Halong Park Hotel

Breakfast was a highlight for me, especially the seafood pho. We were there over Lunar New Year and it was peaceful, and the location across a lovely park made it easy to walk to many attractions. Our room was a good size for three, with an ensuite, and felt safe, clean, and comfortable. They provide a toothbrush, a tiny toothpaste, cotton buds, a shower cap, and a comb at no charge; other items cost extra. The staff were excellent, professional and polite, knew the area, and helped book tours. The only reason I didn’t give five stars was the location of Room 604, which isn’t the hotel’s fault. A karaoke place was just a stone’s throw away, and the singing got louder over our six days. Closing the windows helped, but we could still hear it at 10pm and 6am.

The staff were a big help arranging a Ha Long bay boat trip, and the hotel’s one day tour cost $33 each and was very good. We also got a free room upgrade when we arrived. For the price, it’s a really nice place: our room was clean, nothing was broken, and there were no exposed electrics, which we’d seen in many hotels in Vietnam. It’s a little away from the main city, but about a 5 minute walk across the park gets you to a large mall, with a big supermarket and good restaurants on the top floor. The entrance to poem mountain is also fairly close, around a 20 minute walk, and has the best view of ha long bay. Google it!

The room kept smelling of old smoke whenever we returned, and the shower had a sewer odor. The hotel also felt isolated, with few nearby restaurants that cater to tourists. You can see a few islands, but I don’t understand the positive location reviews. Breakfast choices were very limited, so I’d suggest staying in the city. We tried to book a cruise and negotiate the price because we knew they charge almost double the usual rate, but they wouldn’t agree. Our room wasn’t cleaned one day. There’s no “do not disturb” sign, and on the days it was cleaned, loud knocking echoed down the corridor and into our room. The host spoke quite good English.

The twin room had plenty of space for the two of us, and everything was clean, including the toilet. We liked the area and the view, with cafes and Vincom shopping mall about a 10 minute walk away. Reception service was great and breakfast was okay. I’d absolutely recommend it and hope to stay again.