Olive Hotel by OYO Rooms

My girlfriend and I booked a private double room, but the sewage-like smell from the bathroom and shower drains filled the whole room all day. There was a thick layer of dirt, around 1 cm, on the ceiling fan, closet, and refrigerator. The old spring bed sat on orange bricks and felt like it could topple over at any moment. We asked the receptionist and her manager to move us or refund the second night. They just repeated the three-day cancellation policy like robots, and were frankly rude and useless. We left a day early, lost the money, and found a much better place around the corner for the same price. This place was a complete trainwreck.

After two months of traveling from southern Vietnam to Hanoi, this was by far the worst place we stayed. There was no daylight at all, and the temperature and humidity were the biggest problems. After a few hours, our backpacks and clothes were wet. We slept in jackets because it was cold. We stayed in rooms 204 and 304. Room 204 had no TV, and both rooms were very cold and had no proper windows. They wouldn’t close, and the wooden frames had shifted from the humidity. The rooms smelled moldy. You’d think they should open a “the north face” store downstairs so guests could buy warm clothes.

Breakfast was great, even if it was just a fried egg butty, and the staff were always around. It’s a good base for exploring Hanoi, with everything you need to enjoy the city. It’s cheap and cheerful, though it’s not the cleanest or most modern place.

My partner and I booked two nights, but stayed only one and still paid for both. We usually travel on the cheap and stay in basic places for $10 to $15 a night, so we thought we’d treat ourselves to the higher end of our budget. There’s no price that would make me stay here again, even if the room were free. Our room smelled like feces, with mold growing everywhere. We opened a window and tried to put up with it until morning, but the smell kept getting worse. The receptionist came up to see the room, flushed the toilet, and agreed something was wrong with the sewage system. We then asked her to move us to a cleaner room after meeting a couple checking out, but she said no. She called her boss, who also said no. They refused a refund for the second night too. We booked through Agoda and are now trying to dispute the charge. We were treated like dirt, and the staff were dishonest, rude, and frankly horrible. There were noises from the ceiling, walls, and bed all night. Breakfast was a slice of white bread, a cold egg, and instant coffee. Don’t trust the pictures on the booking websites or expect the staff to cooperate. It’s a disgrace that this place can run a hotel, and I hope this review keeps someone else from making the same mistake. I’d give zero if I could.