Hanoi Fantasea Hotel

The rooms are a bit cramped, and the stairs are narrow with no elevator, so keep that in mind when choosing this hostel. Still, it was budget friendly and good value. The room had a bathroom heater, AC, a fan, closet, grooming kit, slippers, and teacups. Cards are accepted. The desk attendant can manage basic English conversation. We arrived eight hours before normal check-in and could get in early for a reasonable fee.

The staff were really nice and helpful, and even kept our luggage for a couple of days. It’s very centrally located, close to lots of tourist spots and restaurants. Good value for the price.

For the room, I’d give 2 stars. The AC didn’t really cool things down, though there was a wall fan. The bed was fine, but the paint on the walls was dirty and peeling. The restroom was spacious, but there was no body wash. We didn’t ask for any since we were only staying a few hours. Service gets 3 stars because Agoda said there was 24-hour reception, but when we arrived at 4am the reception was closed. We knocked on the glass door, and the receptionist woke up in the back office. Affordability gets 5 stars. We booked at 4am after arriving from SAPA on an overnight bus.

Our room was huge, with old-school French windows. The bathroom was clean, the toilet had a bidet, the water pressure was good, and the bed was comfortable. The closet made noises, so I think they could replace it with an open rack or some hanging knobs. We stayed three days at the start of a planned two-month East Asia trip, and the price worked for our budget. The location is great, near cafes and restaurants and just a short walk from train street. Three blocks down it’s less noisy and chaotic. On the third floor we heard faint music and some honking at night until 8pm. We carried our own bags up the narrow, steep stairs, which is part of the experience in Hanoi buildings, and this isn’t a full-service hotel. The staff always greeted us, and one person told us where to park our motorcycle safely overnight. We got what we needed for the price.