Vietnam's beautiful historic capital, Hanoi is a city of contradictions. Home to elegant French-era buildings on one hand, it’s also a chaotic maze of lanes lined with food stalls and bustling markets, overlooked by the glittering high-rises of the rapidly modernising business district. Whatever it is that draws you to the city, you’ll be looking for a top-notch hotel or guesthouse — and this is where our Gurus’ list of the best places to stay in Hanoi comes in. Read on for a flavour of this vibrant northern metropolis and its most marvellous properties.
Most visitors are drawn to Hanoi’s busy Old Quarter — also known as the Hoan Kiem District — where you’ll find food stalls spilling out onto the street, crumbling shophouses, cafés, boutiques and bars. Guided walking tours are a terrific way to discover this colourful neighbourhood, deemed by many to be the true heart and soul of the city. Don’t miss strolling around lovely Hoan Kiem Lake to see the Ngoc Son Temple, or visiting the Hai Ba Trung Temple and Mã Mây House.
You’ll find the elegant French Quarter (where imposing façades reflect the city’s past as the capital of French Indochina from the 1880s to the 1950s) just to the southeast. More laid-back, this district houses the Presidential Palace, the yellow-painted Hanoi Opera House and 19th-century St Joseph’s Cathedral. The sobering Hoa Lo Prison, dubbed ‘The Hanoi Hilton’ by the American POWs held within its walls, is another key landmark. There are cultural attractions aplenty beyond these areas, too, such as Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and the ancient Temple of Literature. Gather in the evening for atmospheric walking tours, live music nights or fine dining experiences at some of the best places to stay in Hanoi.
Some of our Hanoi Collections:
