The newest hotel from architect Bill Bensley has opened in the capital of Vietnam.

Capella Hanoi is located in the Old Quarter close to the Hanoi Opera House and Hoan Kiem Lake.

It features 47 themed rooms and suites, which have been decorated with original operatic artefacts and custom portraiture art by artist Kate Spencer. At the top of the hotel, four Opera Suites offer outdoor terraces.

The Auriga Spa features couples’ treatment rooms, saunas, steam baths, a fitness centre and an indoor pool.

The property has one restaurant, Backstage, which offers northern Vietnamese food and vegan dishes. There is also a 1920s-inspired Diva’s Lounge offering opera-themed cocktails and bar snacks, and The Living Room, which hosts daily ‘Capella Moments’ including bamboo paper fan making, Vietnamese coffee cupping and local rum tasting. 

The property will run a series of ‘Capella Curates’ experiences out of the hotel, where guests can learn Vietnamese lacquer painting with a master artist or infuse their own gin using native botanicals at Vietnam’s only gin distillery. 

Capella Hanoi is the sixth addition to the Capella Hotels and Resorts collection and the first outpost in Vietnam. The brand also has properties in Bangkok, Singapore, Ubud, Shanghai and Sanya and plans to open hotels in the Maldives and Sydney in 2021 and 2022 respectively. 

“Vietnam is one of the world’s most dynamic destinations, where the spirit and energy is reminiscent of the roaring 1920s, when anything seemed possible,” said Capella Hanoi’s general manager Christoph Strahm.

“At Capella, we strive to create guest experiences that go beyond bespoke hospitality and let travellers touch the heart and soul of their destination, through cultural exposures, epicurean adventures and original art. With Bill Bensley’s inimitable design, a sense of opulence and a deep respect for our surroundings, we will let our guests feel the pulse of Hanoi.”

To mark its opening, Capella Hanoi is launching a ‘Dream Now, Travel Later’ package, which offers guests 30% off the best available rate when they book future stays of up to 14 nights. 

The deal includes a slice of ‘opera cake’ upon arrival and a champagne breakfast at Backstage each morning. 

Guests who stay for three nights or more will also receive a customised in-room dining experience and 30% discounts at the Auriga Spa and all restaurants and bars. 

Rooms start from $315 per room per night.