iRest Orange Tay Ho Lakeside Apartment

The neighborhood was quiet and pleasant, with nice places for coffee and breakfast nearby, so my first morning in Hanoi was lovely. I enjoyed the area enough that I changed the rest of my stay to an apartment. I’ll definitely return to iRest Orange next time I’m in Hanoi. This was my first time choosing an apartment over a hotel there, and I was a little doubtful when the Agoda pictures seemed almost too good to be true. But the place was just as pictured, clean, comfortable, and welcoming. I was worn out from a long flight with a transit, and arriving here made me feel better right away. The owner was easy to reach through Agoda messages, and being able to contact them on WhatsApp made it simple to update my arrival time. The security guard was very friendly, though he didn’t speak much English. Check-in went smoothly, and he showed me how to use the main entrance to come and go. Highly recommended!

The decor was cute, but once we got inside, a strong sewage smell filled the apartment. There were mold patches on the bedroom wall and curtains, mold on the air conditioning unit, and black mold in the shower grout. The toilet was also leaking onto the bathroom floor. This was supposed to be a place to rest before our next flight, but it wasn’t at all what we expected from the photos and reviews. Since I’m immune compromised, we cut our losses and moved to a hotel we knew was clean and safe. This was the only hotel we left during our time in Vietnam. We told management what we’d found. They seemed confused and said they’d inspect the room. About an hour later, they messaged to say the mold was "paint peeling," that there was no smell, and that the toilet wasn’t leaking. I’d planned to skip writing a review because I know this is how they earn a living, but dismissing guests instead of taking responsibility and fixing the problems is beyond frustrating. Do better. Le Jardin Hotel & Spa saved the day and went above and beyond for us.

The place was exactly like the photos, maybe even better, and our room had lovely views. It’s in a relaxed area, away from the crowds of the Old Quarter, but only about 10 minutes away by Grab. The apartment was properly spacious too, unlike the small studios I’d stayed in at other hotels in Vietnam. We spent two weeks here, and by the last day my boyfriend and I were so sad to leave. The staff were attentive, incredibly nice, and welcoming, and they made our stay better just by being so friendly. Housekeeping was reliable, with fresh towels and sheets and everything restocked whenever we came back. When I’m back in Hanoi, this is the only place I want to stay. Can’t wait to visit again!

The rooms look like the pictures, with plenty of space, a usable kitchen, and everything you need. It was quiet enough, and the staff were friendly and helpful. They can clean the room daily if you need it. There was some karaoke by the lake at night, but fortunately it stopped by 10pm. The sign is small, so it’s easy to walk past. To get into town, I’d use GRAB. The public bus stop is a bit of a walk away, and the stops are in odd places with heavy traffic and lots of fumes. GRAB is probably the best option from the airport all the way to the hotel.