Buzz
Hotel staff once offered $5,000 for a photo of special guests, but no leaked photos have surfaced.
Why is Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi a regular choice for VIPs
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi (also known as Metropole Hotel) has been selected as the venue for meetings and dinners for US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the US-North Korea summit in Hanoi. The 90-minute meal within the hotel attracted international media attention.
This is not the first time that the over 100-year-old hotel in central Hanoi has been chosen to host dignitaries. Previously, many world leaders and famous actors have stayed at Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, including former US President Bill Clinton, Prince William of England, actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt… President Trump himself chose Metropole during his visit to Vietnam in 2017.
According to Reuters, one of the reasons the hotel on Ngo Quyen Street (Hanoi) was chosen is because of its discreetness and the hotel's traditional security. A former marketing director of the hotel revealed: “When celebrities come here, journalists have offered amounts ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 or more to hotel staff to take photos, but this has never happened. This shows that we have a tradition of keeping secrets as well as knowing how to treat VIP guests.”
During the event, the hotel's General Manager sent a letter to the residing guests, notifying them of the exceptionally stringent security measures in the coming days. All entrances to the hotel were blocked during the conference. A special control station was set up at the sole entrance for thorough checks, scanning both guests and their luggage upon entry. Every guest entering the hotel during this time had to carry their passport.
All staff at Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, including the communication team and those not in direct contact with guests, severed email communication with the outside to ensure information did not leak. Within the hotel premises, security personnel conducted thorough checks, even inspecting each plant pot along the swimming pool. Nearby streets were also restricted, with a heavy police presence. Journalists had to stand at a distance behind barricades.
Furthermore, according to many experts, another consideration is that the Metropole Hotel has a bomb shelter built from the wartime era. From 1960-1972, it served as a refuge for guests and staff during US bombing raids. Notable figures like actress Jane Fonda, singer Joan Baez, and international diplomats sought refuge here.
The shelter covers an area of about 40 square meters, with 6 rooms and 2 entrances, one below the swimming pool and a direct one to the hotel's center. After the war, the shelter was closed and was only discovered a few years ago during hotel renovations. Guided tours exploring the history of the shelter are available but restricted to room guests or researchers. Two tours are conducted daily at 5 PM and 6 PM.
However, from a security standpoint, this hotel is not an ideal venue for organizing significant activities. “Certainly, it's very challenging to protect leaders due to the lack of space. In security operations, space is an advantage. Metropole is located right in the center of busy streets, making it difficult to ensure security,” Lieutenant General Le Van Cuong, former Head of the Strategic Institute of the Ministry of Public Security, told Reuters.
By Nguyên Chi/Ngôi sao
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Reference: Travel guide from Mytour
MytourMarch 13, 2019
