Hanoi cools gradually in the evening, and the rooftop of the Capella Hanoi is a good place to be when it does. The hotel was designed by Bill Bensley with references to the operatic golden age, an aesthetic that extends into the food and drink program run by Beverage Manager Sean Halse and head bartender Patrick Nguyen. Together, they have built one of the more accomplished bar programs in Southeast Asia, with hospitality given as much weight as the drinks themselves.

Halse's approach to hospitality is legendary. He has been known to arrange car pickup in a Capella-branded vehicle, with a Martini — the "Cartini" — served en route to take the edge off Hanoi's traffic. The format has proven popular enough to inspire imitators, and Halse has since added caviar to the offering. What comes next is anyone's guess.

The Hudson Rooms

The hotel houses several dining and drinking options. On the ground floor, Diva's Lounge serves as a lobby bar, while Backstage offers elevated Vietnamese cuisine, including what many consider among the best pho in Hanoi. Below street level, Michelin-starred Koki focuses on teppanyaki and izakaya. Halse oversees the drinks across all venues, but the flagship is The Hudson Rooms on the top floor.

The space takes its design cues from New York's Grand Central Terminal in the 1920s — Art Deco details, marble floors, custom lighting — and its views across the Red River and the Old Quarter are genuinely impressive.

The name pays homage to Henry Hudson, the 17th-century explorer who in 1609 navigated what would become the Hudson River, then dense with oyster reefs. The connection isn't just decorative: The Hudson Rooms carries a serious oyster selection, paired with over 200 whiskies. For guests unsure where to start, the bar team has compiled a pairing guide called The Whisky Luge — one recommended pairing being Cadoret Ireland No. 3 oyster with Redbreast Potstill 12-year Irish whiskey.

The cocktail menu takes its structure from the rail lines that once departed Grand Central, each drink loosely tied to a different American destination. The program has earned the bar a place on Asia's 50 Best Bars. A reliable measure of the kitchen's ambition is The Corner Stone — Michter's bourbon, Johnnie Walker Black, Bowmore 12, Cynar, purple rice wine, crème de cacao, and cigar tincture. It's smoky and bitter, and sits comfortably within the register of the room.

Track 61

Adjacent to The Hudson Rooms, though accessible only by invitation, is Track 61 — a private bar modeled on the concealed rail platform beneath Grand Central where President Roosevelt's train would arrive when he returned to New York. The parallel holds: entry is at the bartender's discretion, and the details of what lies inside are best left for guests to discover themselves.

What can be said is that the whiskey collection is serious — spanning rare aged expressions up to a 1950 Macallan available at 5,000 EUR per measure — and the atmosphere suits slow drinking and conversation.

The cocktail list here is equally considered. The 61 Martini blends gins with pineapple and coconut fat-washed vermouth, finished with a highly addictive deep-fried olive. The Evolution of the Manhattan traces the cocktail through its historical variations — from the 1860 original (Michter's rye, Mancino Rosso, bitters) through the Rob Roy, the Red Hook, and the lesser-known Rapscallion (Macallan 12 Double Cask, Caol Ila 12, Pedro Ximénez, Pastis) — a format that reflects Halse's genuine interest in cocktail history.

Whisky flights are also available, ranging from regional selections to a premium lineup — Macallan 18 Double Cask, Old Pulteney 21, Michter's 20, and Sullivans Cove 17 American Oak — priced at 250 EUR.

The setting at Capella Hanoi is undeniably luxurious, but Halse seems uninterested in letting that become the point. The bars at Capella Hanoi are polished without being stiff, and the level of care — from the cocktail construction to being greeted by the hotel staff by name — is consistent throughout. It's the kind of place that justifies staying later than planned.

The Hudson Rooms at Capella Hanoi

The Pineapple Room and Fiamma at Capella Singapore

Akoya