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Overview of The Hanoi Old Quarter
Hanoi Old Quarter, made up of 76 streets (not 36 like people normally say), is located in the central area of the city – Hoan Kiem District. It is not only a place where many Vietnamese generations gather but it also stands as a testimony to the traditional Vietnam that retains its own pace in the midst of the outside buzzing world.
I believe there are three main types of travelers in Hanoi Old Quarter: nature lovers, food addicts, and history buffs. Close your eyes, and ask yourself “Which one am I?” Accept your new traveling name and take a stroll with me to see where you should stay!
Best Area for Nature Lovers in Hanoi Old Quarter
Hoan Kiem Lake – Lake of Returning Sword
Hoan Kiem Lake, the heart of the Hanoi capital, is where nature lovers should look to stay. This lake is not only as pretty as a picture but it’s also connected to the spiritual history of Hanoi. The name “Hoan Kiem” was born in the early 15th century and is associated with the legendary story of King Le Loi returning the precious sword to the god turtle.
According to the myth, while King Le Loi was roaming in his boat with his assistants, a golden turtle suddenly appeared and demanded that the king return the sword that Long Vuong (Long: Dragon; Vuong: King) lent him to fight against the Minh invaders. The king then returned the sword to the turtle and it disappeared. The name of the lake was changed to Hoan Kiem thereafter.
The lake is also the name of a central district of Hanoi (Hoan Kiem District). If you stay close to this lake, you will save time to visit more enchanting attractions such as Ngoc Son Temple or The Huc Bridge, since it is close to many landmarks of the city.
Five-Star Hotel: Apricot Hotel
Apricot is a marvelous hotel that took eight years to build. Located steps away from the city’s iconic Hoan Kiem Lake, it pays homage to Vietnam’s finest artists by showcasing original artwork. Decorated in neo-classical design with artistic Vietnamese touches, its rooms exude luxury in an inviting and intimate atmosphere. Apricot takes guests on an artistic journey with meticulous attention to detail where seamless service comes together in a harmonious mosaic of local flavors.
Apricot Hotel is 300 meters from Thang Long Water Puppet Theater and St. Joseph Cathedral. Noi Bai International Airport is approximately 21 kilometers away. Car rentals, ticketing services, and tour excursions are also available. Guests who wish for a quiet moment can explore the hotel’s library located on the 9th floor.
More information
Address: 136 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Price Range: 150 USD – 723 USD
Booking Link: Apricot Hotel
Four-Star Hotel: Hanoi Pearl Hotel
Hanoi Pearl Hotel is the premier and easy-on-the-eyes boutique hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter. Visitors are introduced to the superior craftsmanship of the property beginning with the lobby’s exquisite terrazzo floor, a clear indication of the attention to detail and artistry that went into the design of this hotel.
Located in the heart of Hanoi Old Quarter, Hanoi Pearl Hotel is conveniently a minute’s walk to the renowned Hoan Kiem Lake. The hotel is just a three-minute walk to St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Ngoc Son Temple, and Thang Long Water Puppet Theater. The famous Dong Xuan Market is accessible with a ten-minute walk, while Noi Bai International Airport is 30 kilometers away.
More information
Address: Number 6 – Bao Khanh Lane, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Price Range: 130 USD – 215 USD
Booking Link: Hanoi Pearl Hotel
Three-Star Hotel: Noble Boutique Hotel Hanoi
Noble Boutique Hotel stands in the heart of Hanoi’s energetic and historic Old Quarter. It’s designed with luxurious details, natural light, exquisite ambiance, and sophisticated linens. Although situated in the middle of the busy Hang Gai Street, your room creates a very relaxing and peaceful feeling.
This hotel is 400 meters from Hoan Kiem Lake and a ten-minute walk from the Hanoi Opera House. The hotel is a five-minute walk from the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, Dong Xuan Market, and food street. Ngoc Son Temple is 300 meters away, while Noi Bai International Airport is 21 kilometers away.
