La Tour d’Argent to take over Le Beaulieu in Hanoi this October

Sofitel welcomes a legend of French art de vivre to the cultural heart and soul of Vietnam as part of its Diamond Jubilee celebrations. The exclusive collaboration reflects Sofitel’s timeless DNA: a desire to empower encounters between cultures, people and ideas. 

La Tour d’Argent, the historic 400-year-old Parisian dining establishment, will fly into Hanoi for the first time in its history to stage a culinary takeover at Le Beaulieu, the French restaurant at Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi. Le Beaulieu dates from 1901 and was recently selected by the Michelin Guide, while Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, is Southeast Asia’s first and only Sofitel Legend hotel.

A national landmark that has stood on the banks of the River Seine since 1582, La Tour d’Argent (The Silver Tower) is a pillar of French gastronomic heritage. Helmed by Executive Chef Yannick Franques, it has been awarded a Michelin star for its classic yet contemporary style of French cuisine. The hotel'sChef de Cuisine Charles Degrendele trained at La Tour d’Argent, further underscoring the connections between these icons.

From October 23 to 27, 2024, La Tour d’Argent's expert culinary team will craft a five-course lunch menu and an eight-course dinner in Hanoi. One highlight will be Caneton Freìdeìric Delair, a signature dish that pays tribute to Charlie Chaplin, who spent his honeymoon at Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi in 1936.

“We are particularly pleased with this collaboration with Sofitel, the world’s only French luxury hotel brand and ambassador of ‘savoir recevoir’* throughout the world. With our rich history and that of Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, it’s easy to bring this unique experience to life, nourished by this encounter and supported by the expertise of our teams. The beauty and refinement of the setting particularly appealed to us, and echoed that of our Parisian home. It’s a promise for customers to live a unique and grandiose experience,” said André Terrail, owner of La Tour d’Argent.

Source: Sofitel. Le Beaulieu, Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi’s French restaurant, has been delighting guests in Vietnam’s capital city since 1901.

“La Tour d’Argent is a true icon of French gastronomy and we are delighted to welcome Chef Yannick Franques and his esteemed team to Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi. As we celebrate Sofitel’s Diamond Jubilee, we are showcasing the brand’s French zest all over the world and this includes our commitment to gastronomic excellence.

"From our new Haute Croissanterie concept to the fine-dining journeys at Le Beaulieu, we strive to showcase highly authentic and exquisite cuisine,” said Nicolas Gronier, VP Global Marketing of Sofitel and Sofitel Legend.

Details

Book the Tour d'Argent experience in Hanoi at +84 0243 826 6919 (extension 8200), by emailing Bang.Au@sofitel.com, or visit www.sofitel-legend-metropole-hanoi.com/. 

*The art of hospitality.

DHL Global Forwarding rolls out pan-Asian road freight network

DHL Global Forwarding, a provider of air, sea and road freight services in Europe and Asia, has rolled out an integrated road freight network that links five key Asian cities - Singapore, Penang, Bangkok, Hanoi and Shenzhen. The new service taps the acceleration of road freight growth in Asia Pacific which is forecast at a CAGR of 8.3% from 2014 to 2019 and expected to drive the sector to a value of US$822 billion by the end of 2019*.

Source: DHL.

Delivered under DHL AsiaConnect's Less-than-Truckload (LTL) service, the interconnecting five-city service offers a seamless interconnecting delivery service with improved time and cost efficiencies and assures a consistent level of service quality regardless of the destination. DHL AsiaConnect was launched in 2011 connecting Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand and now links to the existing Vietnam-China connection.

Road freight offers a viable alternative to other transportation modes, providing a more cost-effective option than air freight as well as faster shipment than sea freight. For instance, the transit time for ocean freight between Shenzhen and Bangkok takes around 13 days while the road freight option only takes five days. In comparison, air freight takes a shorter transit time of four days but will cost significantly more. There are daily departures from five cities and a sample of the transit time is as follows: 

Singapore to Penang: One day
Bangkok to Hanoi: Three days
Shenzhen to Hanoi: Two days
Shenzhen to Bangkok: Five days
Penang to Shenzhen: Six days

The five-city interconnecting road freight network comes at a time when China's One Belt, One Road² initiative is taking shape and expected to strengthen cross-border economic ties in markets between Europe and Asia. Specifically, the land-based Silk Road Economic Belt aims to enhance economic cohesiveness through infrastructure and wider trade links across the markets between Europe and Asia while the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road is oriented towards ASEAN, putting DHL's integrated five-city road freight network in good stead to tap the growth potential of the One Belt, One Road strategy.

