Vietnam Backpacker Hostels - Downtown

Vietnam Backpacker Hostels - Downtown sits at 9 Ma May Street in Hoan Kiem District, in the heart of Hanoi's Old Quarter. Ma May is known as the quarter's nightlife street, lined with bars, cafes, street-food stalls and small guesthouses, so the hostel is in the middle of the area's busiest evening scene. Hoan Kiem Lake is a short walk to the south, and the Dong Xuan Market, the Old Quarter's main covered market, lies a few minutes to the north. The Old Quarter is compact and walkable, with cyclos, motorbike taxis and ride-hailing cars available for longer trips to the Temple of Literature, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex or Hanoi railway station.

The property is the original Hanoi branch of one of the best-known backpacker hostel chains in Vietnam, and it has a social, youth-oriented character rather than a quiet boutique feel. It occupies a narrow Old Quarter-style building, as is typical of the neighbourhood, with common areas stacked vertically and a rooftop bar at the top that serves as the main meeting point for guests.

Accommodation covers mixed dormitories, a female-only dormitory, and private double and twin rooms, which makes the hostel suitable for solo travellers, groups of friends and budget couples. Rates run from roughly 200,000 to 700,000 VND (about $8 to $27) per night depending on room type and season. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, laundry service and luggage storage, which is useful for guests arriving early or leaving on late trains and buses.

Dining is centred on the on-site restaurant and the rooftop bar, which serve Vietnamese and Western backpacker staples at low prices. Beyond the hostel, Ma May and the neighbouring streets offer bia hoi corners, pho and bun cha shops and banh mi vendors within a minute or two on foot.

The hostel is organised around events. Nightly activities such as group dinners, drinking games and pub-style outings are a large part of the appeal, and guests who want a quieter stay should consider a private room and be prepared for late-evening noise from both the hostel and the street. There is no spa or pool; the facilities are the rooftop, the bar and the common spaces.

Service is geared to independent travellers. A tour desk arranges Ha Long Bay cruises, Sapa and Ninh Binh trips, and motorbike loops through the north, run by the chain's in-house tour operation, as well as onward bus and train tickets. Staff generally speak conversational English. For visitors to Vietnam on a tight budget who want to meet other travellers in central Hanoi, the property is one of the more established options in the Old Quarter.