels in Vietnam missed out on.

Sofitel Legend Metropole of Hanoi lived up to all that we were looking for. Built in 1901, this hotel is a legend amongst other hotels of Hanoi and has housed many prestigious events. With 364 exquisite rooms and suites, outstanding French, Vietnamese and an avant-garde Italian restaurants, 7 function rooms, a swimming pool and a brand new spa; Sofitel legend Metropole lives up to the honor of being named the first Sofitel Legend in the world on 1st July 2009. Blending in the luxury of European hospitality with the traditions of Vietnam, the offer of Sofitel Legend Metropole is intriguing and unique.

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First Impression/Lobby: The Sofitel Legend Metropole has always received good hotel reviews. As we walked into the lobby, we understood why it did. The hotel boasts of two stunningly gorgeous lobbies. The one in the old building was designed in a charming classical visual. With high frame windows flanked by wood work with Vietnamese designs, the simplicity of it added to the elegance of the lobby. The chairs and tables, the curios and wall décor all added onto the feel of a beautiful classical room; one could imagine this was how it looked when the hotel opened up in the 1900’s.

The second lobby found in the new section of the hotel was chic, luxurious and extremely modish. With cozy corners and voguish décor, the lobby spilt with a stylish sophistication that was hard to overlook.

Reception: The reception was very quick and efficient and great care was taken to ensure that we were relaxed and unhurried during the whole process. We were offered a welcome drink in the executive club lounge and were duly escorted to our rooms to complete our registration process.

The Room: Superior Room Club Sofitel For a superior room, it was a little small in size, but the beauty in design and luxury offered in the room made it hard to focus on the size. Luxury was the driving factor of the Sofitel Legend Metropole. With dark-wooden floors, comfortable beds spread with bright white sheets offset by dust-rose pink cushions, a contrasting wall behind the bed from off-setting the creamy rest, writing table and chairs to lounge in, the sleeping quarter of the room made one just want to sink into the bed and take in the beauty of the décor. The bathroom was tiled in marble with designed wall décor and a nice bath. The amenities were Hermes and it spoke of luxury and comfort with ease.

Room Service: The room service menu offered us a number of interesting and delicious choices to choose from, but the order came late and there was a mix-up with the dishes. Overall the service was on top of its game and they fixed the issue fast and efficiently and didn’t lose too many points from us.

Housekeeping: Our stay at the Sofitel Legend Metropole was only for one night, however, we could see that the housekeeping staff was well trained and primped to meet the requirements of the guests of the room and that they serviced the room completely.

Concierge: The concierge was efficient and mindful of our needs. We got a great suggestion for lunch from him for the restaurant Green Tangerine located in the Old Quarter. (Click here to read our review of Green Tangerine Restaurant in Hanoi.)

Restaurants: There are 3 restaurants in the ; Angelina- Italian Steakhouse offering famed Italian cuisine, Spices Garden Restaurant offering Vietnamese cuisine and Le Beaulieu Restaurant offering French cuisine. Each of these restaurants have received rave restaurant reviews. The Angelina restaurant is famous amongst other restaurants of Hanoi and always sees a gathering of an elite crowd. With a live DJ every night, the restaurant serves Italian dishes and offers a large selection of Italian wines. Private rooms are also available for guests in the restaurant. The Spices Garden serves traditional Vietnamese cuisine rich in flavor, spices and other known specialties. The Le Beaulieu Restaurant is one of the most famous French restaurant in Hanoi is known for all its imported products. The dinners and the Sunday brunches are quite popular here.

Snack Bars: The Sofitel Legend Metropole houses 3 snack bars. The Bamboo Bar located near the poolside serves ice-creams, fresh juices and offers a wide array of Metropole tea, coffee and light snacks. Delicious cocktails are also served here. Those looking for a typical Parisian side-walk café experience should drop into La Terrasse du Metropole which offers french dishes for lunch and dinner. You can also grab a cup of hot tea or coffee or settle for a spicy cocktail and an aromatic cigar here. Le Club is another snack bar you can drop into for a nice drink or cocktail. They also serve some good continental food for breakfast, lunch, high tea and dinner. They are famed for their chocolate buffet and this is perfect for those with a sweet-tooth.

Pool/Spa Activities: The recently opened spa of Sofitel Legend Metropole offers holistic Eastern rituals blended in with more contemporary treatment methods from the West. Le Spa du Metropole is small but stunning in design and décor and have thematic suites for treatment. There are quaint bells hanging for you to call for service. There is also a relaxation and fitness center offering hammam (Turkish bath), jacuzzi, massages and fitted with an outdoor heated pool, an outdoor unheated pool and sauna.

Check-Out: The check-out was completely efficient and was made easy and fast for us. There was no confusion with the bill tallied and we were done in a few minutes and ready to go.

Overall Impression: We visited the InterContinental hotel and the Sofitel Legend Metropole during our visit in Hanoi and we have to say that the Sofitel Legend Metropole was by far the superior experience in terms of unparalleled service, world-class amenities and accommodation. With such an amazing experience behind us, we give the Sofitel Legend Metropole a rating of Fantastic Bombastic.


Address and telephone number for Sofitel Legend Metropole in Hano
15 Ngo Quyen Street
Hoan Kiem District 1000
Hanoi, Vietnam
Telephone: (+84) 4/38266919

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