Where to Stay in Hanoi for a Local Experience

For staggering city views and laid-back lakeside living, this smart boutique hotel takes some beating. The property is just 10-minutes’ walk from Hanoi’s Old Quarter but boasts an idyllic location on the banks of the Hoan Kiem Lake for a more peaceful stay. Inside, there are 33 immaculate rooms with marble bathrooms, a rooftop bar with skyline views and a helpful tour desk for booking excursions.

A theatrical theme dominates this five-star boutique hotel in the French Quarter, just moments from the capital’s Opera House. Classic movies are screened in the impressive nine-storey indoor atrium, bathroom mirrors are ringed by dressing room-style bulbs and the restaurant and bar are named after Moulin Rouge characters. Don’t miss the exquisite pastries served in a music box for afternoon tea.

Foodies won’t have to go far to sample top-notch Vietnamese cuisine if they stay at this boutique hotel in the Old Quarter. There are restaurants and street-food stalls in every direction but the hotel’s own restaurant is already one of the best, serving authentic dishes such as a fine-dining version of Bun cha, using pork and noodles. Ask the friendly staff for other recommendations – they’re happy to share insider secrets.

Take time out from the chaotic streets of Hanoi’s Old Quarter in this unexpected hideaway at its heart. Opened in 2018, this boutique property has just 45 rooms and suites, many of which have sweeping views over the city. If you need a little help winding down, book a foot massage in the dreamy spa or sample traditional Vietnamese home cooking in the hotel’s restaurant, which also offers cooking classes.

This 55-room hotel is located on Hang Bong Street, one of the oldest streets in the city, and perfectly preserves Hanoi’s historical elegance. Rooms have polished dark wood floors, chic leather accents and vintage decorations, all of which include a complimentary daily buffet breakfast and bottled water. Traditional Vietnamese cuisine, including Bun cha and chicken or beef pho, is served in the Thang Long Aroma restaurant on the ground floor.

Take in views of Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi Cathedral and Hanoi Old Quarter from The Oriental Jade on Hang Trong Street. Ideally located for sightseeing, the hotel has 120 rooms and suites which have air conditioning, a safe and minibar. There is also a traditional Vietnamese spa and restaurant, while the rooftop Sixteen Sky Bar has major wow factor, offering 360-degree views over the city below.

City breaks don’t just mean sightseeing, shopping and street food. At the contemporary Hanoi Marvellous, it’s easy to treat yourself to some pampering too, as the hotel’s blissful spa offers a range of treatments, including traditional foot massages to soothe city-weary soles. Afterwards, book one of the hotel’s excellent cooking classes, where you’ll learn to make spring rolls, papaya salad, Bun cha and black sticky rice yoghurt.

Sandwiched between the French and Old Quarters, this chic boutique hotel is surrounded by upmarket shops, lively bars and government buildings. Its 50 stylish rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows, parquet flooring and velvet tufted headboards for Insta-perfect posing. There’s also a spa, restaurant and fitness centre, but the intimate rooftop bar is the real draw for some of the best sunset views in town.

Stay close to the city at Soleil Boutique, where nearly all rooms come with jaw-dropping views over the capital’s skyline. When you want to be closer to the action, this boutique hotel is located on Hang Bong street, so the city’s best attractions are on the doorstep, with the Hoan Kiem Lake just five-minutes’ walk away. See even more by signing up to one of the hotel’s pre-arranged tours, including one focusing on the best local food and another to Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam back in the 10th century.

Drag yourself out of bed early if you stay at Bonsella Prestige. The hotel hosts unmissable daily morning tours of the capital to see fruit and flower markets and locals practising Tai Chi by the lake, before a traditional breakfast of Pho Bo (beef noodle soup). Head back to the hotel in the heart of the Old Quarter with its smart modern rooms, friendly staff, street-front café and restaurant.

This three-star boutique property only opened in early 2019 but has a classy vintage feel thanks to dark wood furniture, carved beds, antiques and monochrome tiles in its 28 rooms. Located in the centre of the capital’s Old Quarter – though with soundproof windows to guarantee a good night’s sleep – the hotel also offers a spa, sauna and rooftop restaurant serving a continental and Asian breakfast buffet, and a divinely decadent afternoon tea.