This was the third hotel we stayed at in Hanoi for our recent trip to northern Vietnam. I previously reviewed the first two hotels we picked. You can read about Hanoi Pearl Hotel here and Golden Sun Suites Hotel here.
Oriental Central Hotel is located north of Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi, and is ranked on Tripadvisor as #2 of 521 hotels in Hanoi. It is also a recipient of the 2015 Travellers’ Choice Award for its service – and very rightfully so. We booked this hotel via Agoda and had no problems checking in.
Location
The hotel can be found at No. 39 Hang Bac Str, Old Quarter | Hoan Kiem, Hanoi 10000, Vietnam. It’s right smack in the center of the Old Quarter of Hanoi, is 100m away from the renowned coffee street and also close to the night market, which is open on weekends.
Room
We’d booked a superior double room, which was located on the 7th floor of the building. The corridors are pretty narrow – which seems to be a common feature of hotels in Hanoi – but definitely wide enough to fit our bulky luggage.
Large comfy bed and pink rose petals.
So intricately placed.
Little lantern we didn’t use, but which added to the atmosphere in the room.
Complimentary fruits, snacks, coffee and tea. It came with some utensils, which were definitely helpful.
Gorgeous, gorgeous bathroom.
It’s quite hard to beat a good brass rain shower.
Our room was a good size for two people and the interior of the bathroom was such a gem. A brass rain shower and china-esque basin are all you need to make a tiny space look luxurious. Everything was clean and neat, and the little notice on the vanity counter informed us that if we had wanted our sheets changed, all we needed to do was to place the rose on the bed. Now we know why Vietnamese hotel rooms have single stalks of roses in them!
Service
The service was excellent, if anything. The moment we arrived, there were the usual greetings and an invitation to take a seat in the lobby’s waiting area. While we waited as one of the receptionists checked us in, we were provided with drinks and cold towels. Then, another receptionist came by to ask us about our remaining time in Hanoi and she gave us a little session on where we could visit, showing us everything on a map. If it weren’t for her, we’d never know there was a coffee street just around the corner, where the French quarter was and where we could go for cheap beer and a good dinner.
On the final day of our stay in Hanoi, before we left for the airport, the hotel surprised us with a little bag of Vietnamese coffee as a gift. This was such a surprise, and definitely greatly welcomed because Vietnamese coffee is just so one-of-a-kind.
Overall & Price
It’s totally justified that Oriental Central Hotel is ranked as the 2nd hotel to stay at in Hanoi. The rooms, breakfast, service and price are very reasonable and the staff does its best to make you feel like everything’s under control, like you’ve got this. I’d recommend this hotel in a flash to anyone who’s travelling to Hanoi.
At S$66 a night, including buffet breakfast and free-wifi, it’s not the cheapest hotel in Hanoi but it’s definitely one you won’t want to miss.
Travel away,
Roxanne