For a first visit to Hanoi, I recommend the area around Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter.

You’ll be close to restaurants, cafés and a number of sights, and in the evening you can walk back to your hotel.

A major advantage of Hanoi is that you can find very cheap accommodation right in the city centre. To save money, it therefore usually doesn’t make sense to stay on the outskirts of the city.

I’ve personally tried a fully-equipped flat in Hanoi, a hotel advertised as five-star, and the unusual golden Dolce by Wyndham. The differences in value for money were really significant.

If you don’t want to go through the entire selection, I’d start with these three options:

Category	Accommodation	Why choose it
Very cheap	North Hostel No. 2	A small private room with an en-suite bathroom in the city centre
Value for money	WECOZY Hanoi – Railway Side	Fully-equipped flat, my personal experience
Luxury	Peridot Grand Luxury Boutique Hotel	Old Quarter, rooftop pool and bar

Where to stay in Hanoi?

For a standard stay of a few nights, I’d look for a hotel in the Old Quarter or within walking distance of Hoan Kiem Lake.

Within the city centre, I’d mainly distinguish between the following locations:

• The Old Quarter north of the lake: the most convenient for restaurants, street food, cafés and nightlife. You’ll find both budget rooms and more luxurious hotels here.
• The area around the cathedral and towards Train Street: a good base for exploring the city centre on foot. This is where I stayed, in a WECOZY apartment.
• South and south-east of the lake, towards the opera house: the area known as the French Quarter. I’d choose this for a more elegant atmosphere and a stay in one of the larger hotels.

For a more peaceful night’s sleep, I’d avoid rooms directly above the bars on Ta Hien Street and its immediate surroundings. Staying a few streets away is a more practical compromise: the nightlife is close by, but you won’t have to listen to it from your bed.

Our guide to places to visit in Hanoi will also help you choose a location.

Very cheap accommodation in the city centre

Even on a tight budget, you can stay right in the Old Quarter in Hanoi and have your own room with an en-suite bathroom. However, do expect more basic facilities and less space.

• North Hostel N.2 – despite its name ‘hostel’, it also offers private rooms with en-suite bathrooms. It’s situated on Tam Thuong Street near the cathedral and within walking distance of Hoan Kiem Lake. The facilities are a bit dated, and the basic ‘Budget Double’ room is only 12 m². I’d choose it mainly for its low price and location.
• Hanu’s House – simple accommodation on Hang Non Street, right in the Old Quarter. It offers small private rooms with air conditioning and en-suite bathrooms. It’s suitable for undemanding travellers who are primarily looking for a cheap place to stay in the city centre. The accommodation does not accept children.

To give you an idea of the prices: when checking specific dates, a basic private room for two at Hanu’s House came to around 13 eur per night and at North Hostel N.2 around 17 eur per night, including the VAT shown and excluding breakfast.

These are examples of offers; you can check prices and availability for your chosen dates via the accommodation links.

Excellent value for money

This is the category I’d most often look in for a standard visit to Hanoi. I want comfortable accommodation in the city centre, plenty of space and facilities that I’ll actually use during my stay.

WECOZY: my experience of the flat on Train Street

Based on my own experience, I’d recommendWECOZY Hanoi – Railway Side as a very good base for exploring the city.

For 900 czk per night, I had a large, clean and modern flat with a kitchenette, a microwave and all the necessary facilities. You’ll certainly find cheaper accommodation in Hanoi, but here the balance between price, space and facilities made perfect sense to me.

The location was also excellent: just a short walk from the city centre and the main railway station. I’d also consider this apartment for a longer stay or if you want the option of preparing your own meals.

However, I wouldn’t book it specifically for the view of Train Street. From my flat, the view of the tracks was very limited. What’s more, the accommodation itself warns that you may hear passing trains.

A traditional hotel as an alternative

If you prefer a hotel to an apartment, I’d add the Hanoi Marvellous Hotel & Spa to your shortlist.

It is situated on Duong Thanh Street on the western side of the historic centre.

It offers several room categories, including family and connecting rooms. It’s a practical option for couples and families looking for a hotel in the city centre. I haven’t stayed there myself.

