A grand dame of South East Asia, this hotel welcomes guests to experience her colonial grandeur and timeless elegance. Located steps from the Opera House in Hanoi’s French quarter, this legendary property brings guests into intimate contract wit the opulence of another era. Surround yourself in Heritage as you stroll stately corridors and explore dramatic past.

Over a century of stories reside behind its classical white façade, green shutters original wrought iron and stately wood panelling. On July 1st 2009, became the world’s first Sofitel Legend Hotel.

Famous Guests: Charlie Chaplin, Graham Greene, Somerset Maugham……….

Legendary Stories

The hotel is located in Ngo Quyen street, which used to be Boulevard Henri Riviere named after the ‘captaine de fregate’ who organised a repression of a revolt in New Caledonia in 1880. He was sent to Indo-China in 1882 and killed in Hanoi in 1883 when trying to conquer Hanoi with a small corps d’ expedition. Pont Paul Doumer ( today’s Long Bien Bridge) named after the gouverneur general de I’lndo-Chine from 1896-1902. He created new governmental structures and a true colonial state. Back in France he became the President of the Senate and was elected President in 1931.

This hotel was the home of the Italian Embassy from 1975 to 1981. Diplomats of all embassies were recognisable by their bicycles with diplomatic number plates. From time to time they met for a drink at the bar. In 2006 Italian Ambassdor Alfredo Matacotta Dondella and the hotel’s General Manager Giles Cretallaz officially inaugurated the newly renovated rooms 216 & 218 as a place that hosted the Italian Embassy in Vietnam 30 years ago.

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Historic Hotels # 1: The Sofitel Legend…