Sun Group opens five-star hotel by ‘roof of Indochina’

Hotel de la Coupole – MGallery by Sofitel brings back the days when Sapa was an exclusive retreat for French émigrés

On December 15, Sun Group officially opened Hotel de la Coupole – MGallery by Sofitel in Sapa, the gateway to northern Vietnam, a mountainous realm of awe-inspiring beauty.

Designed by Bill Bensley, “the king of exotic luxury resorts” as declared by TIME, and managed by Sun Group’s strategic partner AccorHotels, under the MGallery brand, this superlative boutique hotel has set a new benchmark for luxury tourism in Sapa while offering access to Mount Fansipan – the 3,143m high “roof of Indochina.”

The MGallery collection features numerous iconic, artfully designed hotels, many of which have hosted world-famous leaders, celebrities, and authors. By taking inspiration from each hotel’s distinctive surroundings, every MGallery hotel tells its own unique story. The Hotel de la Coupole – MGallery by Sofitel is no exception.

As the first international five-star hotel to open in Sapa town, which is located in Lao Cai province in the north of Vietnam, Hotel de la Coupole – MGallery by Sofitel fulfils Sun Group’s dream of restoring Sapa to its heyday, when the town was a retreat for French émigrés sojourning in the ‘Tokenise Alps.’

With the help of master architect Bill Bensley, Sun Group has created an intoxicating mix of French motifs and patterns taken from the local Hill Tribes

Featuring no less than 249 modern and elegant rooms and suites with six room types, Hotel de la Coupole - MGallery by Sofitel offers guests breathtaking views of Sapa valley, mountains and the nearby town square.

Inspired by French motifs du jour, while always looking to add a ‘Sapa twist’, Hotel de la Coupole - MGallery by Sofitel is both a fabulous tribute to a bygone era and its mountain setting. While its evocative facade and nostalgia-tinged ambience revive the splendours of 1920s French Indochina, the vibrant colours, patterns and textures of its interiors are inspired by the Hill Tribes, who live all around the mountains of Sapa, and the lush sophistication of haute couture.

Thousands of vintage collectibles and Hill Tribe accessories were collected by Bill Bensley to create what will be a truly unique guest experience in one of the most heavenly destinations in Asia.

With this exquisite detail and sumptuous overall design from Bensley, and the superlative AccorHotels services under the MGallery Brand, Hotel de la Coupole re-affirms Sun Group’s ambition to “stand on the shoulders of giants” by always partnering with world-renowned architects and premier hospitality brands.

Guests will also discover that F&B is at the heart and soul of Hotel de la Coupole - MGallery by Sofitel. At Chic, a French restaurant with haute couture inspired decor, customers can dine in a grand yet intimate setting with refined French dishes infused with local ingredients and a carefully-curated wine list, comprising specially procured French labels.

Hotel de la Coupole - MGallery by Sofitel awaits visitors with a splendid mixture of traditional and modern, down to the most miniscule detail

Featuring both a cozy interior, and an open rooftop with a fireplace, offering views of the mountains, Absinthe offers a selection of tapas, wines and locally inspired cocktails. Downstairs, Cacao features a variety of freshly baked patisseries, handmade macaroons and specialty coffees, teas and a signature hot chocolate — the perfect treat in the crisp mountain air.

Leisure facilities include a heated indoor pool called Le Grand Bassin, a fitness centre, Nuages Spa and Bobbins kids club. As the only international luxury hotel in Sapa, the resort offers a 435sqm ballroom that can host up to 570 guests in theatre style with four meeting rooms and two board rooms that can cater for small meetings as well as conferences.

From the hotel, guests will be just a few short steps from the hustle and bustle of Sapa market with a range of handicrafts and souvenirs on offer. Guests will also be able to explore the mountains, visiting the Sapa Love Market, where Mong and Dao ethnic groups go courting on Saturdays.

As part of a network of luxury accommodation, entertainment and recreation sites that Sun Group is developing in Sapa, Hotel de la Coupole - MGallery by Sofitel can also offer guests a unique, VIP journey to the very peak of Sapa. From the hotel, guests will be ferried to Muong Hoa funicular station from where they can seven -minute journey to the Fansipan cable car station, enjoying the spectacular beauty of Hoang Lien Son range with rolling mountains, jungles and valleys, all seen from a great height. At the top of Fansipan — named “the Roof of Indochina” — guests will be bowled over not only by the spellbinding scenery but also a complex of Buddha statues and pagodas.

At the grand opening ceremony, Jean-Pierre Joncas, general manager of Hotel de la Coupole - MGallery by Sofitel, said, “I am excited to launch the first international luxury hotel in Sapa that fuses high-fashion glamour with colourful hill tribe style. Renowned for its picturesque beauty, Sapa is famous for its rugged scenery and rich cultural diversity. Guests staying at the hotel can bask in the picturesque beauty of Fansipan mountaint with a ride up the Fansipan cable car, which offers enthralling views of Muong Hoa Valley and the Hoang Lien Son Mountain range.”

Dang Minh Truong - vice president, CEO of Sun Group, agreed wholeheartedly, adding, “Hotel de la Coupole - MGallery by Sofitel marks a new beginning for Sun Group on this journey to accompany Lao Cai province and bring Sapa tourism to a new standard of development. We believe that the impressive design of the hotel, together with its one-of-a-kind services will bring guests unforgettable experiences, and lead Sapa tourism to new heights of development, showcasing its attractiveness and position in the region and in the world as well.”

With Hotel de la Coupole - MGallery by Sofitel, truly a masterpiece of hotel design, Sun Group has taken another major step in restoring Sapa as a leading tourism destination in the world. Along with the Fansipan cable car system and a series of special tourism products linked to the Muong Hoa funicular, such as the Sun World Fansipan Legend complex and the pagodas built on top of Fansipan mountain, Sun Group has quite literally taken tourism in Sapa to new heights..

In the near future, Hotel de la Coupole - MGallery by Sofitel will help put Sapa, and Lao Cai, on the map as a luxurious destination known throughout the world, just as the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort and JW Marriot Phu Quoc Emerald Bay — also developed by Sun Group — have helped fly the flag for luxury tourism in Danang and Phu Quoc .