Hanoi’s French Quarter is an oasis of laid-back luxury in the chaotic capital

 With wide boulevards and a lake, the French Quarter provides a little more breathing space than the Old Quarter.

Hanoi’s Old Quarter is a tumult of traffic, trade and tourism. Travellers choose to stay in the Vietnamese capital’s historic neighbourhood to dive into its idiosyncratic brew of swerving motorbikes, roadside food joints and cacophonous soundtrack.

But while the clogged roads are an essential characteristic of the Old Quarter - hotels often supply guests with advice on how to cross them - increasing tourism is straining the capacity of its narrow streets.

Until recently, tour buses would squeeze through the maze to collect daytrippers from hotels causing traffic blockages. These have now been banned, but taxis and Grab (Southeast Asia’s Uber) cars still clog the streets.

For travellers who would rather dip in and out of the chaos, the nearby French Quarter is an ideal base. With wide boulevards, a lake and elegant hotels, it provides a little more breathing space while being just a short walk from the Old Quarter.

It is also a fascinating glimpse into the French influences brought by colonialism but later fused with Hanoi’s culture to become something unique.

Indulge in egg coffee at its birthplace

Vietnam has made coffee an entirely unique product. The country’s major cities each have their signature brew. In Ho Chi Ming, it’s coconut-flavoured, while in Hue it is topped with salty cream. In Hanoi, the shortage of milk and cream during the French invasion of the 1940s inspired one bartender to invent egg coffee.

Nguyen Van Giang worked in the bar of the Grand Metropole Hotel, which is still open today and is part of the Sofitel group. After opening in 1901, a year before Hanoi became the capital of French Indo-China, the hotel became the haunt of colonialists and foreign travellers. Short of milk to serve his guests, Nguyen added whipped egg yolk with honey and sugar to the coffee and served it over a bowl of hot water.

Visit the Metropole’s Le Club Bar today to sit in the spot where egg coffee was invented. The light-filled, leafy conservatory is an oasis of peace also serving French specialities like Salade niçoise, onion soup and croque monsieur.

Alternatively, you can visit one of two coffee joints that Nguyen opened in the city, now run by his descendants. You’ll find Cafe Dinh at the north end of Hoàn Kiếm lake. Head up to the second floor and sip your sweet Hanoi coffee with local artists and writers.

Capella Hanoi: Where to stay in the French Quarter

The city’s luxury hotel quarter can be found in the blocks around Hanoi’s rococo Opera House, a domed, ice-cream-coloured building dating from 1901.

Capella Hanoi is a lavish, playful reimagining of what might have been a rendezvous spot for opera’s greatest artists, singers and composers after the final curtain call. 

Designed by starchitect Bill Bensley, it merges 1920s Art Deco Paris with Vietnamese heritage in flamboyant fusion. Bensley spent years gathering memorabilia, from theatre programmes to instruments and gloves to opera classes, to decorate the hotel.

The ground floor Michelin-recommended restaurant is named Backstage, and its plush red velvet chairs, floor-to-ceiling drapes and sparkly costumes hanging on the walls perfectly evoke the behind-the-scenes bustle.

Each floor is dedicated to a different aspect of opera - drama, music, and stars. The decor reflects these themes: a mini stage displaying beaded costumes on the drama floor; a powdering table on the actress corridor; and musical instruments attached to Picasso-style paintings for the music level.