"Set along the evocatively named Perfume River, La Résidence is a good place to soak upHué’s conflux of Vietnamese history, French-colonial charm, and postwar life. The former home of the French-colonial governor, the elegant Art Deco villa and gardens were restored and relaunched as a hotel in 2005. Many of the 122 rooms and suites offer views of the river or the tops of the Imperial Citadel (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), while all feature vintage-inspired furnishings, local fabrics, and the required modern conveniences. The1920s style also helps set the scene at the seven-room spa—which has garnered praise for locally inspired treatments that include Vietnamese cupping therapy and baths infused with rice wine and ginger—and at Le Gouverneur Bar, where you can settle into cushy armchairs or on the terrace, overlooking the gardens, to enjoy a drink or Cuban cigar. Come mealtime, savor French-Vietnamese and Continental fine dining at Le Parfum restaurant, or book one of the hotel’s fun foodie experiences, including cyclo market tours, cooking classes, dinner cruises, poolside barbecues, and private picnics on Thien An Hill."