People no longer design hotels as huge concrete blocks, because such architecture is rarely wanted these days. (Those who love Bauhaus-the rational, functional, international style from post-World War One Germany, which has recently regained attention-would beg to differ with this opinion). Beyond dispute, however, is that The Century Riverside Hotel, which occupies the longest stretch of the Perfume River of any hostelry in Hue, is an imposing edifice. Yet one should not judge a book by its cover. Once through the doors, the coldness of the Soviet-era exterior immediately melts and you are enveloped in the culture of Vietnam and the timeless warmth of this most friendly of Vietnamese cities. ‘The Century' has a great deal to recommend indeed.
Firstly, this is a full-service hotel. There is no need, if you do not wish to venture outside the premises. It has five restaurants, one of which is a Hue Banqueting Hall, where guests can enjoy dishes invented for the Imperial Court whilst being serenaded by musicians dressed up as imperial courtiers and playing classical Vietnamese music. On the terrace, there is a beautiful swimming pool, whilst further back are the tennis courts. Furthermore, there is a spa-cum- massage service as well as a tour desk and travel agent. The hotel has recently become independent from the Chinese Century chain and adopted the slogan, ‘Towards a New Style of Service’, which is clearly displayed high on the outside walls. My experience of the service was that it was courteous, attentive and very friendly.
Another reason to choose this four -star hotel is its superb location. From the terraces, the entire sweep of the city's riverside can be enjoyed. To the east lies a large island famed for 'hen', the small river mussels that form the basis for the famed Hue dish that can be eaten with rice or vermicelli noodles. Turning to the west, you can see the Truong Tien girder bridge with the citadel's flag post behind it and the river running all the way to the railway bridge with the Western Hills as backdrop. Streetside, the hotel is in an interesting quarter bustling with cafes, restaurants, tailors’ booths, souvenir shops and general stores.
Even if you are not staying here, even if you do not come here to dine, there is one thing I would recommend to anyone coming to Hue. Just as those who go to Singapore come home to boast of partaking of a 'Singapore Sling' in the Long Bar of the Raffles Hotel, so you should be proud of your experience of imbibing this hotel's signature cocktail- the 'Hue Shot'. Sit yourself down in the gardens by the pool or at a table in the long corridor terrace and order some snacks and this sundowner. It resembles a 'Screwdriver' (vodka and orange juice), but with rice wine and lime juice added. It really is a great tangy drink. It deserves to be world-famous but the sales manager Mr Duong explained to me that citrus fruits from Hue, with its very wet climate and super-rich soils have unique flavour, so you may not be able to replicate this with supermarket Florida orange juice and lime cordial.
There are one hundred and thirty rooms, eighty of which face the river. The remainder affords garden and lotus pond views. The walk-in starting price of around fifty US dollars (which I paid during Tet) represents an amazing value for money. The corridor has photographs and paintings of Vietnamese scenes and there was one in my room too. My spacious white washed Deluxe Riverside Room was simply but tastefully arranged with dark red tropical hardwood furniture. There was inclusive tea and coffee-making facilities, as well as sweet-smelling toiletries in the bathroom. One beautiful touch-the bed was adorned with purple orchid petals. I was to make full use of the balcony area and its quoin of vantage over the river.
Now, please allow me to wax lyrical. I sat out on the balcony to watch a classic sunset. Tinges of blue, orange and tangerine, broken by wisps of fluffy white clouds, slowly intensified in colour as the great ball of fire gradually descended over the Western Hills and down over the flagpole. For a full fifteen minutes, the sun cast a golden roadway under the Truong Tien bridge, right up to furthermost bank of the hotel. Shadows and darkness slowly invaded the scene as the last night of the Year of the Snake commenced. Then man took over from nature in the delivery of the light show. The bridge illuminated, changing colour every three minutes. Street lights reflected amber streaks over the river. The neon lights of advertising efforts also shone orange, white and grey over the waters. The largest of these connected the banks with a carpet of royal purple. Later, the balcony provided a ringside seat as the Year of the Horse rode in with a fifteen-minute firework display. Finally, nature took over again as I was left figuring out the constellations in the night sky.
Not only the rooms, but also the dining is very affordable at 'The Century'. No need to take just my word as to how good the chefs are. As I sat at reception waiting for my room to be ready,a party of cruise tourists on a day trip from Danang was emerging from the adjacent restaurant. Many of them commented on how delicious their buffet lunch had been.
I ate dinner a la carte on the balcony of the Terrace Restaurant. I could have made it a three- course meal, but instead I opted for Asian-style service, having a number of both Vietnamese and Western dishes brought to the table at once. The chefs demonstrated themselves expert at both cuisines. At least one dish had to be Imperial Hue. I chose the 'banh beo'- literally translated as 'water fern cakes', which consist of shredded shrimp in little milky rice pancakes which are dipped in fish sauce. Then there was the grilled mackerel in lemongrass. More European were the succulent slices of chicken breast with honey. Chinese-style squid and roast pork completed the table. The latter is, of course, common to both Western and Eastern cuisines, except that here the crackling is much thinner. All of this I washed down with a glass of Hue Festival light beer and a chilled glass of white wine. Not only had the chefs done an excellent job, but I also complimented myself on my choices.
To sum up, this is a hotel that offers it all for a wide range of guests. With its years of service experience and large-capacity dining halls, it is excellent for tour groups. If you are a budget traveller or an aficionado of mini-hotels, this would be the one place in Indochine to broaden your experience without stretching the budget too far. If you are accustomed to four-star luxuries then why pay more elsewhere? As for the architecture, as the saying goes, if you have a great wife who takes care of your every need, then why does she have to be an oil painting? Anyway, as for beauty, here nature provides it with one of the world's most beautiful waterways, as right under your hotel room quietly flows the Perfume River!
By Ritch Pickens
By Ritch Pickens
Century Riverside Hotel Hue
49 Le Loi Street, Hue
Tel: (84_54) 3823 390, Fax (84_54) 3823 394
www.centuryriversidehue.com
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét