Last updated on April 20th, 2026 at 09:18 am
With Hanoi Hotel Reviews
I’ve been visiting Hanoi, Vietnam, once every two to three years since my late twenties. So I can confidently recommend choosing Hanoi’s Old Quarter as a base for exploring this incredible city.
I’ve stayed in hostels, budget, and moderately priced hotels. And even affordable 5 star Hanoi hotels, though once in a blue moon. And I can say with certainty that the Vietnamese hotels are affordable and comfortable.
This is also true about Ho Chi Minh City, and you can check out my blog on the best area to stay in Saigon later!
That said, in my older age, I stick mainly with budget to moderately priced hotels. I need my private bathroom. My bladder demands it.
My opinion on 5 star Hanoi hotels is that it’s a bit overrated. That’s just my opinion. But again, you can always find hotel deals in Hanoi. So if you can get a reasonable price for a higher end hotel, then go for it.
That said, I’ll still point out some good hostels in Hanoi on one end. And of course, white glove service hotels as well for you to look through on the other end.
So that’s my thought on Old Quarter Hanoi hotels.
Klook.com
My Hanoi Hotels Tips and What to Expect
- Most Hanoi hotel rooms are small and narrow by default. Minimum room size is 20 square meters.
- Rooms with a street or city view cost slightly more. I’ll get more into this later.
- Hotel breakfast or no hotel breakfast? I wouldn’t worry about the hotel breakfast. There will be a variety of food options available outside, unless breakfast is included in the room rate.
- All hotels have terrific WiFi connections. Most hotels have small security boxes for valuables. But it’s always a good idea to have sturdy locks for your luggage to protect valuables.
Window or No Window? (That is the question)
Just going to keep this nice and short. Almost every hotel (particularly one to three star hotels) in Hanoi has rooms with windows and without. Rooms that do have windows will either have a full city view or a limited city view.
And what they mean by limited could be the wall of the next building.
Of course, all rooms with a balcony will cost more. For example, if you’re staying at a hotel overlooking Hoàn Kiếm Lake. In general, rooms without windows cost approx. 20% to 40% lower, depending on quality and location in Hanoi.
Have to ask yourself how much time you are planning to stay inside your hotel room? I guess that if you’re in Hanoi for a short time, a room without a window should be just fine.
The picture above is a room at Madelisa Adora Hotel in Hanoi. I’ve stayed in a room with a window. But the view I got was the backside of another building. I wasn’t bothered by it because I was outside most of the day.
Now, what about the hotel’s location?
A great central location for food, offering both local Vietnamese and Western cuisine. Location where you can easily find massage shops and nail salons, which Vietnam is most famous for. Someplace where you can easily get around and explore on foot.
You want an area with a wide range of hotel prices, including hostels and hotels. Well, look no further, I’ve got the right area just for you!
The answer is the 2000 year old city of Hanoi’s popular Old Quarter, which sits right above the city’s famous landmark, Hoàn Kiếm Lake!
The Old Quarter/Hoàn Kiếm Lake – The Perfect Hanoi Location
On my first trip to Hanoi, many moons ago, I made the mistake of staying in Cầu Giấy. It is west of Hoàn Kiếm Lake by 4.5 kilometers. It was pretty much in the middle of nowhere. The location is not that bad today. Just not ideal for your first trip to Hanoi.
Hoàn Kiếm Lake is the perfect, easy landmark I’ll use to help you find suitable accommodation.
North of the lake is the Old Quarter, most popular for Ta Hien Street. Also called Beer Street, for those who love to drink, eat, and party.
From the Old Quarter, you can walk to many of Hanoi’s famous landmarks:
- Temple of Literature & National University (my personal favorite)
- St. Joseph’s Cathedral
- Hoa Lo Prison
- Vietnam Military History Museum
- Vietnamese Women’s Museum
- Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
- One Pillar Pagoda
- Presidential Palace Historical Site
Heading to Sapa, Ninh Binh, Halong Bay, or Tam Coc – Bich Dong?
From Hanoi, you have many options for fun and exciting day trips. If you plan to visit the beautiful rice terraced mountains in Sapa for more than a few days, Hanoi is the perfect starting point.
Because many Hanoi tour agencies can pick up travelers from their hotel in the Old Quarter for transfer to the buses for the longer journey.
Southeast of the lake is the French Quarter, which is quieter and more refined. Many upper-end Hanoi spa hotels are found there.
West of Hanoi is the popular Train Street, though it is about a kilometer walk.
Best of all, if you are staying around Hoàn Kiếm Lake on weekends, all vehicle traffic is closed off. So locals and foreign tourists can wander around the avenues freely and even explore the night market near the Old Quarter.
