Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam and the political and cultural centre of the country's north, a city of roughly 8.5 million people built around a chain of lakes on the Red River delta. Its compact core layers a thousand-year-old market quarter, a French colonial grid of villas and boulevards, and the ceremonial state architecture of Ba Dinh Square within a few kilometres of one another.
Accommodation overview
Hanoi's accommodation is concentrated in three areas. The Old Quarter around Hoan Kiem Lake has the densest supply, from USD 8-15 dormitory beds and family-run guesthouses on Hang Bac and Ma May to boutique hotels at USD 50-120. The French Quarter south of the lake, around the Opera House and Trang Tien, holds the historic five-star properties such as the Sofitel Legend Metropole at USD 300 and up, along with modern business hotels. Tay Ho, on West Lake, suits longer stays with serviced apartments, lakeside cafes and a quieter pace. Mid-range rooms (three and four stars) average USD 35-90 a night; prices rise around Tet in January or February and fall in the humid summer months. Book Old Quarter rooms above street level, since bars on Ta Hien stay loud past midnight.
Hotels by budget
Find accommodation that fits your travel budget.
Budget-friendly
Hanoi Royal Palace Hotel 2
A budget-to-lower-mid hotel with simple air-conditioned rooms, breakfast included and a tour desk on the ground floor.
Check rates on Booking.comThe Hanoi Signature Hotel
A small hotel on the cathedral backpacker lane, offering private rooms at close to hostel prices with breakfast included.
Check rates on Booking.comNexy Hostel
A design-led Old Quarter hostel with pod-style dorm beds, private rooms, a library, games room and rooftop terrace.
Check rates on Booking.comLittle Charm Hanoi Hostel
An art-deco styled hostel with a small swimming pool, a board-game common floor and a mix of dorms and private rooms.
Check rates on Booking.comVietnam Backpacker Hostels - Downtown
The original Hanoi branch of Vietnam's best-known backpacker chain, with a rooftop bar, nightly events and an in-house tour operation.
Check rates on Booking.comBox Hotel Hanoi
A capsule-style budget hotel down a quiet Old Quarter alley, offering private pods and small private rooms.
Check rates on Booking.comMid-range
Novotel Hanoi Thai Ha
A mid-scale Accor hotel with a rooftop pool and terrace restaurant serving the Dong Da business area, with family rooms sleeping four.
Check rates on Booking.comSomerset Grand Hanoi
Serviced apartments in a central tower, with kitchens, an outdoor pool and a supermarket in the podium below.
Check rates on Booking.comHanoi Club Hotel & Lake Palais Residences
A lakeside club-hotel with an unusually large sports complex, including tennis and squash courts and a 25-metre outdoor pool.
Check rates on Booking.comSilk Path Hotel Hanoi
A colonial-styled four-star hotel on the edge of the Old Quarter, with a spa, fitness centre and the Silk Restaurant.
Check rates on Booking.comThe Oriental Jade Hotel
A four-star boutique hotel with a rooftop infinity pool and sky bar looking across the Old Quarter roofline towards Hoan Kiem Lake.
Check rates on Booking.comO'Gallery Premier Hotel & Spa
An art-filled boutique hotel from the Oriental Hospitality Group, with an in-house spa and a rooftop breakfast terrace.
Check rates on Booking.comO'Gallery Majestic Hotel & Spa
A boutique sister property to the O'Gallery Premier, with a spa, a small rooftop pool and colonial-styled rooms near the Citadel.
Check rates on Booking.comEssence Hanoi Hotel & Spa
A small independent four-star hotel with a spa and rooftop restaurant, set between the Citadel and the western Old Quarter.
Check rates on Booking.comLa Siesta Premium Hang Be
The flagship of the La Siesta group, with unusually large Old Quarter rooms, an indoor pool and a rooftop sky bar.
Check rates on Booking.comHanoi La Siesta Trendy Hotel & Spa
A contemporary La Siesta property with a rooftop bar and spa, placing Old Quarter street life on the doorstep and quiet rooms above it.
Check rates on Booking.comLa Siesta Classic Ma May
A classic-tier La Siesta hotel on Ma May with a spa and a well-regarded Vietnamese restaurant on the ground floor.
Check rates on Booking.comLa Siesta Classic Hang Thung
A quieter La Siesta address on the eastern fringe of the Old Quarter, with a spa and rooftop terrace.
Check rates on Booking.comHanoi Tirant Hotel
A four-star Old Quarter hotel with a rooftop pool and skyline bar, on a lane of tailors and street kitchens.
Check rates on Booking.comHanoi Emerald Waters Hotel & Spa
A family-run boutique chain property known for balcony rooms, in-house spa treatments and generous breakfasts.
Check rates on Booking.comGolden Sun Villa Hotel
A small family-run hotel in the Golden Sun group, with compact modern rooms a short walk from the lake.
Check rates on Booking.comGolden Sun Palace Hotel
A mid-range Old Quarter hotel run by the Golden Sun family group, with a rooftop breakfast room and tour desk.
