Luxury hotel in the Vietnam War: Famousness such as Baez and Fonda protected
Luxury hotel in the Vietnam War: Famousness such as Baez and Fonda protected
The metropolis hotel in Hanoi imposes at a corner in the city center. The bright white building with elegant black shutters is a symbol of the city. Upon arrival in the French colonial construction, guests are welcomed by a friendly team in chic Silk tunks.
insights into the history of the metropolis of Hotel
In the foyer, framed photos hang that show some of the most famous guests in the hotel, including the French President François Mitterrand and Jacques Chirac, the writer Graham Greene, the actress Jane Fonda and the silent film Star Charlie Chaplin. In 2019 the metropolis hosted the historic summit between the US President Donald Trump and the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
a dark heir
Despite the elegant tile floors, the hotel hides a dark story. While Vietnam is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the reunification this week, today's Sofitel Legend Certific Metropolis Hanoi emphasizes its warlike heritage.
nostalgia and the past of war
April 30, 2025 marked half a century since the case of Saigon and the Helicopter evacuation of the US ambassador Graham Martin, who ended the war that the American described as a Vietnam War and the Vietnamese as American war. While the big celebrations such as military parades will take place in Ho Chi-Minh-Stadt (formerly Saigon), Hanoi as the capital of the country also has to tell rich history.
The great time of the metropolis of Hotel
The metropolis was opened in 1901 when Vietnam was still under French control. After several changes of ownership, the hotel was taken over by the Communist government in the 1950s and renamed "Hotel of reunification". It was one of the few hotels that were allowed to accommodate foreign visitors during the war, and many prominent politicians, journalists and artists stayed there.
The underground bunker
In 1965, the hotel built an underground bunker in which guests were able to look for protection during the US air attacks. According to the hotel manager Anthony Slewka, the room offered space for about 100 people - about as many as the average number of guests - and was divided into four chambers.
rediscovery of the bunker
After the war, the bunker was forgotten - until 2011, as a construction company that redesigned the Hotel Bamboo Bar. Today the metropolis offers two daily tours through the bunker for hotel guests at 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
an unforgettable experience
Visitors can see original light bulbs and other facilities during the bunker management, while they can be "Where are you now, my son?" Listen that she recorded during her stay in the metropolis. This song combines music, spoken words, clips of a Vietnamese woman who calls for her son, as well as the sound of air protection sirens.
historical sites in Hanoi
travelers who want to learn more about the war in Hanoi can also visit the Hoa Lo prison, in which American prisoners of war - including the late Senator John McCain - were recorded. The prison known under the nickname "Hanoi Hilton" was converted into a multimedia history museum and offers extensive materials in English.
A look into the future
According to the hotel manager Slewka, Americans are the largest group of visitors to the metropolis. Some are war veterans who want to visit the country again, while other young people of the post -war period are who are simply interested in Vietnamese culture, food and the landscape. According to Vietnamese government data, the United States is the fourth largest source of international tourists and the largest market outside of Asia, with 717,000 American tourists who traveled to Vietnam in 2023.
Despite the great popularity of the bunker tours, most guests have questions that go beyond the structure itself. "Most of the time they want to know whether people like Americans here or not," says Slewka. "The people of Vietnam are very future -oriented."