Hotel Name: Hoan Kiem Hostel
Address: 9 Hai Tuong Lane, Ta Hien Street, Hoan Kiem, Old Quarter, Hanoi, Vietnam
I stayed at the Hoan Kiem Hostel in Hanoi. I was looking for a cheapo place to stay in the old city area, and at $11 a night, this was about as cheap as it gets.
The Hoan Kiem Hostel is not far from the lake and it is next to the backpacker beer street which is a big pedestrian area at night. The guesthouse/hostel is in a little alley off Ta Hien Street. This is the main backpacker hostel area in Hanoi.
I got a friendly welcome at the reception, and downstairs they have information about travel in and around Hanoi.
I got a double room with a private bathroom. I had a window that looked out into a narrow alley, which I didn’t mind – as long as there is a window.
My bed was soft but is was saggy in places, so I felt like I was sleeping on a hilly incline.
The room was spacious and I had a good internet reception in my room. There was a faint smell of something not quite right in the room though, and the sheets also smelled of fake fabric freshener which was annoying.
The bathroom was in a bad state. There was a smell which I couldn’t work out where it was coming from. Initially, I thought is was from the drain, but then I realised that half of the floor tiles were loose so water was getting in under the tiles. Who knows what things were going on there? That alone was a turn-off for going to the bathroom.
Overall this place is only ok if you are a budget backpacker looking for a cheap room. The guesthouse is now at a point where they need a renovation and I wouldn’t recommend staying here.
For other recommendations in Hanoi check out Hanoi Asia Guest House or Tung Trang Hotel.
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