Vietnam’s charismatic capital is a city of contrasts, where French colonial architecture meets vibrant street life and tranquil lakeside pagodas. Rich in culture and culinary depth, it offers an evocative, elegant introduction to northern Vietnam.
As Hanoi’s historic heart, the Old Quarter has witnessed over 1,000 years of trade, commerce and activity, with no signs of slowing down.
The site of Vietnam’s first university, the 11th-century Temple of Literature, with its quiet courtyards and temples, provides a peaceful haven from the busy streets outside.
The embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh lies in a grand mausoleum surrounded by the Presidential Palace, the Ho Chi Minh Museum and the modest stilt house he lived in while president.
Famously dubbed the Hanoi Hilton by American POWs during the Vietnam War, Hoa Loa Prison is now one of Hanoi’s most thought-provoking museums.
The city is a great place to observe the daily lives of the Vietnamese, from residents practising t’ai chi at dawn on the shore of Hoan Kiem Lake to goateed grandfathers brooding over chess moves.
Hanoi captivates with its layered charm. As Vietnam’s capital, it’s a city steeped in history yet vibrantly alive in the present. At its heart lies Hoan Kiem Lake, a peaceful focal point surrounded by banyan trees and steeped in local legend. From here, the Old Quarter unfolds, a maze of timeworn shopfronts, buzzing cafes and colourful markets where every turn brings a new sensory delight.
The city’s architecture speaks to its complex past: grand boulevards and faded pastel villas recall French colonial elegance, while historic landmarks like the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda and the scholarly Temple of Literature offer insight into Vietnam’s cultural soul. What's more, the dining scene is exceptional, from Michelin-rated restaurants to street-side stalls serving northern delicacies and fragrant bowls of pho. It’s certainly a city to savour – graceful, engaging and full of surprises.
Capella Hanoi brings the spirit of the Roaring Twenties back to the Vietnamese capital. Situated in the city’s French-influenced Old Quarter, just moments away from the Hanoi Opera House, the hotel offers 47 stunning rooms and suites, four restaurants and bars, a wonderful spa and a memorable selection of local experiences.
Renowned for it’s architecture, classic luxury and style, the Sofitel Legend Metropole has been a landmark of Hanoi’s society and cultural scene since 1901.