Check rates on Booking.comGolden Sun Suites Hotel
A small suites-focused Golden Sun property offering larger rooms than most Old Quarter hotels at the same price point.
Check rates on Booking.comSolaria Hanoi Hotel
A modern boutique hotel on Bao Khanh with a rooftop bar and compact but well-finished rooms close to the lake.
Check rates on Booking.comHanoi Brilliant Hotel & Spa
A compact boutique hotel with an in-house spa and rooftop terrace, suited to travellers who want a central base without five-star pricing.
Check rates on Booking.comChampton Hotel
A small independent hotel on Hang Bong with a rooftop breakfast area and a tour desk arranging Ha Long and Ninh Binh trips.
Check rates on Booking.comMeritel Hanoi
A contemporary mid-range hotel on Hang Bong with a rooftop bar, in-house spa and easy access to the Cua Nam market area.
Check rates on Booking.comCapital Premium Hotel Hanoi
A modern hotel on the cathedral cafe lane, with a rooftop terrace overlooking the church spires.
Check rates on Booking.comHanoi Old Quarter Hotel
A four-star independent hotel on a narrow coffee lane, balancing modern rooms with a location right beside the lake.
Check rates on Booking.comThang Long Opera Hotel
A four-star hotel on a quiet government-quarter street, within walking distance of both the Opera House and Hoan Kiem Lake.
Check rates on Booking.comHanoi Hotel
A long-standing state-linked four-star hotel beside Giang Vo Lake, with a large outdoor pool and tennis courts.
Check rates on Booking.comGrand Vista Hanoi
A newer four-star business hotel on Giang Vo, with a rooftop restaurant and meeting rooms used by regional conferences.
Check rates on Booking.comHotel du Parc Hanoi
The former Hotel Nikko Hanoi, a Japanese-built four-star property facing Thien Quang Lake, with a Japanese restaurant and indoor pool.
Check rates on Booking.comMuong Thanh Grand Hanoi Centre
A centrally located outpost of Vietnam's largest domestic hotel chain, with a rooftop pool and buffet restaurant in the French Quarter.
Check rates on Booking.comCandeo Hotels Hanoi
A Japanese-managed hotel in Ba Dinh with a communal hot-bath floor and rooms aimed at long-stay business travellers.
Check rates on Booking.comHanoi Pearl Hotel
A four-star hotel on the Bao Khanh bar lane, with a full-service spa, fitness centre and rooms overlooking the Old Quarter.
Check rates on Booking.comMK Premier Boutique Hotel
A four-star boutique hotel on Hang Buom with a rooftop restaurant and spa, steps from Bach Ma Temple and Bia Hoi Corner.
Check rates on Booking.comSplendid Star Grand Hotel & Spa
A quiet boutique hotel tucked into a cathedral lane, with a spa and a rooftop breakfast terrace.
Check rates on Booking.comLa Passion Hanoi Hotel & Spa
A French-colonial styled boutique hotel with a spa and rooftop bar, on a quieter Old Quarter street.
Check rates on Booking.comLa Passion Classic Hotel
A sister property to La Passion Hanoi set on one of the city's most photographed colonial avenues, near the Hanoi Flag Tower.
Check rates on Booking.comLuxury
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
Hanoi's 1901 colonial grande dame, split between the shuttered Historical Metropole Wing and the newer Opera Wing, with a garden pool courtyard and a preserved wartime bomb shelter beneath it.
Check rates on Booking.comCapella Hanoi
A 47-key opera-themed hotel designed by Bill Bensley, housing Auriga Spa, the Michelin-starred teppanyaki counter Hibana by Koki and the Backstage restaurant.
Check rates on Booking.comPeridot Grand Luxury Boutique Hotel
A 120-room five-star boutique property with three rooftop bars, a rooftop infinity pool and jewel-toned marble-and-brass interiors.
Check rates on Booking.comApricot Hotel
An art-themed five-star hotel hung with several hundred works by Vietnamese painters, with a rooftop pool and lake-facing rooms.
Check rates on Booking.comHotel de l'Opera Hanoi - MGallery
A theatrically designed MGallery property next to the Opera House, with jewel-coloured rooms, the Satine restaurant and the La Fee Verte absinthe bar.
Check rates on Booking.comHilton Hanoi Opera
A curved neoclassical business hotel built to echo the Opera House next door, with an outdoor pool, executive lounge and large meeting floors.
Check rates on Booking.comMelia Hanoi
A 306-room Spanish-run five-star tower with a large outdoor pool, The Level executive floors and one of the biggest ballrooms in the city.
Check rates on Booking.comMovenpick Hotel Hanoi Centre
A compact 154-room Swiss-brand hotel in a restored colonial-era building, known for its Mangosteen restaurant and daily chocolate hour.
