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| Saigon Morin Hotel is preserving the Charlie Chaplin Suite, the room where the famous couple stayed during their visit. Photo: QT |
I was reminded of this story recently when Hue was honored at Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Destinations Awards, ranking 6th among the world’s most romantic honeymoon destinations for 2026. The recognition affirmed the Ancient Capital’s special appeal on the global tourism map. Fewer than 1% of the more than 8 million destinations and service establishments listed on the platform received this recognition, highlighting how selective and prestigious the award is.
While Phu Quoc and Nha Trang offer the openness of the sea, and Hoi An captivates visitors with its colorful lanterns, Hue offers a refined and deeply ‘romantic’ retreat made for two. Compared with Da Lat, the classic ‘City of Love’, Hue presents an entirely different atmosphere. Both destinations offer romantic settings, a slower pace of life, and pleasant weather. Yet while Da Lat’s romance evokes a classic European charm, Hue’s romance is defined by nostalgia and elegance.
On Tripadvisor, travelers praised Hue as ‘not just a place to visit for its history, but also somewhere time seems to slow down, allowing them to enjoy private and soulful moments’. The local people are among its greatest strengths. A traveler, Fritz, shared on the platform: “It was my first time in Hue, and I absolutely loved it. The place is peaceful, and the people are friendly... Everywhere we went, we were warmly welcomed.”
It could be said that a night-time VIP dragon boat tour, the ironwood bridge, and the grass-covered pedestrian paths along both banks of the Huong River are upgraded ‘one-of-a-kind’ romantic experiences. High-end eco-resorts nestled in pine-covered hills on the outskirts or along the river, a ‘hidden-away’ resort segment, focus on spa services, couples’ yoga, and meditation, meeting newlyweds’ need for ‘healing’ and deep connection after wedding.
To address the drawback that ‘Hue goes to bed early’, the city has created carefully curated nightlife spaces that are romantic and refined. Hue is also actively positioning itself as an ancient film set. The relic complex of Imperial Citadel and royal tombs are open to couples for wedding and anniversary photo shoots in traditional Vietnamese attire (Viet phuc), a trend that has gained considerable popularity among young people in recent years.
Clearly, Hue’s place among the world’s top 6 honeymoon destinations for 2026 is no coincidence, but the result of a methodical strategic shift. It also helps explain why the Saigon Morin Hotel is preserving the Charlie Chaplin Suite, where the famous couple once stayed. To this day, Hue remains true to its value as a ‘hidden-away’ honeymoon destination. The city does not seek to be loud; it draws couples who love cultural depth, tranquility, and understated romance, much as Charlie Chaplin experienced it 90 years ago.