Historical bomb shelter in Metropole Hotel officially open to public
After a year of restoration and preparation, the wartime bomb shelter under Metropole Hotel (Hanoi) has just been opened officially to public on May 21st, marked by a small ceremony at the garden of the hotel.
After four years of meticulous restoration and preparation, the wartime bomb shelter beneath Sofitel Metropole Hotel Hanoi officially reopened to the public on May 21st, 2025. The occasion was commemorated with a ceremony held in the hotel's garden.
In his speech at the ceremony, General Director of Metropole Hotel Kai Speth expressed that the shelter represents both a point of pride for the hotel and for the city of Hanoi. He described it as a historical site that underscores the responsibilities to the safety of the hotel’s staff during the tumultuous period from 1965 to 1972, when the U.S. Air Force heavily bombarded Hanoi.
Speth emphasized that the hotel’s intention is not to exploit this shelter for profit, but rather to preserve it as a vital piece of history.
Constructed in the 1960s, the 40m2 bomb shelter offered refuge to various notable figures during their stays, including Australian diplomat Bob Devereux and the 1964 Miss International Gemma Cruz Arenneta. The shelter was rediscovered after 40 years underground in October 2011 during the construction of a new bar situated above it.
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