Hanoi’s oldest hotel: A century of change, with guests from Charlie Chaplin to Tim Cook

Charlie Chaplin is worth knowing before you plan the route. The Grand Hôtel Métropole Palace was built on the site of what was once a lake. Archival photo
A view of the hotel’s exterior in 1908. The hotel was co-founded by Gustave Émile Dumoutier, an education official, and André Ducamp.

The Grand Hôtel Métropole Palace was built on the site of what was once a lake. For travelers, the practical note is how Charlie Chaplin fits into a realistic Vietnam day.

Planning a trip around Charlie Chaplin? V-International Tour & Travel can help shape a practical Vietnam itinerary.

Charlie Chaplin in Practice

A French investor, under the name Société Française Immobilière, a French real estate company. During the first half of the 20th century, it was a meeting place for Hanoi’s upper class. In 1920, when Hanoi had yet to have a cinema, a foreign silent film was screened at the Metropole’s Hotel Grand Café for guests. The screening was among the earliest film shows in the city, with silent films typically being accompanied by live music.

How to Place Charlie Chaplin in Your Route

Key figures include VND200 million, 7,800, 2 meters. These numbers show how Charlie Chaplin is unfolding in practice.

Useful reference points: VND200 million, 7,800, 2 meters. Keep these in mind while you plan around charlie chaplin.

What to Expect on the Ground

During the struggle against French colonial rule, the hotel became a venue for receiving politicians. Diplomats internationally renowned figures. In 1936, comedian Charlie Chaplin and his wife stayed at the hotel for their honeymoon after a secret wedding in Shanghai. During the first half of the 20th century, it was a meeting place for Hanoi’s upper class.

For deeper insights, explore our related coverage: Private Tours of Vietnam: What a Well-Curated Night Looks Like, from Hanoi to Cat Tien and Air Canada’s 12,800-km nonstop flight to Singapore to be suspended after two years.

Planning Notes

In 1920, when Hanoi had yet to have a cinema, a foreign silent film was screened at the Metropole’s Hotel Grand Café for guests. The screening was among the earliest film shows in the city, with silent films typically being accompanied by live music. During the struggle against French colonial rule, the hotel became a venue for receiving politicians. Diplomats internationally renowned figures.

Nearby Ideas

In 1936, comedian Charlie Chaplin and his wife stayed at the hotel for their honeymoon after a secret wedding in Shanghai. During the first half of the 20th century, it was a meeting place for Hanoi’s upper class. In 1920, when Hanoi had yet to have a cinema, a foreign silent film was screened at the Metropole’s Hotel Grand Café for guests. The screening was among the earliest film shows in the city, with silent films typically being accompanied by live music.

For more on Vietnam travel, see also: Private Tours of Vietnam: What a Well-Curated Night Looks Like, from Hanoi to Cat Tien and Hanoi Food Guide: What Locals Eat From Sunrise to Late Night. Official visitor information is available from the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism.

Conclusion

Charlie Chaplin is a useful stop when you want quiet roads and time to look around. Keep the day flexible, and leave space for weather and slow meals.

For more information, visit Vietnam Government Portal.

Source: https://e.vnexpress.net/photo/places/hanois-oldest-hotel-a-century-of-change-with-guests-from-charlie-chaplin-to-tim-cook-5120529.html

What travellers should know

In the early 1940s (photo), the French owner sold the hotel to a Chinese businessman. After peace was restored in 1954, the Métropole was renamed Thong Nhat Hotel and placed under the management of the Hanoi People’s Committee, and became a venue for receiving guests of the Vietnamese government.

During his first visit to Hanoi circa 1954, writer Graham Greene stayed at the Métropole and recorded his experiences in his novel “The Quiet American.”

Practical context

From 1969 to 1981, Thong Nhat Hotel served as the headquarters and residence of several embassies and embassy staff.