Hanoi Gravita Hotel

The bed was comfortable, but that was the main upside. Our room got cold in winter because the AC kept blowing cold air even when set to 30 degrees. There was a rotten-food smell, especially in the bathroom, though running the fan for a few hours mostly cleared it. Hot water lasted less than five minutes, and the bathroom felt dim and a bit dirty, with a door that didn't work. Breakfast was average for the price: the noodle soup on the menu wasn't available, and the cooked food was cold. Staff were fairly friendly, but seemed focused on selling us a bus trip with poor online reviews, as if commission mattered more than our experience. There’s no lift, which was inconvenient with our room on the fifth floor. For the same price, I’d choose Hanoi Era Hotel or King Diamond Hotel down the street.

We stayed three nights and felt it was good value. The room was clean, the bed softer than most we'd had in Vietnam, and the street-facing windows were nice, though the honking got noisy at night. Staff were friendly and the Wi-Fi worked well. Breakfast was okay, with good bread, fruit, eggs made to order, and fried rice with a strange taste. The hot water was the letdown, it wasn't working properly.

They let us leave our luggage for a whole week at no charge, and the staff were very accommodating. The reception being inside a tailor shop was amusing. It’s a good-value hotel in the old quarter, but the nightclub next door gets extremely loud at night, so light sleepers may want to stay elsewhere.

The location puts you right in the old town, with easy access to the things to see in Hanoi. For a short visit, it’s handy to have English-speaking staff who can help with choices for tours around Vietnam, food, and places to visit. The room was clean and quiet despite the noisy surroundings. One thing to keep in mind: there’s no elevator, so getting up to the rooms may be difficult for some. The reception staff were very helpful with our luggage. I’d recommend staying here.