S Central Hotel and Spa

The location was really convenient, but we found hair under the sheets when we checked in, and the room was a bit dirty. The staff made the stay much more difficult. At arrival, the front desk person raised his voice when we politely asked whether our room was ready. Another staff member quickly apologized for him, which made it seem like this might have happened before. At checkout, the manager, Harry, also spoke to us rudely and accused us of damaging towels. The photo he showed me didn’t even show a stain. We offered to pay anyway to settle things, but he raised his voice again. We were in Hanoi for a family vacation last April 2025, hoping for a relaxing stay. Instead, the behavior from the check-in staff and manager left us with a bad memory. I hope the hotel takes this seriously and works on improving guests’ experiences.

The staff and breakfast were the highlights for us. Ms Kimmi and Ms. Rose were friendly and went out of their way to arrange tours and make our stay pleasant. The buffet each morning had lots of variety, and the food was fresh and good quality. I loved starting the day there. We also tried the Thai massage next door, which was refreshing and good. We stayed eight days in room 808 on the eighth floor. The room was quiet and the mattress made for peaceful sleep, though being right beside the elevator could mean some noise. The view was of other hotels. The room was on the small side, especially the bathroom, where the shower was too close to the toilet. Still, everything worked and there was plenty of warm water. It was a little inconvenient to find the light dimmer switch by the entrance at night. The hotel has three sections, including one across the road, which can be a bit confusing. The location worked well, about 150 m from Joseph Cathedral and on toward the lake. Traffic wasn’t too heavy, and the Old Quarter shopping streets were nearby. All in all, we had a pleasant stay and would recommend it.

We were comfortable and well looked after during our three days. Any issues were sorted out, and we felt quite spoiled. At first, I was concerned because things weren’t quite what we were used to, but Harry, Jacky, the reception staff, and the rest of the team made a fabulous effort. Thanks to everyone.

Ms. Rose was already in touch with our driver and made sure the taxi we’d booked to Sa Pa picked us up right on time. I’d been worried because the service didn’t have WhatsApp and I had no Vietnam phone number. The street to the hotel is narrow and tricky for cars, but the staff helped with our luggage, so that wasn’t an issue. Mr. Brian, Ms. Rose, and everyone at S Central made us feel like special guests. I was confident months beforehand that the stay would go well because Mr. Brian answered all our questions quickly and was so accommodating. He arranged airport pickup and showed us a map of the area. We enjoyed walking around and taking in the Old Quarter, and the team even helped us surprise my parents. The hotel may be three-star, but the service from everyone felt five-star, and we really enjoyed our trip to Hanoi.