Hanoi La Castela Hotel

Manager Vy made a special effort to keep our stay comfortable and memorable. She was welcoming, quick to respond, and accommodating with our requests. We especially appreciated that the hotel prepared breakfast for us to take along on our early morning trip to Ninh Binh. Everyone on the team was friendly, professional, and ready to help from the moment we arrived. Their care made our Hanoi visit much more enjoyable than we expected. We'd happily stay at Hanoi La Castela Hotel again, and recommend it to anyone visiting Hanoi for the attentive service and hospitality.

There were some real positives: the staff were approachable and helpful, and housekeeping was trustworthy. My friend left a new phone in the room while we were out, and it was still there. The location was convenient for a convenience store and restaurants, including Hanoi garden. Staff also reserved a table at the restaurant opposite and arranged our airport transport perfectly. Breakfast was fine, with our choice of egg and pho. But we arrived at 4:30 pm on 31st Dec and were told the triple room was overbooked for the first night, despite having booked more than two months ahead. They proposed that three of us share two super single beds pushed together, then offered an extra bed after we refused. With other hotels full, we had little choice but to accept it. The hotel has only about 10 to 15 rooms, so the overbooking was hard to believe. I'd read other accounts of Hanoi Old Quarter hotels switching tourists to a different hotel at check-in, and this experience really hurt my first impression of Hanoi.

Rain at reception was a big help. We checked in at 1:30AM, and after checking out he let us wait in the lobby for our ride to Sa Pa, use the toilet, and eat in the mini restaurant area. He even called HKBuslines to find out where our transport was. That kind of service made our stay. Breakfast was okay, though the choices were limited. The hotel is small and looks a bit old, so it could use some renovation. Our room, though, was spacious, the bed comfortable, the shower and water flow were fine, and it had a bidet. The location is very handy for walking around Hanoi. We had a great stay.

The breakfast experience was a major disappointment. There was very little variety, and most items had to be ordered rather than being ready to take. Service felt deliberately slow: when we ordered several things, only some arrived. Even cake and fried rice weren't replenished, and staff said they were finished for the day. We booked two city-view Junior Suite Rooms for four nights, expecting something comfortable and premium. Instead, they were the smallest junior suites we've encountered, and one had no promised city view. We had specified rooms no higher than the 6th floor because the lift only goes that far, but we were assigned rooms on the 7th and 8th. The only alternative offered was a paid upgrade at a steep extra cost. Both rooms smelled strongly unpleasant and felt damp, as if they hadn't been aired or used properly in a long time. We repeatedly raised the issue and asked to change rooms, but staff didn't take our concerns seriously. The service overall felt indifferent and very commercial, with little care for guest comfort. This fell short of even basic expectations for a hotel selling junior suites, and was the worst hotel experience we've had. I'd advise travelers to think carefully before booking.