Capella Hanoi

Character and identity

Set steps from the Hanoi Opera House in the Old Quarter, Capella Hanoi is Bill Bensley's love letter to the golden age of opera: a 47-room boutique pitched as a petite auberge where 1920s performers might have stayed. The art nouveau and deco façade is crowned by a gilded winged angel in a nón lá, and inside, every room riffs on a different opera talent. Dining spans Northern Vietnamese cooking at Backstage, Vietnamese tapas at Diva's Lounge, caviar and Jazz Era cocktails at Hudson Room, and teppanyaki with a deep sake list at Koki. The Auriga Spa runs to turquoise, red and gold, with a mirror-ceilinged pool, La Grotta.

Who's it for

Bottom line

The reason to book is the design: this is one of Bensley's most theatrical interiors, and the building itself is the experience. Stay if you value atmosphere and storytelling over space or resort facilities. The 376-square-foot Premier Rooms with French balconies are the sensible entry point; the Grand Opera Suite, at 2,088 square feet with an Old Quarter terrace, is the splurge.