The past and the present are often very close to each other, even in the geographical sense: in the Bamboo Bar of the Sofitel Legend Métropole Hanoi, liveried waiters serve guests a Graham Greene, accompanied by French songs at a discreet volume. The drink is one of the house's signature cocktails and is named after famous guests. And that's why, in addition to a Charlie Chaplin (who spent his honeymoon here with his third wife, Paulette Goddard), there has also been a Graham Greene, and has been since 1951. According to legend, on hot tropical nights the writer He preferred a dry martini with a touch of cassis while writing several chapters of his masterpiece “The Quiet American” here.

A few meters from the open-air bar, steep stairs lead to another depressing world: the historian of the Métropole invites you on a guided tour of six small windowless rooms with low ceilings, in which the tropical air is thick enough to to cut through. In 1964, when American air attacks were already expected, the management decided to build an air raid shelter in the hotel's interior courtyard to protect guests, including many diplomats. No one expected the United States to bombard the luxury lodge with its illustrious guests. But they didn't want to take any risks and they also wanted to be immune to unexploded bombs. And that's why several dozen people found shelter under a meter-thick blanket of concrete, while ordinary people tried to hide in sewage shafts during the American attacks between 1966 and 1972, which had ridiculously little resistance against the B-52 bombers and their deadly cargo. “It wasn't until 2011 that we stumbled upon the old bunker during renovation work,” says Anthony Peter Slewka-Armfelt, the hotel's sales director. “For several years it has served as a memorial.”

That Vietnam is literally a “terribly beautiful” country cannot be experienced better than in the first house on the square of the capital, Hanoi. When the Métropole opened its doors in 1901, it quickly became a favorite of French colonial officials, who came here to drink champagne and nibble on macarons, which remains a popular pastime for guests who gather at the Orangery to sip the afternoon tea. Alternatively, you can meet up at La Terrasse, the hotel's street bistro, which brings Parisian elegance to the sidewalk, although the socialist government doesn't actually allow outdoor dining. Slewka-Armfelt rolls her eyes when asked about such contradictions, which means: Many things are not eaten as hot as they are cooked. Y: Even the party elite doesn't always want just the popular Pho noodle soup. He also appreciates fine French cuisine at the elegant restaurant Le Beaulieu, where chef Charles Degrendele uncorks a fruity Riesling to accompany fried foie gras.

The Métropole is a rock in the waves, oblivious to the turmoil of history. The first motion pictures from all of Indochina were shown here in 1916. Here Ho Chi Minh, the later president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, negotiated with friends and enemies. Ambassadors, war correspondents, actors and writers such as Somerset Maugham stayed here. Jane Fonda and Joan Baez slept here while demonstrating against the Vietnam War. In February 2019, the second (failed) meeting between then-US President Donald Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un took place here. “Brangelina” lived here when they were still a couple, like Angela Merkel and Vladimir Putin (who were never a couple, but they did get along better).

Colonial rule, the fight for independence, more than 20 years of war, political socialism, the economic boom of the tiger state that was about to explode: Vietnam is and remains one of the most exciting destinations in the world for travelers. . And Hanoi, once celebrated by the French as the Paris of the East, is at least as worth seeing as Ho Chi Minh City, the former Saigon. Around the Métropole, in front of which there are always two vintage Citroëns parked, luxury brands compete for wealthy customers, as if the foray into socialism had been a long-forgotten experiment.

Excursion to the town of Nom.

The boutiques are housed in French colonial buildings and Art Deco villas, but Hanoi has more to offer: If you're interested in the past, the concierge can arrange a trip to Nom Village. Just a 45-minute drive from the center, time seems to have stopped here. An ancient stone staircase leads to a park-like oasis of wooden pagodas, richly decorated prayer niches and tranquil ponds where colorful fish swim. You could just sit here for hours, undisturbed by other tourists, and enjoy the silence. Another excursion into the past will take you to the narrow streets of Hanoi's old town, to the empire of Le Dinh Nghien. This small, ascetic-looking man is the last artist still mastering the wood-carved painting known as Hang Trong. He likes to show his studio to visitors who are really interested.

