Amara Hanoi Hotel

The room was a bait-and-switch. We booked through Agoda for a double bed and a single bed, as shown in the photos, but got a tiny, rock-hard folding cot for our third guest. We paid extra for three people, and when we complained, the manager just said there were no other rooms and gave no apology. Getting in was also a struggle because parked motorcycles and a van completely blocked the entrance, so we had to carry our luggage on our shoulders through the door. The on-duty manager, Max, seemed aggressive whenever we asked for anything extra, including late check-in and transfers. He quoted everything in US dollars instead of Vietnamese dong, and we were quietly pushed to pay cash to avoid a 3% credit card fee on top of the other charges. The bathroom was dirty, the hallway was noisy through paper-thin walls, and the lobby was tracked with mud. The hotel is in the middle of a chaotic tourist trap area, which added to the stress. For the room, service, and facilities, it was severely overpriced. I wouldn't recommend it or return.

The hotel is right in the busy center of the Old Quarter, so we could walk to the night market, Uniqlo, the lake, Trang Tien Plaza, and other places, or take a Grab for a few minutes. Max, the customer service agent, was very helpful and keen to assist even before we arrived. The room felt quite small for a family room. Cleaning and tidiness weren't up to the usual hotel standard, and staff weren't readily available, especially at night. They were generous with water, though. The hotel seemed short-staffed, particularly in the restaurant. One guy handled breakfast each morning, with only two staff helping in the kitchen. I salute him for being proactive and remembering all our orders and requests. He deserves a raise or another person to help him.

The rooms we got were so different from the photos that we left and arranged the refunds and price difference directly with Agoda. We had booked a family deluxe room, and my friend had paid for a bigger room but got a broken extra bed almost on the floor. The Agoda listing said 30 sqm, but the room felt much smaller. When we raised it, the manager said it was what we'd booked and blamed Agoda for not updating the photos they had sent. He argued that the hotel had been renovated and other customers were 'okay' with it. I don't see how that counts as proper customer service. Before the trip, this same manager had offered Sapa to Hanoi transport and return in USD. Later, we asked about checkout at 3 p.m. and were quoted 650k ($25); the next day, extending to 4 p.m. was 850k ($35). The room itself cost $50. When I offered to pay by card, staff said there'd be a 5% bank charge, so I declined because it would have cost almost as much as another night. Just before we left at 3 p.m., I heard the manager tell other guests checking in to cancel their Agoda booking and transact directly with the hotel to waive that 5% charge. That's when I decided this place was a sham, with transport offered in USD, unstructured bank and extra charges, and a focus on sales over guest experience. The towels were from APA hotel, White Lotus, and others. The photos and actual rooms were far apart, and the experience means I can't recommend it. If this review is taken down, I'll keep a copy and report it to Google. Being sales-driven is understandable, but greed shouldn't make customers suffer. Most Google reviews in VN seem fake and like a scam to me.

We were traveling with our 1-year-old, and the room felt cramped, with too much furniture and hardly any open floor space. When I politely mentioned it at the front desk, the response came across as sarcastic. Staff also seemed indifferent at times, even failing to return simple greetings at the entrance. At breakfast, my wife asked where she could get a glass for juice, and staff just pointed and told her to get it herself. Then at checkout, we asked for help coordinating our Grab pickup but were directed to the wrong place. With our bags and baby, I had to run back and forth across the street to find the driver, and nobody offered to help with the luggage. It made what should have been an easy last day of the trip stressful. Our stay at Amara Hanoi Hotel was disappointing, especially after the excellent hospitality we'd had at Beryl Palace Hotel and Spa and Grand Pioneers Cruise during our Vietnam trip.