"DHL's integrated road freight network touches five crucial Asian markets - Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and China - which are expected to play prominent roles in China's One Belt, One Road and other initiatives in the region such as the ASEAN Economic Community," said Kelvin Leung, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific. 

"Across the region, the total GDP of all 10 ASEAN countries combined was US$2.4 trillion³ in 2013 while China's GDP alone was US$10.3 trillion⁴ in 2014. ASEAN's global trade hit US$2.51 trillion³ in 2013 and China consistently appears among the top five trade partners for ASEAN members⁵. We are confident that intra-Asia trade will continue to grow and our road freight network stands ready to support the potential trade expansion from these initiatives." 

DHL's integrated road freight network will be advantageous for upcoming economic initiatives promoting trade and integration, having laid the groundwork that already links key Asian markets. For example, the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC)⁶ which is set to be established by the end of 2015, aims to create a single ASEAN market and production base facilitated by bilateral trade agreements and financial policies. The blueprint encompasses cross-border cooperation in various focus areas including capacity building, enhanced infrastructure and communication connectivity, and the development of electronic transactions. Brought to fruition, AEC will lead to a thriving ASEAN region amid the free movement of goods, services, investment and skilled labour.

DHL's multimodal network includes air, rail, road and sea, is positioned to support trade expansions across different regions. DHL's road freight network features GPS-equipped trucks to ensure customer goods are monitored for safety and tracked every step of the way, providing complete supply chain visibility. Road vehicles are also armed with anti-hijacking tools and are constantly in touch 24x7 with DHL's Command Center, which will be alerted immediately should the need arise. 

1 http://www.marketresearch.com/MarketLine-v3883/Road-Freight-Asia-Pacific-8748345
2 NDRC, China
3 ASEAN key indicators
4 The World Bank
5 USCC
6 ASEAN

Immerse yourself in history and art at Apricot Hotel, Hanoi

Source: Apricot Hotel website.

With plans for a grand opening at the end of summer*, Hano’s newest luxury hotel, Apricot Hotel, has opened for business in the heart of Vietnam’s cultural and political capital. The 10-story Apricot Hotel building has enormous historical significance as it was formerly the Phú Gia Hotel, where the city’s movers and shakers have gathered since the 1920s.

With views of Hoan Kiem Lake and Hanoi’s Old Quarter at its doorstep, the luxury five-star hotel features 123 neo-classical rooms, two restaurants, a lobby lounge and cafe, rooftop bar, heated rooftop swimming pool, meeting facilities, spa and fitness centre.

“If we liken Hoan Kiem Lake to a stunning ring, our hotel aspires to be the gemstone atop that ring; Apricot Hotel is luxurious yet homely, intimate and cosy with personal butlers and bespoke services including dining in a private garden for certain room categories,” said Steve Tan, the hotel’s GM.

Apricot Hotel pays homage to art created by the nation’s master painters and contemporary up-and-comers. It showcases more than 600 original artworks in the lobby, corridors and rooms. Those by master painters include Nguyễn Dung’s Hát Ả Đào (Traditional Folk Singers) with its earthy colours, Mai Thứ’s Thiếu Nữ (Young Girl), and Phan Kế An’s Nhớ Một Chiều Tây Băc (Recalling One Late Afternoon in Tay Bac) that hints at the heroism of Vietnamese troops during the French-Vietnamese war.

Artists Bùi Hữu Hùng and Hồng Việt Dũng lead the charge on the contemporary front with golden-hued Nhã Nhạc (Royal Elegant Music) and Rừng Cọ (Palm Forest) respectively. The latter work’s muted tones bringing depth to a scene that seems devoid of human influence until the eye is drawn to a tiny boat in the foreground.

“Art is a gateway to the deepest, most profound depths of any culture,” said Steve Tan, the hotel’s GM. “At the same time we’re providing a stationary experience of accommodation, we’re going to take guests on an incredible journey through the history of Vietnamese art and culture.”

In addition to five categories of rooms and suites named Sketch, Canvas, Gallery, Masterpiece and Studio, the hotel’s L’Artiste restaurant boasts an open-style kitchen and menus reminiscent of an artist’s sketchbook while A’telier, located in the hotel lobby, serves a selection of teas from across the globe.

Opening promotional room rates start at VND2,399,128 ++ (USD 110++). A’telier’s Afternoon Tea for Two selection of freshly prepared mini-finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and preserves, homemade cakes. pastries and tea is priced at VND520,000++ (USD 23.90++).

*See this blog's definition for summer