Area: 1150m²
Sofitel Metropole Hotel, Ha Noi City, Vietnam
Gema, an architecture firm in Vietnam with extensive experience in hotel and resort design was commissioned by the prestigious French-Colonial hotel Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi to refurbish Le Club Bar, a historical venue next to its lush gardens.
Le Club Bar is accessed sideways from one end, allowing each guest to discover the space unfolding progressively. Hardwood floors and a palette of rich neutral hues define the location: this is a durable, genuine environment impervious to passing fads. A separate sitting area with deep leather armchairs is demarcated with an intricate carpet. And the natural light, soothing, attenuated by all the luxuriant foliage of the garden, pours through the large classical windows. This is definitely a place to unwind and to take the time to appreciate each moment. Gema’s architectural design intervention is subtle, letting the depth of solid materials speaks for itself.
Facing the entrance is the main bar, a longitudinal study in symmetry, the curves of its mirrors responding to the arched windows overlooking the gardens. Once again the colors are muted with hardwoods, marble and brass, as should be in such a classic composition of reinvented French colonial architecture. Gema’s international bar design skills meticulously integrated each element’s style and functionality, offering an exclusive cocktail lounge experience. There is also a separate cooking alcove after the bar to enjoy fresh creations and its afternoon chocolate buffet has become a Hanoi tradition.
Discreet partitions separate the elongated dining room, accentuating its dimensions. Here again, soft lighting and elegant decor do wonders to create a serene, airy and romantic atmosphere. There are more intimate semi-alcoves lining the sides, in lighter exclusive fabric. Gema’s experience in restaurant design created niches of privacy amongst unobstructed circulations.
But it is the second part of the dining room, blooming under a full skylight that is the real show stopper, as Le Club transforms into a beautiful sunroom, surrounded by glass windows on every side, allowing guests to admire the gardens and the swimming pool in the very center of the Metropole Hotel. At night, live music from jazz bands enliven the room thanks to the great acoustics of the ever present wood paneling.
Boxed ceilings are diffusing a soft light and vintage tasselled ceiling fans, a nice tropical touch, punctuate the space with their regular rhythm. The walls are adorned with black & white photos of the city from a time gone by. Le Club is an enduring sanctuary, proud of its heritage and a great location for a bit of relief from the mad bustle of the city! Once again, Gema interior design and architecture shines through, reactualizing an ageless classic by preserving its cachet while cleverly updating its ambiance with contemporary notes.
