A visit to the historical city of Hue would best be complemented with a stay in one of the top 5 best historic hotel in the city.
Saigon Morin hotel was built in 1902. It was known as the Grand Hotel de Hue during the French colonial era. The hotel rapidly became the centre of commerce, culture and tourism in Hue city under Nguyen Dynasty.
The hotel survived the wars. It was massively renovated and reopened in 1997 as the Saigon Morin Hotel. With 180 guest rooms, 4 restaurants and recreations, this colonial style hotel is one of better hotels to stay when visiting Hue.
The hotel’s location was a key element of its success, then and now. The hotel was situated at the centre of Hue city, facing to Perfume (Huong) River and Truong Tien Bridge. It took only a short walk to the public buildings, leisure centres, sport clubs and banks in those days. Now it is only a short walk to key attractions like the Citadel, Dong Ba Market, shopping places, restaurants, pubs and cafes.
We arrived at the hotel at 1 PM and the check in process was fast and comfortably done on the hotel’s sofa in the lobby with cold drinks served to us. I was glad that we could do an early check-in, so we could freshen ourselves before our 2 PM Citadel walking tour.
We had booked a Double Room with River View and were assigned to Room 110. As we walked to our room, via the semi-open veranda overlooking a center courtyard, we found that a very famous person stayed in Room 111 back in 1936.
Guess who that celebrity is. Answer at the end of this post.
Double Room with River View at the Saigon Morin Hotel in Hue
Our room was quite spacious and faces the Perfume River and Truong Tien Bridge. A “River View” room does not mean that we could actually see the Perfume River, since there were plenty of trees along Le Loi Road blocking the view of the river.
Instead, we had a good view of the cross junction leading to the Truong Tien Bridge. The double glazed windows ensured that the room remained quiet despite being close to the road. It was quite entertaining, watching the crazy Vietnamese road traffic below.
Breakfast buffet at the Morin was served outdoor, in the garden at the center of the hotel.
Shaded by a 100 year old Indian almond tree, it provided a peaceful and tranquil environment to sample some of Hue’s signature cuisine as well as the traditional breakfast spread.
Obviously, we focused on enjoying the best local cuisine that Hue has to offer.
Hue’s signature rice noodle soup (Bun Bu Hue) with sliced beef and tasty broth made from hours of simmering chunks of pork leg.
A must try in Hue is the Bun Bo Hue. This rice noodle soup is different from the traditional Vietnamese rice noodle soup called Pho. It is slightly spicy and the broth is made from pig hocks, instead of beef bones. One bowl was not enough for me! I went for double servings of this delicious noodle soup.
For me who is wary about the cleanliness of street food in Vietnam, the hotel’s breakfast buffet was an excellent opportunity to sample them.
Traditional street food of Hue. Banh Uot (Top Left), Banh Loc – Filtered Tapioca Dumplings (Top right) and Banh Beo – Steamed Rice Discs Topped with Shrimp (Bottom).
We tried the following:
Banh Uot or Wet Banh. The thick, opaque skin is made of water and finely ground rice flour and filled with chopped dried and fresh shrimps. Quite delicious on its own but better with some fish sauce or peanut sauce.
Banh Loc or filtered tapioca dumplings. This appetizer is a small, clear-looking, chewy tapioca dumpling that is filled with shrimp and pork belly and topped with chopped spring onions.
Banh Beo or steamed rice pudding in small bowls, topped with chopped dried and fresh shrimp and chopped scallions. Some may include mung bean paste and crispy fried shallot. This food comes with a sauce that is made of fish sauce, rice vinegar and oil. This was my favourite of the three “banh”.
One could not stay at a historic hotel without taking a walk around the premises to appreciate the architecture and design. I enjoyed looking at the old photographs that was displayed. Some showed celebrities and royalties that were past guests or visitors.
Saigon Morin Hotel was known as the Grand Hotel de Hue back in 1938.
Others showed the fighting that took place just outside the hotel during the Vietnam War. The longest, bloodiest battle of the Tet Offensive was the Battle of Hue in 1968 where most buildings in Hue City were destroyed. It was good that not everything in Hue was destroyed, like this hotel.
Photos of barbed wire obstacle and a machine gun post just outside the Morin Hotel during the Battle of Hue in 1968. Located right next to the Truong Tien Bridge to cross the Perfume River, this must have been a strategic location to defend.
An evening walk by the Perfume River, just across from the hotel, is recommended before hitting the restaurants or pubs after dark. There are plenty to choose from around the hotel such as the DMZ bar along Le Loi Street or even a “floating” restaurant on the banks on the river.
A “floating” restaurant on the banks of the Perfume River.
The popular DMZ bar along Le Loi Road, near the hotel.
We went to the quieter Hue Spring Restaurant, next to DMZ bar. We ordered the Nem Lui (Grilled Ground Pork on Stick) and Banh Cuon (Vietnamese Steamed Rice Rolls).
Nem Lui – Grilled Ground Pork on Lemon Grass Stick
The Nem Lui is one of the most famous foods in Hue and it was worth trying this grilled ground pork on lemon grass stick.
Banh Cuon – Steamed rice rolls with slices of prawn, pork and vegetables and special sauce.
Overall, we had an enjoyable 2 nights stay at the Saigon Morin Hotel. You can check latest prices and availability for this hotel when planning a trip to Hue.
Alternatively, you can also consider the La Residence Hotel which is another excellent, historic, colonial-style hotel. It is also located next to the Perfume River and further down along Le Loi Road.
Answer to the Question: Who was the celebrity that stayed in Room 111 at the Saigon Morin Hotel in 1936?
Charlie Chaplin was one of the greatest and widely loved movie stars in the era of the silent movie. Charlie Chaplin and his wife stayed in this hotel for their honeymoon.
We managed to have a sneak peek inside this suite on our last day. I am not sure if the furnishings were from 1936. Probably not.
This is the sitting area of Charlie Chaplin’s honeymoon suite at the Saigon Morin Hotel.
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