More information
Address: 98 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Price Range: 60 USD – 143 USD
Booking Link: Noble Boutique Hotel
Two-Star Hotel: King Ly Hotel
King Ly Hotel is newly renovated with nice embellishments and new modern facilities. Each room is decorated with antique wood furniture and wood floors. Located along a quiet street in the Old Quarter, King Ly Hotel is a two-minute walk from Hoan Kiem Lake and Thang Long Water Puppet Theater, and a five-minute walk from Hanoi’s famous Opera House. It is only one kilometer from Dong Xuan Market.
The hotel provides car, motorbike, and bicycle rental, as well as visa services. Laundry and currency exchange are also available. Buffet breakfast is served at the hotel. City views accompany meals and drinks at the restaurant and bar. More dining options are just a stroll away!
More information
Address: 8 Ly Thai To Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Price Range: 30 USD – 48 USD
Booking Link: King Ly Hotel
Hostel: Momento Boutique Hostel
Momento Boutique Hostel has only four rooms and each room is decorated in a distinctive look of a specific region of Vietnam. One room helps you blend into charming Hoi An, other lets you wander through 90s Hanoi, or you can even immerse yourself in the magnificent Sapa. The most special room is the fourth one. It’s on the highest floor and called “Garden room on the rooftop” because it has a variety of green plants and beautiful flowers. Standing on the balcony, you will find sweeping views of authentic Hanoi.
This homestay is really close to Hoan Kiem lake, a short eight-minute stroll away.
More information
Address: 48A Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Price Range: 21 USD – 48 USD
Best Area for Foodies in Hanoi Old Quarter
Dong Xuan Market
Do you always feel like you’re starving to death and want to gobble up as many dishes as possible? You don’t have enough patience to visit different food stores in different locations? Stay in Dong Xuan, the biggest traditional market in Hanoi Old Quarter and it will surely satisfy your food needs! Dong Xuan Market is a paradise where delicious, mouth-watering, and jaw-dropping Vietnamese dishes are displayed and freshly cooked. When you arrive, please pay 100% of attention to your wallet, because it may disappear along with the space in your stomach!
Three-Star Hotel: The Hanoian Hotel
The Hanoian Hotel will make you feel at home! Retreat from the bubbling energy and buzz of the city streets to the cool peace and quiet of your room. The decor features black, charcoal, and grays contrasting with shades of white. Guestrooms have skylights, inviting natural light and fresh air into circulation as you relax. Rooms on the higher floors have good views overlooking Hanoi’s Old Quarter.
The Hanoian Hotel is just a three-minute walk from Dong Xuan Market and the weekend night market. It’s a ten-minute walk from Hoan Kiem Lake, the famous Water Puppet Theater, and a 15-minute walk from Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Noi Bai International Airport is a 40-minute drive away, while Hanoi Train Station is two kilometers away.
More information
Address: 42 Hang Cot Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Price Range: 75 USD – 100 USD
Booking Link: The Hanoian Hotel
Two-Star Hotel: An Hotel
An Hotel is a cozy accommodation that makes you feel at peace with just their slogan: “You deserve a nice bed tonight.” It’s exactly what you expect for a room with this price: clean, basic furniture, and good value with good wifi. The hotel also serves continental breakfast, and its in-house restaurant opens up to panoramic views of the Old Quarter.
Dong Xuan Market is 200 meters from An Hotel, meanwhile, the Old City Gate is 500 meters and Beer Street Ta Hien is 800 meters from the property. It is an eight-minute walk from Hoan Kiem Lake and Hanoi Opera House, three kilometers from the History Museum and Ho Chi Minh Museum while The Temple of Literature is five kilometers away. Noi Bai International Airport is the usual 20 kilometers from the hotel.
More information
Address: 10 Hang Giay, Dong Xuan, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi
Price Range: 27.0 USD – 42.5 USD
Booking Link: An Hotel
Best Area for History Buffs
Old City Gate (O Quan Chuong) and Bach Ma Temple
The Old City Gate (O Quan Chuong), which was built nearly 300 years ago, is the only gate out of five main gates that survived to this day. It is not only the sole city gate of Hanoi that remains to have survived wars and time but it also stands as a testament to the strong vitality of this country and our capital.
