The Hudson Rooms

HANOI

Words: Eleanor Howard Photography: © Studio Periphery

IN A BITE Owner / Developer: Sun Hospitality Group Operator: Capella Hotel Group Interior Design: Brewin Design Office F&B Manager: William Pravda www.capellahotels.com

Capella Hanoi is taking an epicurean pilgrimage to New York with The Hudson Rooms, a 120-seat rooftop restaurant and oyster bar inspired by the aesthetics of 1920s New York and the renaissance of travel.

Envisioned by Hong Kong and Singaporebased Brewin Design Office, The Hudson Rooms is divided into two areas with the main restaurant characterised by archways, vaulted ceilings and highly-reflective materials. “Our aim was to bring out the golden late afternoon light,” explains Nicole Misir, Director of Brewin Design Office. “Hence we clad the length of the south-facing wall with frosted bronze-tinted mirrors to reflect the sun that pours in through arch-framed windows.” Contrastingly, the members’ lounge uses darker-toned timber, stone and stucco to cultivate a more intimate and cosy atmosphere.

“The building’s architecture was a big influence for the design of The Hudson Rooms,” reveals Misir. “The gracious height of the glass enclosure on the roof and the vertical mullioned window frames presented an opportunity to fit a complex vaulted ceiling system into the large room. The ceilings are inspired by the Grand Central Oyster Bar, one of New York’s first proper seafood restaurants that opened in the 1920s, and the design naturally flows from this anchor reference. Our scheme is designed to be reminiscent of this era with details such as trims and stepping motifs.”

Reflecting the glamour of the interiors, the F&B offering takes guests on a culinary voyage similar to the one made by explorer Henry Hudson upon his arrival to New York. The elevated seafood menu pays homage to traditional recipes from the golden era of the ‘Big Oyster’, prepared with a contemporary twist. The beverage programme, curated by William Pravda, follows the same approach and includes a vibrant cocktail menu that follows the routes of the legendary trains that departed from Grand Central’s platforms to weave their way across North America throughout the 1920s and 1930s, from Chicago and Miami to Canada.