Be Careful with Google Reviews in Vietnam
There’s a surprising number of businesses in Vietnam buying five star reviews from companies that create fake accounts. And Vietnamese businesses offer customers discounts or extra services for glowing reviews.
If the Google profile only has one or two reviews, it’s likely 90% fake.
Which is why, if you want to find legitimate hotel reviews, I recommend going through Agoda.com.
I use this hotel booking website to book all my hotels in Asia. Paying guests can only write hotel reviews on Agoda after checking out.
Now that you know the reasons why you should stay around Hanoi’s Hoàn Kiếm Lake. And you shouldn’t rely too much on Google reviews.
I’ll show you which hostels or hotels you should consider for your very first epic visit to Vietnam!
Budget Accommodations in Hanoi
Graffiti Hotel ⭐️
Located approx. 300 meters from the northwest tip of Hoàn Kiếm Lake, the Graffiti Hotel is ideally situated for exploring Hanoi’s old quarter and the surrounding area.
This hotel is a narrow building, so rooms are on the smaller side. This is true about most hotels in Vietnam. The largest rooms are approx. 25 square meters, costs around $40 USD.
At the same time, smaller rooms at the Graffiti Hotel cost around $25 USD to $30 USD.
The hotel is relatively clean, with private bathrooms and hot showers. Air conditioning for those crazy hot and humid Hanoi days.
And since it’s a typical budget hotel in Vietnam, there’s no swimming pool, gym, or restaurant.
Read reviews and find discounts on Agoda.com for Graffiti Hotel
Spring Home Hanoi ⭐️
Spring Home Hanoi is a homestay Airbnb-style accommodation, just a 10 minute walk to the north end of Hoàn Kiếm Lake. If you need room cleaning, a towel change, or free drinking water, please arrange with the host. Communication with the host is through email or messaging apps.
It’s in a quiet section of Hanoi’s Old Quarter. In between is Hanoi’s popular Beer Street, featuring many massage parlors, nail salons, and, of course, local Vietnamese restaurants and stalls selling Banh Mi (Vietnamese sandwiches).
Room sizes are about 25 square meters, priced approximately $20 USD to $40 USD, depending on the season.
As well as whether the room has a view of the outside or not.
If all you care about is a clean room and a private bathroom, then this is a good choice to consider.
Read reviews and find discounts on Agoda.com for Spring Home Hanoi Room
Le Petit Hotel & Travel ⭐️⭐️
This is a good newer hotel in Hanoi’s Old Quarter if you’re looking for one.
It’s also suitable for families because Le Petit Hotel & Travel has slightly larger rooms with twin beds for $40 USD to $50 USD per night.
Smaller rooms are available for single travelers needing less space for around $30 USD.
This property is also located about 10 minute walk from Hoàn Kiếm Lake. There are many Vietnamese cafés where you can relax and enjoy a great cup of coffee. Plenty of restaurants, of course, both sit in and outside with small plastic chairs and metal tables.
It’s a new hotel in a good, quiet location. If that’s what you like, this hotel is recommended for you.
Read reviews and find discounts on Agoda.com for Le Petit Hotel & Travel Hanoi.
WeCozy Noi Meu ⭐️⭐️
A true hidden gem in the heart of Hanoi. And it costs around $28 USD per night for two guests, including taxes. I travel alone most of the time, and this is where I stay.
However, the room is small. About 16 square meters for a studio balcony room with a private bathroom. Larger studio rooms with a city view are available and don’t cost much more.
But I think the biggest advantage of this property is the terrific location in Hanoi. There’s even a washing machine room and a kitchen, so you can cook your own meals or heat it.
The rooms are clean and comfortable, and the location is excellent, with no complaints from me so far. I highly recommend WeCozy Noi Meu Hotel for your time in the Old Quarters of Hanoi.
Read reviews and find discounts on Agoda.com for WeCozy Noi Meu
La Sinfonia Majesty Hotel and Spa ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you can afford to spend $50 USD to $130 USD a night with breakfast included, you will want to look into La Sinfonia Majesty Hotel and Spa.
This popular hotel is a one minute walk from Hoàn Kiếm Lake, on the northeastern edge.
If you have someone you’d like to impress and earn brownie points, I highly recommend this hotel.
And do check out their rooftop bar, it’s got an amazing birds-eye view of Hoàn Kiếm Lake and beyond.
Their low end rooms are around 20 square meters with no windows and cost about $50 USD, but it is a very comfortable, modern room. If you want a view of Hoàn Kiếm Lake plus a bigger bedroom space, book a Majestic 1 Bedroom Suite for $130 USD.
Those room sizes are 30 square meters, and you can pick a queen size bed or two single beds.
