The Hanoi hotel with a basement bomb shelter

The Sofitel Legend Metropole in Hanoi is perfect for guests who want real luxury with some history thrown into the mix, including a tour of the property’s former bomb shelter. This colonial hotel has a long history of hosting rich and famous guests, from international politicians to writers and actors, including Bill Clinton and the Queen of the Netherlands. There’s even a Charlie Chaplin suite named after the silent film actor who stayed there in the 1930s.

It’s located right in the heart of Hanoi near the Opera House, just a five-minute walk from Hoan Kiem Lake and 10 minutes from the Old Quarter. Guests can stay in the old Metropole wing which features 1920s French décor, or the neo-classical opera wing. The hotel has some grand colonial touches, from fine woods to high ceilings and tall windows. As a five-star hotel, you can expect amenities such as a gym, spa, heated pool and garden courtyard.

There are three restaurants serving French and European cuisine at the Sofitel, as well as three bars. In fact, it was whilst renovating the basement Bamboo Bar in 2012 that staff discovered an old bomb shelter, which had been blocked up and forgotten about at the end of the American War in 1973. Today, guests can take the Sofitel’s Path of History tour, which is led by an expert guide who’ll tell you all about the hotel’s war history.