Combine a flourishing art scene with a wave of new stylish and affordable places to stay and you get more than just a bustling, chaotic capital city. Here are the best boutique hotels in Hanoi, offering perfect respite after a day’s sightseeing.
Style and elegance are the O’Gallery Premier Hotel’s trademarks, where contemporary touches mixed with beautiful old things in an effortless way, brimming with dark-brown wood ceilings and furniture, modern lamps and parquet floor. Sumptuous yet comfortable bedrooms vary in size but are never too tiny. The hotel is on a busy, hustling street in Old Quarter, an edgy neighbourhood known for its traditional clothing shops and galleries. So expect some noise if you are staying in front rooms with windows, a balcony or terrace. The sense of service is highly developed, and there is a daily buffet breakfast in the dining room.
Tucked behind a deliberately easy-to-miss door on the tranquil street of Nguyen Quang Bich, this hideaway is one of the most opulent boutique hotels in Hanoi. La Siesta Trendy’s exterior is inconspicuous, to say the least. Its interior, however, is an antidote to the bland boredom of many boutique hotels. Decor is contemporary and clean-lined, but with elegant and artistic touches, from modern artworks to lighting fixtures. Many of its 70 rooms have a spacious balcony with an eye-bird view of the city. And don’t miss the bar downstair with its glamourous brown lacquer furnishing and a topfloor restaurant where you can grab a breakfast buffet. The hotel staff are attentive and affable whom somehow can be the highlight of your stay.
The name Chi – which translates loosely as “life energy” – gives some idea of what to expect from one of the Hanoi’s newest accommodation option. A restful blend of old-fashioned and contemporary styles create a traditional Chinese feel in this modern boutique hotel: dark wood furniture, modern lantern, artworks of lotus leaves and a dim sum restaurant. Bedrooms vary in size: the biggest ones are the suites with a lovely balcony overlooking the St. Joseph’s Cathedral. Remarkable value, helpful staff, and bang in the heart of the Old Quarter.
Sophisticated yet understated, peaceful but central, Maison d’Orient is the kind of place where you’d want to live if you’re an old Hanoian. Interiors are a mishmash of old and new: bamboo furniture, propaganda prints, bamboo shades, wooden armchairs and mismatched Thonet chairs. Rooms are simple yet pleasing, named after and perfumed with several distinctive local spices (ginger, anise, cinnamon, lemongrass). Breakfasts are served on rustic lacquered tables which are designed by Vietnamese craftsmen.
