Hotel Name: Sophie Hotel.
Address: 2b Ngõ Thọ Xương, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, Vietnam.
I stayed at Sophie Hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam. I booked online at the rate of 408,319 VND ($16.83 USD) per night, and I booked it for its price and location in Hanoi.
The Sophie Hotel is located in the alleys near the Hanoi Cathedral in Hoan Kiem District. These alleys are a popular area for backpackers, and it is a quieter area than the backpacker area in the old quarter.
[Map of Sophie Hotel in Hanoi.]
For this reason I place this area as one of the best areas to stay in Hanoi for backpackers.
The hotel is in the corner of an L-shaped alley, and it bustles with street markets and restaurants that overflow onto the street with their little seats in the evening.
Despite the small alley, the hotel is easy to find and not so deep in the alley that you risk getting lost.
I was checked in by the friendly lady who is the owner-operator of the hotel.
It’s a small hotel so there is no lift. I liked the wallpaper and paintings an the wall. It was like being in someones house.
I got a double room which was surprisingly large considering that the building is shoehorned into a alley.
The bed was comfortable, so that was all I needed.
There was a little desk in the room, but I just stayed on my bed most of the time. There is free wifi in the hotel and I had a good connection in my room.
A nice decorative touch to have some vintage photos of Hanoi on the wall.
The bathroom was the typical Southeast Asia-style bathroom with the shower and toilet in the same room. One thing I have noticed about Hanoi is there are more places with central hot water, and not the instant hot water units that you see in Saigon. The odd thing about this shower was that the shower hose was plumbed to the tap on the sink, which was slightly annoying.
I booked a room with a window, but I knew this hotel was in an alley so I had no idea what to expect. The window faced the side alley, so there was no view but at least I had natural light. The rooms at the front of the building face the alley so they have more of a view.
I was about to book a Grab Taxi to go to the airport and the owner said she could call her driver to take me to the airport at a cheaper rate. She tried to call him but he was busy. I should have booked in advance, so it is always good to ask these things. She can also help in arranging tours and onward travel.
The hotel is off Ngo Huyen, which is one of the main budget hotel alleys in Hanoi. There are many travel agents in this area so it is useful if you are planning travel.
Overall this is was a good place to stay if you are on a budget and are just looking for a checp private room. The hotel is showing its age but it was good enough.
Check the Sophie Hotel online, or search for more hotels in Hanoi.
I was already staying in Hanoi before I arrived here at the Bluebell Hotel, which is around the corner from the Sophie Hotel.