Maximalism done well, as renowned hospitality design extraordinaire Bill Bensley has achieved at Capella Hanoi , is a revelation. Bensley has turned Hanoi’s opera heritage into a design love letter, replete with velvet drapes, portraits by Kate Spencer and more than 1,000 pieces of original vintage memorabilia from Bensley’s own collection.
What’s the deal?
Walking into Capella Hanoi for the first time, we expected to feel overwhelmed. Instead, we felt like we were stepping into a story. As you enter the hotel, you come into the Living Room, a hotel-guest-only social lounge where you can sit back onto plush sofas while checking in, or join the daily jazz soirée with fellow merrymakers – all while enjoying complimentary snacks and drinks.
Suites at Capella Hanoi are every bit as theatrical as the hotel itself. We stayed in the Agnes Borgo Suite, one of 47 rooms named after luminaries of the performing arts, from celebrated actors and opera singers to set designers. The roster includes icons such as Sarah Bernhardt, Eleonora Duse, Lina Cavalieri and figures associated with Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. Generously proportioned, the suite features a separate living room, balcony and striking marble bathroom. While ideal for a couple, it’s just one of many well-pitched accommodations, ranging from the top-floor Opera Suites with private terraces to the hotel’s crowning jewel, the Madama Butterfly Suite, a lavish two-bedroom residence inspired by Puccini’s masterpiece, combining dramatic flair with complete privacy.
Why stay?
From the moment you arrive, you’re enveloped by a space designed to both soothe and inspire. The Living Room serves as the hotel’s social heart, a welcoming hub where guests can linger over a drink or swap stories from the day’s adventures. Upstairs, suites are crafted with comfort in mind, from spa-like bathrooms and generous living areas to super king-size beds made for deep, restorative sleep. It’s a hotel that understands true luxury lies not in excess, but in having the space to slow down, unwind and simply be.
It’s an archetypal Bill Bensley hotel, down to every detail. As the designer himself says: “We get to create an alternate universe for people. For a few days we can create a completely unique experience for people and take them to a whole other world – it’s all made specifically to tell the story we want to share.”
When it comes to dining, a meal at Backstage , Capella Hanoi’s signature restaurant, is one we’d highly recommend. Bensley imagined this as the place where opera stars might have met before or after a show and designed it accordingly, with antique trunks, vintage gowns, feathered headpieces and stage props filling the room. The kitchen focuses on Northern Vietnamese fare – paying respect to long-forgotten traditions while championing local seasonal produce and modern techniques. Think perfectly grilled Hanoi-style fish, authentic noodle dishes and spring rolls that shatter satisfyingly with every bite. Our advice is not to agonise over the many à la carte options, but rather dive straight into the tasting menu to sample the signatures.
For even more refined sense of occasion, book the Chef’s Table, Hibana by Koki for its teppanyaki omakase. This Michelin-starred restaurant is widely regarded as one of the best Japanese restaurants in the city. The chef works directly in front of you, transforming premium wagyu, seafood and vegetables into a procession of memorable dishes.
Cathay editors say…
“There’s a special kind of magic when a hotel commits wholeheartedly to a vision and carries it through with conviction. In less considered hands, Capella Hanoi’s operatic theme might feel theatrical for theatre’s sake, but here it provides the thread that ties everything together – from Bill Bensley’s imaginative design to the intuitive service and the rhythm of daily life within the hotel. It’s this sense of complete immersion that makes this property, one of the best hotels in Hanoi, so compelling.”