In April 2024, I checked into the Deluxe Suite at Capella Hanoi. Located within the heart of Hanoi’s commercial and business district, the 47-room property is steps away from attractions such as the tranquil Hoan Kiem Lake as well as the iconic Opera House in the city’s French Quarter. Noi Bai International Airport is a 45-minute drive away.
The hotel is across the road from Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi. Other notable hotels in Hanoi include JW Marriott Hanoi, InterContinental Hanoi Landmark72, InterContinental Hanoi Westlake and Pan Pacific Hanoi.
Other Capella properties in Asia include Capella Singapore, Capella Ubud and Capella Bangkok.
The UTW (“Under Ten Words”): Bill Bensley-Whimsy Meets Operatic Roaring ’20s Glamour in Hanoi.
The must-dos (if any): Take a long bath and enjoy the D.S. & Durga bathroom amenities, take a dip in the indoor pool, have breakfast at Backstage, spend your evening at The Living Room, have a nightcap at Track 61.
CAPELLA HANOI
The hotel is designed by Bill Bensley, who is also responsible for the distinctive visuals of Capella Ubud, Shinta Mani Wild, InterContinental Danang, InterContinental Khao Yai Resort and Park Hyatt Siem Reap. Setting the tone from afar with its gilded rooftop statue of a winged angel donning a Vietnamese non la (conical hat), the hotel draws much inspiration from Hanoi’s Opera House, topped with flashes of Roaring ’20s glamour – think red velvet drapes, crystal chandeliers, gold and bronze surfaces, art deco-style columns and sculptures (including dramatic loin-clothed atlantids flaunting their triceps in the lift lobby) and plenty of flowers (both motifs and physical ones).
Each of the hotel’s rooms is inspired by a different personality, from actors, musicians and artists to opera costume and set designers. The space most dedicated to the hotel’s opera and entertainment theme is Backstage, the Vietnamese restaurant on the ground floor which boasts a paparazzi corridor entrance with flashing camera bulbs (!), deep red curtains and red velvet surfaces all around and an extensive variety of opera-based memorabilia such as antique musical instruments, costumes and stage props on proud display.
The hotel’s wellness facilities are situated on the basement level. The freshwater ‘La Grotta’ indoor pool exudes opulence and grandeur with its marble surfaces, gleaming chandeliers and mirrored walls and ceilings, while Auriga Spa’s two boudoir-esque treatment rooms share imperial Vietnamese-inspired design motifs and flourishes, yet look strikingly different – one is dimly-lit and seductive, the other decked in cheery shades of turquoise and pink. A fitness centre is also available along with a sauna, steam room and cold plunge pool.
DELUXE SUITE
Offering calming views of the leafy Hoan Kiem district from wrought-iron balconies, the 71-sqm Deluxe Suite features separate bedroom, living and dining areas adorned with beautiful objets d’art, dramatic hand-painted murals and wall displays. The suite plays it all modern art deco luxury residential, set in shades of white, black and gold and paired with Vietnamese flourishes in its design elements. The elaborate pantry and minibar is stocked with beautiful glassware, full-sized bottles of spirits and wines, Capella-branded French press coffee and Dammann Freres tea bags. You will also find a cocktail-making set complete with a pre-bottled Opera Cocktail, a gin-based concoction found on the menu at Diva’s Lounge and served at the Living Room during evening cocktails and canapes.
The bathroom offers double vanities, a free-standing bathtub with a view of the bedroom and balcony as well as an enclosed rainfall shower. The luxurious Debaser bathroom amenities are courtesy of Brooklyn-based perfume brand D.S. & Durga.
My suite is dedicated to Nicholas Roerich, a Russian painter and writer.
DINING
Breakfast is served at Backstage, the glamorous entertainment-inspired venue on the ground level which specialises in Vietnamese cuisine. Everything about breakfast is over-the-top – the booklet on the table which introduces you to a diva’s morning ritual before greeting the paparazzi (“a little moisture is a girl’s best friend/a girl should shine, but her nose should not”); the indulgent recommended pairing of Taittinger champagne and free-flow oysters to kickstart the proceedings; the dramatic setting which features deep red velvet drapes, opera memorabilia, flowers and the word “Backstage” spelt in gold letters framed by lightbulbs, Broadway-style; and the sensational menu, extensive beyond belief, generously portioned and as elaborate as the venue itself. It may well be the biggest a la carte breakfast menu I have ever come across.
