Lobby of the Sofitel Plaza in Hanoi

Although Hanoi is undoubtedly a city of ancient wonder, there are a number of hotels with fantastic modern facilities which allow visitors to see the sites without roughing it. These are some of our favourites:

Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi This large hotel walking distance from the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake has 154 rooms and suites all with LCD flat screen televisions and international cable channels. All the usual mod cons plus wifi internet access is available. (83A Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem District, hotel.hanoi.reservation@moevenpick.com, tel +84 4 3822 2800, from US$140)

Daewoo Hanoi Hotel This was the first five star in the city but despite recent renovations it most closely resembles an international four star hotel. Its position outside the city centre means that what you lose in convenience is made up for with peace and quiet. There are seven restaurants and cafes, two banks, discothèque, swimming pool, gym, business centre plus free broadband internet in rooms. (360 Kim Ma St, Ba Dinh, from US$170.)

Sofitel Plaza Hotel This hotel is renowned as the most picturesque in Hanoi with a charming zig-zag facade and striking stepped architecture. Formerly called the Meritus West Lake, the rooms are very well maintained and spotless with friendly staff. (1 Thanh Nien Road, Ba Dinh District)

InterContinental Hanoi Westlake This is the most recent addition to Hanoi’s choice of five star hotels and is found adjacent to the 800-year-old Golden Lotus Pagoda on the waters of Westlake (1A Nghi Tam, Tay Ho District, (84-4) 62708888)

Sofitel Metropole Hanoi Hotel This French Colonial style hotel within a short walk of the Hanoi Opera House is mostly used by older European travellers. The restaurant comes highly recommended. (15 Ngo Quyen St.)

Melia Hanoi Hotel Located within bried walking distance from both the Old Quarter and the Hanoi Towers, this hotel has big rooms with great views with international buffet breakfast included in the price. (Ly Thuong Kiet Street, from $139.)

Sheraton Hanoi Hotel This hotel and large gardens on the shore of West lake has lovely courtyards plus rooms furnished in traditional style but with all modern amenities. (K5 Nghi Tam, 11 Xuan Dieu Rd, Tay Ho District.)

There is no better way to get to grips with Vietnamese cuisine than to have a hands-on experience in the kitchen. Hanoi’s Hoa Sua School means you can learn a few simple dishes in just a couple of hours and take your new-found cooking skills home with you.

Hoa Sua School, five kilometres south of the old quarter, is easily reached from Hoan Kiem Lake and provides a fun environment in which to learn favourite Vietnamese dishes. The teachers here speak English so you will have no difficulty understanding the practical classes taught here.

Most students arrive on organised daytrips that include pick up and drop off at your hotel but it is possible to arrive independently. Choose between a morning or afternoon session.

The day begins with a trip to a Hanoi market to purchase ingredients for the day’s cooking. Back at the school you will begin to cook your own lunch upon receiving instruction. Students can then sample the fare after class and get feedback on its taste from the school’s expert chef.

Among the dishes you may learn at Hoa Sua School include: green papaya with dried beef salad, sweet black sticky rice porridge, fresh spring roll with shrimp in pork, Hanoi traditional soup with beef or grilled duck with grapefruit leaves.

Many argue that the best time to appreciate Hanoi is in the early hours of the morning, and after checking out the city’s post-dawn goings on I’d have to agree. From steaming bowls of beef noodle soup to tai chi by the lakeshore, the morning is the best time to experience Hanoi activities.

The city begins to spring to life at 05:00, the same time loud crackly folk music is blared out over the city’s loudspeakers. This is the time you should wake from your slumber to make your way to Hoan Kiem Lake, where local tai chi enthusiasts greet the morning by practicing their moves.

If you’re feeling off balance at such an ungodly hour, you could always opt to have breakfast instead of participating in Hanoi’s favourite morning activity. Hang Hanh is Hanoi’s café street and where you will find a pleasant mix of croissant chomping businessmen, students sipping Vietnamese coffee and homeward bound stragglers from last night’s party.

If you want an authentic breakfast, however, you’ll need to get yourself to one of Hanoi’s streetside stalls serving pho, delicious beef noodle soup. Hanoi’s tourist hub, the Old Quarter, has a number of soup vendors to choose from. Expect the stalls to be packed at 07:00. For quick bites simply purchase a baguette on the street.  
 
As the clock ticks closer to 08:00 the streets fill with motorbikes and women in ao dai, and this shift in busyness goes hand in hand with a rise in noise level and the horn honking that is typical of Hanoi. This is an ideal time to plonk yourself in a coffee shop and watch the locals’ daredevil driving moves – a favourite Hanoi activity among visitors – as Hanoi sees another morning pass.

Historic Hanoi

Experience one of Asia’s oldest capitals, wrapped around 1000 years of legend from the mystical Hoan Kiem Lake. Dodge swarms of motorcycles, marvel at the ancient pagodas or shop in the ancient Hang districts. Hanoi is Vietnam’s proud, living museum of a capital, draped in Communist sensibility but brimming with life.

This blog will soon become a full travel guide to Hanoi, to help you get the most out of your visit to North Vietnam. It’s written by a well travelled Southeast Asian expert and produced by guide experts, to soon include hundreds of pages and dozens of pictures of Hanoi at its best and busiest.

Use this site to plan your trip, whether you plan to cruise beautiful Halong Bay, disappear into the intriguing mountains of the Perfume Pagoda, or go trekking amoung the montagnards of the Sapa highlands. Find out what a Com Pho is, how to pronounce Ao Dai (in the North) and why Ho Chi Minh is the saviour of the city. It’s all found here.

Day trips: there’s some fantastic day trips or overnight excursions from Hanoi, such as Halong Bay and the Perfume Pagoda, but you’ll need a hire car and driver to get there (Note! rental cars in Vietnam come with drivers since tourists are not supposed to drive). You can arrange this before hand with online car hire companies.

About Hanoi
All the basic facts for tourists visiting the city plus top tips for the interpid traveller… more

What to see
All the top attractions listed in detail including tours and highlights for those short on time… more

What to do
Whether you want to shopping for gifts, indulge in some pampering, play sport or see the sights… more

Hospitality
Everything from cheap rooms in hostels to the best luxury hotels in town plus spa, restaurant and nightlife tips… more

Shopping
Whether you need to pick up a few essentials or a seeking out that perfect wedding present, we’ve got the inside scoop… more

North Vietnam
Guide to areas of the countries which are an easy leap away from Hanoi for when the city gets too much… more

Vietnamese Culture
This diverse and oft-misunderstood land is begging to be discovered by cultured visitors… more

Living here
Complete guide to everthing an expat is every going to need for long-term stays in Hanoi… more

Getting here
All your transport needs taken care of in one simple section including plane, train or taxi… more