For guests at the “Dolce Hanoi Golden Lake” coffee comes in a gold cup and bath time is taken in gilded splendor. The world’s first self-proclaimed gold-plated hotel is open for business — and the Vietnamese owners insist they have the Midas touch despite the cramping of global travel during the coronavirus pandemic. The hotel cost $200 million to construct with a 24-carat plating across lobbies, an infinity pool and rooms with even cutlery, cups, showerheads and toilet seats receiving the golden treatment.
While expensive for Vietnam, at $250 a night it is not prohibitive for wealthy locals craving a few nights living like Donald Trump, the US President renowned for his love of all things that glitter. The hotel wants “ordinary people to the super-rich to check-in” both physically and on social media, said Nguyen Huu Duong, chairman of Hoa Binh group that owns the hotel. A gold-plated infinity pool overlooks the city, while meals at the 25-story hotel in downtown Hanoi may be mixed with a mysterious “gold substance”, according to the owners. So far, the smattering of customers appears to be delighted with Hanoi’s flashiest new digs.
