J'adore Apartment

We stayed six nights in a quiet area, away from the old quarter, which I'd recommend if that's what you're looking for. Lotte mart is an easy walk, and there are plenty of cafes and some restaurants around. The old quarter is about a 15-minute car ride, so it's not too far. The place looked a little run down compared with the pictures, but for the reasonable price it was still fine. The owner was kind, brought us plenty of water each day, and was helpful. A couple of things could be better. The plumbing under the kitchen sink and bathroom basin seemed to need repairs, and the smell was noticeable. The cleaner could also be friendlier. I know it's her job, but her manner could come across as unwelcoming to guests.

I booked five nights at J’ADORE APARTMENT (4 NGO 9, LIEU GIAI STREET, HANOI), but left immediately after checking in at 2 a.m. I accepted losing the other four nights because Agoda doesn't refund. It cost me money and made for a bitter experience in the middle of Hanoi. The room had a horrible damp, moldy smell, and even air freshener didn't stop it clinging to my things. I reported it to the host right away and got no response. When I followed up the next morning, she gave vague excuses and showed no interest in fixing it. In person, she was openly hostile and blamed me instead. She mocked me with comments like, “IF YOU FEEL SO UNCOMFORTABLE, THEN WHY BOTHER STAYING ANOTHER NIGHT OR TWO? WHY DON’T YOU JUST MOVE OUT RIGHT AWAY?” and “THAT MOTORBIKE IS YOURS, LOCK IT YOURSELF, I WON’T TAKE CARE OF IT.” It felt like she was kicking me out, and I felt completely unsafe. Her arrogant, disrespectful attitude was unbearable. Don't be fooled by the nice pictures. Think carefully before booking. The host's behavior matters, and hers was unacceptable.

I don't give negative reviews lightly, but this host scammed me out of roughly 64 Euros and ruined a big part of my time in Hanoi. I hope this helps others avoid the same experience. Like another reviewer said, I believe this host is scamming guests. The first room I got wasn't the one I'd booked. They called the change an “upgrade,” but it faced a brick wall and had no natural light. I'd specifically booked a “garden view” room, and all the photos showed natural light, so this was plainly a downgrade. When I raised it immediately, the host blamed Agoda, saying they could only list “garden view” and couldn't change it. I believe that was the first lie, since other properties seem able to address this without trouble. They offered a move the following day to a room with light, but it still wasn't the one I'd originally booked, and at first they wanted extra money. After I discussed it with them, they agreed not to charge more and seemed visibly annoyed. I wanted to leave then, but the owner pressed me to stay and promised a full refund if I wasn't satisfied the next day. I regret not leaving and contacting Agoda right away. I did change rooms, and the second one had light. From what I saw, only about half the rooms have light, even though all are advertised that way, so consider that when booking. Neither room was properly cleaned. There was dust, food splatter left on cutlery and dishes, hair on the couch and bed, suspicious splatters on the toilet, and more. I overlooked the first room because I expected to move the next day and hoped it was a one-off mistake, but the second room was the same, if anything worse. It also had a half-eaten ramen packet, half-smoked cigarettes, and a dusty pad. I asked them to clean properly. When I came back, the dirt and previous guests' trash were still there; they'd only emptied the bin. By then it was evening. I messaged the owner, who ignored me for a while before knocking at 10 p.m. to discuss the issue and wanting to come inside. I declined because I felt really uncomfortable. When I asked about the promised refund if I checked out the next morning, she assured me again I'd be refunded for leaving early. I hadn't felt comfortable there at any point, so I decided to leave the next day expecting a refund for the four remaining nights. Throughout this, they weren't really apologetic and seemed annoyed with me. I stayed respectful and rational. They avoided dealing with me directly but acted “polite” while promising a partial refund. I think they were just trying to get rid of me while keeping my money. After I left, I contacted Agoda about the refund and was told it wasn't possible because the host wasn't cooperating. Then came a back and forth: I explained what happened and sent photos and screenshots of messages. The host also contacted Agoda, sending what I believe were staged photos and making claims I say were lies, including that I had been “upgraded,” that I had a different room than the one I was actually in, and that it was too late to cancel or refund and I should have known that. They also claimed they'd cleaned the room multiple times. Agoda then pointed to the cancellation policy and said they could only refund me with the host's cooperation, which they wouldn't give. Save your money, time, and peace, and don't go here. They were dishonest.

The balcony and the big bed with extra pillows made this stay a favorite of ours in Vietnam, out of the six places we tried. I also loved having free drinking water, YouTube Premium on the TV, and a mirror set up for skincare and makeup in natural light. Being right in the central area made it easy to watch TV while getting ready, which was such a nice touch.