Bach Ma is an ancient temple which was built in the ninth century. It is also one of the four sacred temples that once protected the Thang Long Imperial Citadel (Thang Long was the name of Hanoi a thousand years ago). The temple still preserves many cultural features of the elegant and civilized Hanoi.
Spending your time wandering around The Old City Gate and Bach Ma Temple will help you acquire knowledge of the ancient Hanoi as well as the Vietnamese culture.
Four-Star Hotel: MK Premier Boutique hotel
MK Premier Hotel combines traditional culture and modern design to deliver an unexpected experience of Hanoi. Ideally located in the heart of the beautiful and historic Old Quarter, MK Premier Hotel offers an atmosphere that is at once refined, and at the same time reminisces and inspires traditional Vietnamese style and old world sophistication.
The Old City Gate is 200 meters from MK Premier Boutique Hotel, while Dong Xuan Market is 300 meters from the property. The nearest airport is Noibai International Airport, 21 kilometers from the property. The hotel offers airport transfers at an additional cost.
More information
Address: 72 – 74 Hang Buom Street, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi
Price Range: 84 USD – 117 USD
Booking Link: MK Premier Boutique Hotel
Three-Star Hotel: Splendid Boutique Hotel
One thing that travelers love about Splendid Boutique Hotel is that it has a variety of rooms that’ll please even the pickiest guests! One room, where daylight reaches dimly, is suitable for guests who need a day’s sleep after a long flight, or for those of you who are not used to the new time zone. Meanwhile, the Deluxe Rooms receive the most sunlight from its large windows. The Deluxe Rooms are for travelers fond of the early pure dawn and the tranquility of the sunset.
This property is a three-minute walk from Dong Xuan Market, an eight-minute walk from Thang Long Water Puppet Theater, and 700 meters from Ngoc Son Temple. Hoan Kiem Lake is one kilometer from Splendid Boutique Hotel, while St. Joseph Cathedral is one kilometer from the property. Noi Bai International Airport is 20 kilometers away.
More information
Address: 13 Hang Chieu Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Vietnam
Price Range: 35 USD – 140 USD
Booking Link: Splendid Boutique Hotel
Essence d’Orient Hotel & Spa
Essence d’Orient Hotel & Spa is a stunning hotel that will take you by surprise with its elegant architecture! Located right in the famous expat area, Ta Hien Street, this hotel is a convenient option if you want to visit the entire old town during the day and make friends with other travelers at night. The hotel offers access to a vast array of services, including 24-hour room service, free Wi-Fi in all rooms, 24-hour front desk service, and even facilities for disabled guests. And, if you feel a little bit tired after a hot day, why not bring the heat by taking a dip in their hot tub
More information
Address: 22A Ta Hien Street, Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Price Range: 1,211,000 VND – 2,633,000 VND (52 USD – 114 USD)
Two-Star Hotel: V Hostel
“You get what you paid for” is NOT accurate when booking with V Hostel. Although the price is cheap, the hotel rooms are clean and not musty at all (which you can sometimes get in a tropical place like Vietnam)! The bathroom is big, airy, and generous, and although there is only one on each floor, it’s still one of the highlights after returning from a full day in bustling Hanoi.
The Old City Gate is a three-minute walk from V Hostel. It’s 20 kilometers away from the airport.
More information
Address: 09 Ngo Gach, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi
Price Range: 35 USD – 140 USD
Booking.com Rating: 8.9/10
Booking Link: V Hostel
It usually takes over half an hour to reach The Old Quarter from Noi Bai Airport, not to mention any taxi scams that might downgrade your experience. If you are feeling a little uneasy about transportation in this city, we have a comprehensive guide here for you. Worrying about catching a good taxi from the airport? Take a look at Klook!
Now you have a place to stay in Hanoi – the stunning capital of Vietnam. Let’s start a brand new day with something tasty to eat! After you finish exploring the Hanoi Old Quarter, your trip is NOT OVER! Let’s try some other cool activities:
Must-Visit Traditional Handicraft Villages Around Hanoi
Hanoi After Dark: The Ultimate Guide to Nightlife in Hanoi
If you enjoyed reading this article and would like some more fun info about what to see, do, and eat (and a bunch of interesting cafes!) in Vietnam, follow us at the 4U Trip!