Luxury hotels in Hanoi

You can also find luxury accommodation right in the city centre. I’d mainly choose between these two hotels:

• Peridot Grand Luxury Boutique Hotel – for a combination of exploring the city and relaxing at the hotel. It’s situated in the Old Quarter and features a rooftop pool, a bar with views and a spa. After a stroll through the city, you can head straight back to the pool without having to travel across Hanoi.
• Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi – a historic hotel near the opera house, south-east of Hoan Kiem Lake. I’d choose it for its colonial architecture, atmosphere and more extensive dining options. It’s also a good example of how, even with a major international brand, you don’t have to stay outside the city centre.

When it comes to luxury hotels, I’d compare the specific facilities and room categories. The number of stars alone isn’t enough of a reason for me to book a hotel in Hanoi.

May De Ville Lakeside: why I wouldn’t choose it again

I’ve personally stayed at May De Ville Lakeside as well, which is very well situated by Hoan Kiem Lake.

The hotel bills itself as a five-star establishment, but to me the service and facilities seemed more like those of an average three-star hotel.

The room was spacious and the bathroom pleasant, but the breakfast was average. I found the staff very unfriendly and their attentiveness came across as unpleasantly intrusive.

At 3 000 czk per night, the value for money didn’t make sense to me.

On departure, the staff also gave me a500 000 vnd, asking me not to write a negative review on Booking.com. This is my personal experience of this stay and another reason why I wouldn’t return here.

When does it make sense to stay outside the city centre?

I’d mainly choose to stay outside the city centre if the hotel itself, the view of the lake or the facilities for a longer stay are important to you.

West Lake: a lakeside stay

The Tay Ho area around West Lake might be a good choice if you want to spend more time at the hotel, in the cafés and restaurants around the lake.

A specific recommendation is the InterContinental Hanoi Westlake. Part of the hotel juts out over the lake and offers a different kind of stay to that found in the narrow streets of the historic centre. However, if you’re exploring the Old Quarter every day, you’ll need to factor in the commute.

West Lake is vast. Before booking, therefore, check the hotel’s exact location; the description ‘near West Lake’ doesn’t in itself tell you much about the distance from the centre.

Dolce by Wyndham: an unusual hotel experience

I also tried out Dolce by Wyndham Hanoi Golden Lake myself, a striking golden hotel by Giang Vo Lake.

I would consider this hotel primarily because of the building itself and its unusual appearance. I wouldn’t prioritise it for its location if you’re planning to explore the historic centre on foot. It lies to the west of the main tourist area.

I describe my detailed experiences and impressions of my stay in my review of the Dolce by Wyndham Hanoi.

What should you bear in mind when booking?

In Hanoi, I would mainly check the following things before confirming a booking:

• External window: some rooms have no window at all, whilst others have only a small window facing an internal courtyard. Take a look at the photos and description of your chosen room category.
• Noise: if the hotel is near bar-lined streets, busy roads or railway lines, read other guests’ reviews of specific rooms.
• Photos of the booked room: the main gallery may mainly show more expensive suites, balconies or views that a standard room does not have.
• Final price: when comparing offers, check that taxes, charges and breakfast are included.

For a hotel with an outdoor swimming pool, I would also check whether it is heated if travelling in winter.

Hanoi has a cooler winter, and the swimming pool may not be the main attraction of a stay at every time of year. You can find details in the overview of the weather in Vietnam.

How far in advance should I book a hotel?

If you’ve chosen a specific hotel and room category, I’d book about 1–2 months in advance. I’d book even further in advance during Vietnamese public holidays, particularly the Lunar New Year, Tết.

For budget hotels, I’d also compare the price of a room in a higher category. A small surcharge for a window facing outside or a bit more space can be better value than moving to a different hotel with the same basic price.

Check hotel prices in Hanoi

Is a hotel near the airport worth it?

I’d only stay near Noi Bai Airport if I had an overnight stopover or if, ahead of a very early morning flight, you’d prefer a short journey to the terminal.

For a stay combined with a visit to Hanoi, I’d stay in the city centre. You can plan your journey using our guide to transport from Hanoi Airport.