AncyrA TamTam Hotel by Continent - Near Hoan Kiem Lake

For my first trip to Hanoi, the location was perfect. Hoan Kiem lake was a five-minute walk away, with beer street right behind, so it’s right in the city center. The staff were very friendly. They helped with my heavy luggage, then patiently booked me a taxi to Ha Long Bay when I left. My room could have been cleaner, but it was very cheap, around €20-€30 a night, so you shouldn’t expect too much at that price. Thanks for having me on my first visit to Vietnam 🤗

The location is the one thing this place has going for it, right in the Old Quarter. Hanoi has hundreds of hotels in the same area that make more of an effort. After three months traveling around Southeast Asia and staying everywhere from budget hostels to lovely homestays, this was easily the worst place I’ve stayed. The staff mostly seemed asleep at the desk, busy on their phones, or uninterested. There were no greetings, eye contact, or acknowledgment. Even checking in felt like I was bothering them, despite having paid for a room. I had medication that needed to stay cold. Other places had handled that kindly without any issue, but here I was basically left to figure it out myself. I know it was my responsibility, but the lack of basic courtesy and willingness to help surprised me. We left a day early because we’d had enough. Nobody asked why, showed concern, or even said goodbye. Hanoi has plenty of warm, welcoming people in hospitality, but this place felt like the opposite. It almost seemed like an experiment in how little effort a hotel can make before guests give up and leave.

I couldn’t rest properly because the room had poor soundproofing and I could clearly hear traffic outside day and night. The bathroom had such a strong sewage smell that I could only stay in there briefly. Housekeeping was careless too. The table hadn’t been cleaned properly, and the bed smelled unpleasant. The room didn’t feel clean or comfortable. I’ve stayed at many hotels in Hanoi, but this was by far my worst experience. I don’t recommend it to anyone who cares about cleanliness, comfort, or basic hygiene.

The room smelled unpleasant and was dirty, with cockroaches around. They didn’t provide complimentary water and charged 10,000 VND for a 500 ml bottle. Sometimes the air conditioning didn’t work properly either. The only good thing was being right in the Old Quarter. It was a poor stay, and I think there are much better places in the same price range.