Check rates on Booking.comInterContinental Hanoi Westlake
A resort-style five-star hotel whose over-water pavilion rooms are reached by timber causeways, with an infinity-edge pool and the Sunset Bar.
Check rates on Booking.comSheraton Hanoi Hotel
A low-rise lakeside hotel set in landscaped gardens, with an outdoor pool, the Hemispheres steakhouse and a long-running Sunday brunch.
Check rates on Booking.comPan Pacific Hanoi
A 20-storey hotel with water on both sides, a rooftop Summit Lounge and one of the best-known panoramic bars in Hanoi.
Check rates on Booking.comLotte Hotel Hanoi
Occupies floors 33 to 64 of the Lotte Center tower, with a glass-floored observation deck, a high-level indoor pool and the Top of Hanoi rooftop bar.
Check rates on Booking.comHanoi Daewoo Hotel
A long-established 411-room hotel with one of the largest outdoor hotel pools in Hanoi, extensive gardens and a notable collection of Vietnamese art.
Check rates on Booking.comJW Marriott Hotel Hanoi
A Carlos Zapata-designed hotel shaped like a coiled dragon and set around its own lake, regularly used for state visits and summits.
Check rates on Booking.comGrand Plaza Hanoi Hotel
A 618-room Korean-managed tower attached to a shopping podium, aimed at corporate travellers working in Cau Giay.
Check rates on Booking.comCrowne Plaza West Hanoi
A business hotel with attached serviced residences, an outdoor pool and large meeting floors close to My Dinh National Stadium.
Check rates on Booking.comDolce by Wyndham Hanoi Golden Lake
A 342-room hotel finished in gold leaf inside and out, including a gold-tiled rooftop infinity pool above Giang Vo Lake.
Check rates on Booking.comPullman Hanoi
A design-led 242-room Accor hotel with a heated outdoor pool, the Mint Bar and walking access to the Temple of Literature.
Check rates on Booking.comGrand Mercure Hanoi
A 181-room upscale Accor hotel with a rooftop pool and bar, opened as the group's first Grand Mercure in Vietnam.
Check rates on Booking.comFraser Suites Hanoi
A serviced-residence hotel of one- to three-bedroom apartments with full kitchens, favoured for longer stays near West Lake.
Check rates on Booking.comL7 West Lake Hanoi by LOTTE
A lifestyle hotel above Lotte Mall West Lake, with a rooftop pool and direct access to an aquarium, cinema and department store.
Check rates on Booking.comBest neighborhoods to stay
Choose your base based on your interests and travel style.
City Center
The heart of Hanoi with easy access to main attractions, restaurants, and transportation.
Best for: First-time visitors, short stays
Old Town
Traditional architecture and local character. Walking distance to historical sites and authentic dining.
Best for: Culture enthusiasts, photographers
Our top picks
Handpicked recommendations for every type of traveler.
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
Hanoi's 1901 colonial grande dame, split between the shuttered Historical Metropole Wing and the newer Opera Wing, with a garden pool courtyard and a preserved wartime bomb shelter beneath it.
Check rates on Booking.comCapella Hanoi
A 47-key opera-themed hotel designed by Bill Bensley, housing Auriga Spa, the Michelin-starred teppanyaki counter Hibana by Koki and the Backstage restaurant.
Check rates on Booking.comPeridot Grand Luxury Boutique Hotel
A 120-room five-star boutique property with three rooftop bars, a rooftop infinity pool and jewel-toned marble-and-brass interiors.
Check rates on Booking.comApricot Hotel
An art-themed five-star hotel hung with several hundred works by Vietnamese painters, with a rooftop pool and lake-facing rooms.
Check rates on Booking.comHotel de l'Opera Hanoi - MGallery
A theatrically designed MGallery property next to the Opera House, with jewel-coloured rooms, the Satine restaurant and the La Fee Verte absinthe bar.
Check rates on Booking.comHilton Hanoi Opera
A curved neoclassical business hotel built to echo the Opera House next door, with an outdoor pool, executive lounge and large meeting floors.
Check rates on Booking.comBooking tips
Get the best deals and avoid common mistakes.
Book six to eight weeks ahead for October, November and the days around Tet, when Old Quarter rates can double.
June to August is hot and wet and produces the deepest discounts outside Tet.
Rooms facing Old Quarter streets are loud from about 05:00, so a rear or upper-floor room is worth requesting at the time of booking.
Many small hotels quote lower rates for cash payment in VND and include Noi Bai airport pickup for stays of three nights or more; confirm any such arrangement in writing before arrival.
Vietnamese hotels must register every guest with the local police, so passports are collected at check-in and normally returned within the hour.
Alternative accommodations
Beyond traditional hotels, consider these options.
Guesthouses
Family-run guesthouses offer authentic local experiences and often include home-cooked meals. Great for cultural immersion.
Serviced apartments
Ideal for longer stays or families. Kitchen facilities help save money and provide flexibility.
Hostels
Budget-friendly option for solo travelers. Dorms and private rooms available with social common areas.