This mansion-turned-hotel was once the residence of the governor of the area, hence its name .And sitting on its wide verandahs looking across the Perfume River to Hue's ancient citadel it is still easy to feel like a master of all you survey. This boutique luxury hotel's style is Art Deco meets 1950s chic with a good splattering of Old Colonialism thrown in. Think whirling ceiling fans and four poster beds.

You visit hue for the history and culture, not for a wild time (go to Ho Chi Minh City for that). So sink into am armchair in Le Gouverneur bar, drink a leisurely gin and tonic or a glass of French champagne and let the pace and grace of a less hurried age take you over.