Hanoi Delano is a new hotel situated in the heart of Old Quarter in Hanoi. I had the pleasure of staying there on two occasions in two different rooms. My experience varied a lot because of the location of the rooms where I stayed. This cozy and elegant hotel should be classified as a boutique hotel. The hotel is rated as a four stars hotel on Booking.com but it is really on par with 3 stars international ratings for boutique hotels. Overall I had a good stay for the price and the location but there is still room for improvements.

Website: http://www.hanoidelanohotel.com/

Address: No.52 Bat Su Str., Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi, Vietnam

Pros:

• The location is in the heart of Old Quarter.
• The hotel is new and has all the modern amenities.
• The staff tries their best to be accommodating.
• Breakfast option was very good for a small hotel.

Cons:

• The rooms are very small and nothing like the size implied in the official photos.
• Noise insulation is very inadequate in this hotel so you can hear everything especially if you are next to the elevator.
• Communication can be challenging for non-Vietnamese speakers due to staff’s limited English skills.

Hotel Assessment (1 terrible to 5 excellent)

Cleanliness: 5 – The hotel was new and is very clean. There seems to be a concerted effort to keep the place as spotless as possible.

Reviews of the hotels from various sources (i.e. Trip Advisor) are accurately reflecting the current condition of the accommodation: 4 – The reviews are generally very positive for this hotel and we generally agree with the positives and negative comments.

Hotel room description is the same as the booking information website: 3

The room pictures are very misleading. The rooms are very small and often do not even have a proper window. I had a “deluxe” double room with a window and could barely fit my carryon and a large suitcase in the room without having to climb over it.  I had a superior double room the second time I stayed with the hotel and it was even smaller. The rooms are slightly bigger (due to the layout) if you are at the end of the hallway. If the room is situated near the middle and by the elevator/stairs, be prepared to hear a lot of noise. I had a horrible night trying to sleep with the elevator pinging, people walking up and down the stairs and the constant hallway chatter.

The bathroom has a glass door with blinds. The idea is to make the room appears more spacious. This can be awkward if two people are staying in the room and one person is using the bathroom with another in the room.

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Check In Process: 4 – The check-in process was smooth and efficient. I arrived almost at midnight due to a late flight and the reception staff was waiting for me when I arrived and promptly welcomed me to the hotel.

Staff’s ability to speak English: 3 – The reception staff had one or two people that could speak conversational English. The rest of the staff struggled so that I ended up speaking in my broken Vietnamese to them. This may be an issue for non-Vietnamese speakers.

Issue resolution from management: 3.5 – Management tried to address the issue with my room being in the middle of the hallway by moving me to basically the same room but on a higher floor. I understand it is due to booking capacity but it did not address the fundamental noise issue.

Customer Service: 4– The Delano’s staff tries to please and assist as much as possible. This point is often repeated in various online booking sites. I had many wonderful conversations with the staff in Vietnamese and they try their best to be as helpful as possible. For example, I was not feeling well and the bar tender made me tea with ginger.

Food/Beverage:4 – The breakfast buffet was very nice for a small hotel. I like that eggs and certain breakfast dishes are made to order . The dining area, however, can only accommodate a few tables. There is also a small lounge area by the lobby that serves drinks.

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Overall Rating: 3.5

I had a good stay on my first visit and an average stay on my second trip due to the lack of sleep from the hallway noise. The hotel is new so there are kinks that are still being worked out. If you are looking for a place to stay in the Old Quarter, Hanoi Delano is a good option for the price and location.

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Author: Chau Hoang

Featured photo: Hanoi Delano Hotel