The Vietnamese dishes include Hanoian Pho with your choice of either beef, chicken or vegetables, Wonton Noodle Soup (packed to the brim with toppings and served with crown daisy, one of my favourite vegetables of all time), Bun Thang (capon, salted egg, pork terrine cooked, dried daikon, dried shrimp, spring onion, shrimp paste), Pork Banh Mi, Saigonese Broken Rice (broken rice, grilled pork shoulder, steamed omelette, pickled vegetables, green onion, ginger) and Long-Grain Rice Congee, which features Mekong Delta rice with your choice of chicken meat with skin, grouper fillet or sautéed mud crab meat and abalone.
International dishes include Rolled Duck Egg Omelette, Black Angus Minute Steak, Chickpea And Pumpkin Rosti, French Toast and Sourdough Waffle. There is a wide selection of side dishes (from crispy streaky bacon and house-cured salmon to thyme roasted tomato and sliced avocado) and also an extensive beverage menu, including Bubble Tea with Salty Caramel Cheese Cloud and Tapioca Pearls (?!), a variety of Kombucha options, Creamy Vietnamese Coffee, Condensed Milk Coffee, Dalgona Coffee and Pourover/French Press Coffee.
After breakfast, Backstage presents a selection of Northern Vietnam cuisine – think Duo Of Fresh & Crispy Spring Rolls, Indigenous “Ban” Pork Skewers, Roasted Lang Hoa Lac Duck Breast With Seven Spices, Ninh Binh Goat Stew and Bun Cha Hanoi (BBQ pork patty, pork belly, shallot, papaya, Vietnamese herbs, sweet & sour dipping sauce). The meats I tried were smoky, juicy affairs, and I was particularly impressed by their Pickle Trolley service, during which guests can sample and select pickled delicacies such as green papaya, cucumber, spicy onion and bean sprouts.
Situated next to Backstage is the sophisticated art deco space Diva’s Lounge, which pairs Vietnamese-inspired tapas with quirky cocktails inspired by various diva personalities, from Anna Held and Lina Cavalieri to Greta Garbo and Coco Chanel. (Pro tip: some of these are served at The Living Room during cocktail hour.) Set within the hotel’s basement, the elegant and sleek modern Japanese restaurant Koki houses multiple dining concepts under its roof: the Michelin-starred Hibana by Koki; teppanyaki restaurant Izakaya by Koki; and Akio, a sake lounge and bar.
Boasting gorgeous skyline views, the rooftop restaurant and bar Hudson Rooms draws its inspirations from 1920’s New York and an era of glamorous regional travel. The North American-influenced food menu showcases oysters, caviar, seafood and elevated bistro fare – think Boston Lobster Roll, Reuben Burger, Pan Fried Red Snapper and Côte de Boeuf – while the cocktail menu pays tribute to established train routes departing from the Grand Central Terminal. During my stay, I visited the secret speakeasy bar within the premises, Track 61, which is inspired by the fabled railcar reportedly hidden beneath Grand Central Terminal in New York where President Franklin D. Roosevelt was said to have hosted his most esteemed guests. The speakeasy serves a variety of classic cocktails such as 61 Sour, 61 Martini and 61 Old Fashioned, and your clandestine visit ends with a memorable farewell ritual which I shan’t spoil here.
THE LIVING ROOM
The Living Room is the hotel’s social lounge which offers all-day refreshments, afternoon tea as well as evening cocktails and canapes to all in-house guests, regardless of room category.
The Sweet Delights Trolley service, available at 3pm daily, serves treats such as Passionfruit Cheesecake, New York Cheesecake, Chocolate Ginger Cake and Hazelnut Praline Cream Eclair, paired with Dammann Frères loose leaf teas, juices and specialty drinks such as Pineapple & Black Sesame Soda, Apple & Cucumber Kombucha and the intriguingly-named Artist’s Elixir.
In the evenings, live musicians croon soothing tunes whilst you nosh on snacks from a tiered canape tray and enjoy free-flow champagne (Vranken Diamant Capella); a variety of reds, whites and pinks; classic cocktails such as Old Fashioned, Martini and Gimlet; and a selection of specialty cocktails such as Rum Old-Fashioned, Cacao Negroni, Diva’s Mojito as well as eye-catching Diva’s Lounge concoctions Anna Held’s Health (pastis, cognac, maraschino liqueur, apricot liqueur, chocolate bitter, citric, milk washed), Greta Garbo’s Gift (scotch whisky, kummel liqueur, grapefruit & ginger oleo, lemon, soda) and Opera Cocktail (Song Cai Gin, dubonnet, maraschino, orange).
CONCLUSION
Compared to the grand dame Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi across the street, Capella Hanoi is a queen, bodacious and vivacious with your attention, adulation and memory firmly demanded. I will not forget the breakfast experience for years to come.
Capella Hanoi
11 Le Phung Hieu
Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Vietnam
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