Construction of the Residence Superieure du Tonkin at 12 Ngô Quyền Street was completed in 1918. It now serves as the Government Guest House and is used to host receptions for important visitors. The edifice forms an integral part of Ha Noi's administrative quarter yet resembles a private mansion.
The building's architecture draws on models from the period of Napoleon III (1808-1873), yet displays rich, light, almost rococo details. Each element of the facade relates to the others in perfect harmony — from the French Mansard-style roof to the interrupted cornice and the Ionic pilasters to the staircase leading to a porch topped by a unique shell-shaped roof useful for monsoon rains.
The Government Guest House is a good example of theatrical symmetry: On either side is a ramp for cars and a two-storied wing with five bays separated by balusters. The interior has an eclectic and composite character with a large reception hall branching into a row of meeting rooms on the street side. A corridor separates these rooms from the two offices located on the garden side.