A lofty 15-meter evergreen festooned with 50,000 colorful lights and 850 traditional Vietnamese conical hats. A life-size Seven Dwarfs’ house. A storybook inspired by the highland town of Sapa. Christmas carols in five languages. All of this, and Père Noël aka Santa Claus, will anchor the holiday celebration at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi this year, beginning Dec. 2.

The enchantment begins the moment you step inside the marble lobby. The interiors of the French colonial hotel will be dressed in an assortment of batik ornaments, silk lanterns, woven bamboo baskets filled with fresh flowers, and embroidered fabrics trimmed with pom poms, tassels, ribbons and traditional copper coins. All of the decor is inspired by the mystical mountainous town of Sapa – the only town in Vietnam that actually sees snowfall from time to time. Located in Vietnam’s remote northwest mountains, Sapa is famous for its many different ethnic groups and its rugged, romantic scenery.

A soaring 15-meter Christmas tree takes center stage in the Le Balcon. This year’s evergreen will be illuminated with more than 50,000 bedazzling lights and decorated with some 850 nón lá, a traditional conical hat made from palm leaves.

In addition, a special children’s holiday book, Once Upon a Time in Sapa, will be gifted to guests  to commemorate the hotel’s 115th anniversary. The beautifully illustrated, hardcover book will be filled with timeless stories and Vietnamese folktales about the area. The hotel is also hosting a unique Sapa drawing competition for children, with the chance to win a special prize for the whole family.

In the spirit of the season, more than thirty Metropole staff will dress up and serenade guests with popular Christmas carols in five languages, including French and Vietnamese. The staff will perform over two days, on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so that they may reach out to the many visitors staying at the hotel during the holiday period.

“Sure, we could have hired a professional choir, but we want to give our guests a personal touch by singing to them in our native language,” said Franck Lafourcade, the Metropole’s general manager.