MAJESTIC - RIVERSIDE CASTLE
Modern hotel business is a very new industry in advanced Saigon. The five-story Majestic Hotel, located at the corner of Catinat Street (Dong Khoi) and Quai de Myre de Villers (Ton Duc Thang) pier, overlooking the Saigon River, is a prime example of this success story.
Majestic Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City
PHOTO: QUYNH TRAN
According to old photographs, the original building's rooftop was left empty with a sprawling pergola-style trellis. Perhaps the Majestic was the first hotel in Saigon to have an open-air restaurant and café on the rooftop. It was a delightful spot to enjoy panoramic views of the city, the river, and the Thu Thiem peninsula. On this level, in the middle section between the left and right wings, there were two protruding tiled-roof towers, beneath which were large circular windows, reminiscent of the inner chambers of Chinese palaces.
Meanwhile, the facades of the remaining floors are adorned with numerous intricately carved and curved wrought iron balcony railings. The highlight of the building is the main entrance with its gracefully curved canopy, supporting the raised lettering "Majestic ." The entrance here is designed in a magnificent, palace-like style. On both sides of the building are large, open windows set under elegant arches. The sidewalk adjacent to the windows is furnished with tables and chairs for guests to sit and enjoy the view, in the style of Parisian terrace cafes.
The building's overall design initially showed French architectural features interspersed with Chinese elements, similar in style to the "Uncle Hoa's house" (now the Fine Arts Museum, District 1). Even more surprisingly, the hotel's owner was the Hui Bon Hoa family company.
Immediately after its opening, the Majestic Hotel, despite having only 44 rooms, became a favorite destination for French and international tourists, especially as Indochina began to aggressively promote tourism abroad. Adjacent to the hotel, on Catinat Street, a cinema named Majestic Cinema opened in 1934. After 1963, it was renovated into a nightclub and restaurant called Maxim, named after a famous Parisian brand.
Since 1948, the Majestic Hotel has housed the headquarters of the Indochina Tourism Administration. After 1954, the hotel was renamed Hoan My in Vietnamese, alongside the Majestic name. From the late 1950s to the 1990s, the hotel building underwent several renovations and upgrades. After 1975, the Majestic Hotel hosted many famous figures such as French President Francois Mitterrand, King Leopold of Belgium, Duke Andrew of England, and French actress Catherine Deneuve…
Since 2003, the Majestic Hotel has expanded to the right, utilizing the adjacent 8-story building. The newly acquired building was renovated to have a facade similar to the old one. In 2019, the Majestic Hotel was further expanded onto Nguyen Hue Street.
GRAND HOTEL - CLASSIC AND ELEGANT
Very close to the Majestic Hotel, only about 100 meters away, the four-story Grand Hotel was located at the "point" of the intersection of Catinat and Vannier streets (Ngo Duc Ke Street). Prominent on the top floor was a soaring, snow-white dome, reminiscent of the famous Sacré Coeur de Montmartre church in Paris. This was the large bell-shaped dome typical of Roman Catholic church architecture. This design made the Grand Hotel the tallest and most uniquely styled hotel in Saigon at that time.
Postcard of the Grand Hotel in the 1930s, when it was called Saigon Palace.
PHOTO: COLLECTION BY NGUYEN DAI HUNG LOC
From the dome down to the ground, the building is a curved, tower-like structure divided into four levels. Except for the ground floor, each level has three large windows, creating a sense of spaciousness and elegance. The floor below the dome features an additional protruding balcony with decorative vents made of deep blue glazed ceramic. Both the left and right wings have balconies with awnings and similar decorative vents. Notably, the awnings are tiled and have an East Asian style. Most of the facades on the second and third floors lack balconies, instead featuring tall, wide windows. The entire building, though massive, gives an impression of elegance.
The Grand Hotel was invested in by French expatriates in Indochina. At various times, the hotel was named Saigon Palace (1937), Saigon Grand Inn (1958), Dong Khoi (after April 1975), and has been known by the combined old and new name Grand Saigon Hotel since 1985. Since 2007, the hotel has been expanded towards Ho Huan Nghiep Street (formerly Turc Street during the French colonial period). The new building has 20 floors, but its exterior is well-designed, mimicking the style of the old building.
To date, Grand Saigon Hotel is a large hotel with over 250 rooms and numerous restaurants and cafes on the ground and upper floors. Currently, both Majestic and Grand Saigon hotels are under the management of Saigon Tourist Corporation, rightfully earning the title of a pair of classic and upscale tourist castles. (to be continued)
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cap-doi-majestic-va-grand-hotel-1852504172309366.htm
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