Hanoi's Oldest Hotel Celebrates 125-Year Legacy Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi is rolling out a year-long anniversary program celebrating its 125 years of operation since 1901. The "125 Years of a Legend" initiative spans curated stays, wellness rituals, culinary experiences, and cocktail menus designed to blend the hotel's French heritage with contemporary luxury. "For 125 years this hotel has been the beating heart of Hanoi — witnessing history, welcoming the world, and setting the standard for refined hospitality," said George Koumendakos, General Manager of Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi. "This anniversary allows us to honour that remarkable legacy while inviting guests to experience the timeless soul of the Metropole in fresh, unforgettable ways as we look confidently to the future."
Stay and Dining Packages The "Live the Legend Experience" package includes a daily breakfast buffet for two, elevated Vietnamese lunch at Spice Garden, and access to a "Path of History" tour guided by the hotel's resident historian that includes a bomb shelter tour. Early check-in from 11 a.m. and late checkout until 2 p.m. are guaranteed, along with a complimentary upgrade to the next room category (subject to availability). Bookings are available through September 30, with a two-night minimum stay. Le Beaulieu, operating in its current space since 1901 and described as Vietnam's oldest continuously operating restaurant, is offering a special three-course menu featuring heritage recipes including Lobster Bisque and Crêpe Suzette with guéridon service. Spice Garden has created a signature pho simmered for 125 hours using recipes rooted in the hotel's 1920s culinary traditions. The dish features Wagyu beef and gold leaf short rib, presented with tableside service.
Bar and Beverage Programming Bamboo Bar's "Carnet de Voyage" cocktail collection draws inspiration from a 1920s Indochina journey envisioned by co-founder André Ducamp. Le Club Bar has introduced "The Last Telegram," a new cocktail on its Legendary Cocktail Collection menu, alongside the "1901" Burger. Angelina's "Metropole Liquid Chapters" menu features cocktails commemorating key historical moments: "1901" marking the hotel's founding, "1968" inspired by the wartime bunker beneath the property, and "2026" spotlighting modern Hanoi.
Wellness and Retail Le Spa du Metropole is offering "Sensations Orientales," a 90-minute treatment combining Oriental traditions with French refinement. The ritual includes body exfoliation, Sothys' Digi-Esthétique® acupressure techniques, and warm amber and myrrh notes, available through year-end. La Boutique and L'Epicerie are curating Metropole-branded merchandise and special editions, while the hotel is releasing Le Petit Journal, a bi-monthly newspaper, and a Metropole History Book detailing the property's 125-year timeline.
Why It Matters
For luxury hospitality operators, the Metropole's anniversary programming demonstrates a systematic approach to heritage storytelling across all revenue centers—rooms, food and beverage, and spa. The integration of historical narrative into daily guest experiences offers a template for properties seeking to monetize and amplify their brand legacy during milestone anniversaries.
For more insights and trends in the food and beverage sector, check out more articles in The Food & Beverage Magazine family of publications.
Written by FBM Publications Editors
