Discovering Hue today. ..

And in particular.. that very stunning Indochine Hotel.. 

La Residence.. Hue

I just booked a small group of four friends into La Residence in Hue..

and the report back from them was just 

 "Its just spectacular!'.. 

La Résidence Hôtel & Spa

5 Le Loi Street – Hue City, Vietnam

HUE, Vietnam, 17 August 2011 – Eight decades after French architects imagined an exquisite mansion in the heart of Vietnam, their vision is now fulfilled as La Residence Hue Hotel and Spa joins the elite MGallery Collection – a collection of memorable and unique hotels by Accor.

Introduced in 2008 by Accor, the largest international hotel operator in Vietnam, the hotels and resorts in the MGallery Collection are chosen from thousands of upscale properties on the basis of outstanding design, vision, history or location. World-traveller and actress Kristen Scott Thomas is the ambassador for the MGallery portfolio of properties, which numbers 45 unique hotels on 5 continents with the inclusion of La Residence Hue.

The 81-year-old boutique hotel is the third property in Vietnam to become a member of the MGallery Collection, and the first in the country to join the MGallery roster of “historic” hotels, alongside time-honored establishments such as the Covent Hotel in Amsterdam, the Grand Hotel Beauvau in Marseilles, and the Hotel Frances in Santo Domingo. 

Besides its heritage background, the hotel also boasts strong design connections borne of its architectural roots. At the height of the art deco movement in 1930, the mansion at 5 Le Loi in Hue was built as part of the French Governor’s official residence in the former colony of Annam. 

Over time, the hotel, with its distinctive bowled façade, long horizontal lines and nautical flourishes, has become a Hue landmark and a destination in its own right. With 200m of frontage along the south bank of the fabled Perfume River, the hotel’s terraces, gardens and ample banks of windows offer outstanding views of Hue’s Flag Tower bastion and Trang Tien Bridge.

Inside, the hotel’s age-old ambiance is evoked by a fusion of art deco styles. In three, linked buildings, the hotel’s 122 guest rooms and suites blend old-world charm with Asian opulence.

Nostalgic touches like louvered shutters, hardwood floors and lofty ceilings evoke the romance of the Indochine era, encouraging guests to take a step back in time. 

The Signature Suites – including the palatial, 76-square-metre Resident’s Suite – are a collection of

individually designed and uniquely decorated spaces. In the centre of the hotel’s main building is Le Gouverneur Bar, where a spectacular mural by Roland Renaud arches over the room, depicting scenes of Vietnamese daily life.

The hotel’s fine-dining restaurant, Le Parfum, serves up a blend of Mediterranean cuisine with

strong French overtones, plus traditional Vietnamese dishes.Celebrated throughout the region as one of the few monumental hotels still operating in Vietnam, the MGallery distinction is not the first time La Residence Hue has been lauded by industry experts.

In 2009, La Residence Hue received special recognition by the Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report.

The review singled out the hotel’s “exceptionally inviting” 30m saltwater swimming pool, its “beautiful, custom-made furniture,” and its “engaging and efficient” service.

La Residence Hue also earned a spot on the prestigious Conde Nast Hot List in 2007 – an award typically won by newly-opened properties -- while the hotel’s wellness facility, Le Spa, was named one of Conde Nast’s Hot Spas for 2007.

05 Le Loi Street
Hue City, Viet Nam

From the editors of Condé Nast Traveler:

Perched on the banks of the Perfume River just upstream from Hue's famous citadel, this 122-room hotel takes its identity from the former French colonial governor's mansion at its core. The same nautical moderne architecture that makes the villa so charming is reprised in the two modern wings, which were added during a thorough yet sensitive renovation of the original building so that the place is pure Indochine. The original villa includes a reception area decorated with framed photos of Old Hue and an adjacent bar with deep club chairs—and eight dreamy rooms, plus a presidential suite. These have a colonial feel, with ceiling fans, mosquito netting (for atmosphere more than necessity), and dark-stained wood furnishings. An additional 112 rooms are housed in the new wings, which frame a large pool overlooking the river.

When to go: Avoid only central Vietnam's rainy season, which runs from November through January.
Which room to book: Spring for one of the rooms in the original villa, which are more atmospheric, or book a double with a river view.

Magnifique!