As interesting as these excursions may be to travelers, they are snapshots of bygone eras, irrelevant to the millions of young Vietnamese who ride scooters to work in the metropolis every day: one hand on the handlebars, the other typing on their phone. intelligent. They work less and less in the sweatshops of textile companies and more and more often in mirrored high-rise towers, where the country's IT industry is becoming a new engine of prosperity.

Travel to Cam Ranh

In fact, tourism is also one of the emerging industries. And the sector is also changing rapidly. While the traditional Métropole hotel's audience is predominantly of European origin and employees speak fluent French, the 21st century travel industry is emerging on the south coast. If you want to see for yourself, hop on a plane and travel to Cam Ranh. From the international airport in the city of Nha Trang, which has a population of 500,000, you will not find magnificent socialist buildings or colonial-era buildings, but countless beach resorts nestled in the long bay. The first impression in front of tall towers of hotels and tourist complexes in XL format, many of which are still under construction: here the mistakes that were made in southern Europe in the 70s are repeated. In fact, the region was the first package holiday destination in Vietnam and was initially especially popular with Russian tourists. However, high-quality tourism has now developed here, which should attract German families who want to escape the cold season in Europe.

For Herbert Laubichler-Pichler, the Cam Ranh peninsula has even become his second home. The Austrian is director of the five-star Alma complex, which is one of the large ones with around 3,000 beds, twelve swimming pools and seven restaurants. The Vietnam expert had already launched other hotels in the Southeast Asian country when Israeli investor Alma asked him in 2019 to launch the mega resort. Back then, shortly before the pandemic, 24 million foreign tourists arrived in Vietnam, making it the best year to date. “The recovery process is still underway,” says Laubichler-Pichler. In 2022, only 3.6 million foreigners vacationed in Vietnam. According to the national tourism authority, 5.5 million arrived in the first half of 2023 and there will probably be another ten million in the second half of the year, so that the pre-pandemic level has almost been reached again.

“Koreans save us during the rainy season”

However, the Austrian sees much more potential. “Here we can target very different customer groups at different times of the season,” he explains. “Koreans save us during the rainy season, for example.” Because? Because they don't want to roast under the scorching sun anyway, but rather spend a lot of time in the resort's water park or indoor attractions. But that doesn't mean it's selling rooms at competitive prices. “On Phú Quốc Island they did this: they gave away five-star rooms for $50. This is now taking its toll.”

The hotel manager compares the Alma complex to an Airbus 380, in which there are different booking classes. “First class” are the modern and spacious pool pavilions with their own children's pool and panoramic ocean views. Anyone who checks in here will be able to enjoy the sun rising over the horizon in the morning. If you then walk along the beach, little will remind you that you are on vacation in Vietnam: neither the architecture nor the few undeveloped plots of land on the bay. Laubichler-Pichler says: “What you see here is the new, modern Vietnam. It is a statement about what the country is and represents today. “We don’t even try to use clichés.”

The real Vietnam is no longer just thatched huts and water buffaloes plowing rice fields, but also modern cities and a tourist infrastructure that attracts guests who, above all, want to relax. To keep everything running smoothly, 750 employees take care of the well-being of tourists. “However, only 28 percent of all costs go to personnel,” says the Austrian. “Vietnam still scores points with affordable labor. Our guests benefit from this and receive perfect service.” The fact that this is not Laubichler-Pichler's private opinion is demonstrated by several awards that the Alma Resort has already won.

Traditions are maintained when it comes to food.

The resort's architecture may seem modern, global and perhaps a little interchangeable – traditions are maintained, especially when it comes to food. The Atlantis beach restaurant focuses on fresh seafood, and a food court (popular: Freßgass) offers specialties mainly from Asian countries at colorful stalls. “You have to taste a culture to understand it,” says the hotel director. That's why he works with a local boutique travel agency that organizes culinary excursions for resort guests. He learns more about the importance of mango cultivation to the region and purchases the ingredients at a colorful market, which are then processed into fine specialties such as spring rolls and pho during the cooking class led by Alma professionals.

If you ask Herbert Laubichler-Pichler with a wink whether this is not too much authenticity, his answer is convincing: “The authentic thing about Vietnam is the boundless hospitality of its people!”