The location of this hotel is the best. It’s on the edge of Hanoi’s Old Quarter and French Quarter. This means plenty of restaurants to grab a delicious, authentic Vietnamese meal, enjoy a relaxing massage, souvenir hunting at the Old Quarter night market, and explore Hanoi.
Read reviews and find discounts on Agoda.com for La Sinfonia Majesty Hotel and Spa
La Mejor Indochine Hotel ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Only in Southeast Asia can you find an actual 5 star hotel for $100 USD a night, including breakfast. Located just a short distance from Ta Hien Beer Street and popular Vietnamese restaurants.
Their standard rooms are around 25 square meters with a city view. Deluxe rooms with a balcony are slightly roomier and cost around $15 USD extra, which is worth it in my opinion.
If you can get a street view below, it’s a good vantage point for people watching at nearby Ta Hien Beer Street.
La Mejor Indochine Hotel is located in the Old Quarter of Hanoi, directly north of Hoàn Kiếm Lake, about 5 minute stroll. So the location is excellent. If you’re able to splurge a bit, even for just one night, I highly recommend it.
Read reviews and find discounts on Agoda.com for La Mejor Indochine Hotel Hanoi
Palago Boutique Hotel ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I highly recommend Palago Boutique Hotel for couples or parents with young children. Children under 7 years old stay free.
Additionally, rooms here cost around $65 USD with a city view, and breakfast is included.
And the room size is decent at 25 square meters. And there’s a bathtub, which isn’t something usual for Hanoi hotel rooms. And a tiny fitness center, too, for the gym addicts.
Palago Boutique Hotel is also located in the Old Quarter and about 5 minute walk from the northwest corner of Hoàn Kiếm Lake.
The area is very busy with many street food, traditional sit-in Vietnamese restaurants, and bars. Hanoi’s Train Street is only a 10 minute or so walk from this hotel’s location.
This is also another super popular hotel that opened a few years ago, so if the price is right, I say give them a try.
Read reviews and find discounts on Agoda.com for Palago Boutique Hotel
Hanoi Fiesta Central Hotel And Spa ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is another small hotel in the Old Quarter, just 10 minute walk to the northern tip of Hoàn Kiếm Lake.
This hotel’s standard rooms cost around $35 USD a night. And indeed, the rooms are a bit tight at 20 square meters, but it’s sufficient space for two guests with an obstructed window view.
If you don’t mind paying $70 USD a night, you can upgrade to a 28 square meter room with a balcony/terrace. Very reasonably priced in my humble opinion.
The surrounding area is quiet with nearby beautifully designed cafés, which Vietnam is famous for. And, of course, there are plenty of Vietnamese restaurants, both with air conditioning and outdoor street food.
You can easily explore Hanoi on foot, which is my preferred method. Or catch a Grab Taxi for quick and affordable transport.
Read reviews and find discounts on Agoda.com for Hanoi Fiesta Central Hotel and Spa
Carillon Boutique Hotel ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I believe this is one of the best 3 star hotels in Hanoi’s Old Quarter if you’re traveling on a budget. Their 22 square meter standard rooms cost around $40 USD and may even include breakfast.
And if you prefer a room with a balcony, the price doubles, but the room’s size is about the same. Either way, the rooms in the Carillon Boutique Hotel are comfortable and clean. Plus, the service from the hotel staff is top-notch.
The rooms are beautifully designed with nice touches of relaxing blue and white decor. And the tiles add a nice touch to the floor and bathroom. I think many of you will like the Carillon Boutique Hotel.
This hotel is also located about ten minute stroll from Hoàn Kiếm Lake. Which means you’re far enough from the noise of Beer Street yet close enough to walk for a couple of beers.
Read reviews and find discounts on Agoda.com for the Carillon Boutique Hotel
Centraltique Downtown – Bespoke Colonial House Near Hoan Kiem Lake Hotel ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’ve always had a thing for wooden floors. This is a homestay property, so if you’re looking for that local, local feel… you’ll get it right there, especially because the location is amazing! And how often can one stay in an actual colonial house?
The more the better to pick this hotel for your first epic visit to Hanoi, Vietnam!
But before continuing with this review, Centralitique Downtown to me is more of a 2 or 3 star hotel by Vietnam’s standards.
It’s like an Airbnb, so you don’t have white gloved service. However, the owner is nice and accommodating.
Centraltique Downtown offers 25 square meter rooms with a balcony, two person max. occupancy for about $40 USD per night.
The rooms are a little dated but sufficiently clean with private bathrooms. And the important air conditioning for those crazy hot, humid days.
The hotel location is literally right in the Old Quarter. There are plenty of restaurants, bars for beers, and even a night market 250 meters away.
Find discounts and read reviews on Agoda.com for Centraltique Downtown – Bespoke Colonial House Near Hoan Kiem Lake
Leave a Reply