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Where to stayBy Clever Tourists · Published
For a first visit, stay in the Old Quarter, ideally on its southern edge within a few minutes' walk of Hoan Kiem Lake. That puts the trade streets, the street-food stools, the lake at dawn and the weekend car-free evenings on foot, and the airport bus 86 stops nearby. If you want quieter nights, wider streets and bigger rooms, stay in the French Quarter just south of the lake. West Lake suits longer stays. We spent about 2.5 days in Hanoi in April 2023, arriving from Tokyo at the start of our Vietnam trip and leaving for 4 days in Ninh Binh.
• First visit: the Old Quarter, southern half, near Hoan Kiem Lake.
• Nightlife: the streets around Ta Hien, the Old Quarter's beer corner.
• Quiet or romantic: the French Quarter, with its boulevards, the Opera House and colonial villas.
• Families: the French Quarter or the quieter western edge of the Old Quarter, for bigger rooms and easier sidewalks.
• Long stays and cafe working: Tay Ho, around West Lake.
• Budget: the Old Quarter's guesthouses and hostels, which are among the cheapest central rooms in the city.
• Train travelers: the streets near Hanoi Railway Station, between the French Quarter and Ba Dinh.
What it's like: the '36 streets', each once named for the trade it sold, packed with tube houses, doorway kitchens, shrines and motorbikes. Our 3 days in Hanoi guide recommends staying in or on the edge of it so you can step into the lanes at dawn and walk home late.
Who it suits: first-timers and short stays. Everything on a two-day plan is walkable from here: the lake, the Huc Bridge and Ngoc Son Temple, Dong Xuan Market, and the French Quarter. On weekend evenings the streets around the lake close to traffic.
Downside: noise. Motorbikes start early, bars around Ta Hien run late, and many rooms are narrow or windowless. Ask for a room at the back or on a higher floor, check the windows in recent photos, and stay a few blocks from Ta Hien if you want sleep.
Which part of the Old Quarter. The southern edge, between Hang Bac, Hang Gai and the lake, is the most convenient: the Huc Bridge at sunrise is a few minutes away and the French Quarter is across the road. The northern half toward Dong Xuan Market is more local and usually cheaper, but further from the lake. Avoid booking on Ta Hien itself unless the bars are the reason you came.
What it's like: wide, tree-lined streets south and east of the lake, with ochre colonial villas, the Opera House and larger hotels. It is a 5 to 15-minute walk to the Old Quarter but feels like a different city.
Who it suits: couples, families and anyone who wants calm nights and a bigger room while keeping the lake and the Old Quarter on foot. It is also close to the Hanoi Railway Station for trains south.
Downside: fewer street-food stalls on the doorstep and generally higher prices. Evenings are quieter, which is the point, but you will walk back from dinner in the Old Quarter.
What it's like: west of the center, the district of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace, the One Pillar Pagoda and, a little south, the Temple of Literature. Streets are broad and orderly, with local eateries rather than tourist ones.
Who it suits: travelers who want a more local neighborhood, or to be at the Temple of Literature for its 8am opening and at the mausoleum, which opens only in the morning and closes by late morning.
Downside: it is a taxi or Grab ride from the Old Quarter's food and evenings, and there are fewer hotels aimed at visitors.
What it's like: Hanoi's largest lake, ringed by cafes, international restaurants and residential lanes, with Tran Quoc Pagoda on a small islet off its southeastern shore. It is where many foreign residents live.
Who it suits: longer stays, remote workers and return visitors who want greenery and a quieter pace. West Lake is also known for bun oc and fried shrimp cakes; our Hanoi food guide covers both.
Downside: it is roughly 15 to 25 minutes by car from the Old Quarter depending on traffic, so on a 2 to 3 day trip you spend too much time in taxis. Choose it for a week, not a weekend.
Getting in. Noi Bai Airport is about 35 km from the center. Express bus 86 runs from both terminals to the edge of the Old Quarter, the Opera House and Hanoi Railway Station for about 50,000 dong, taking around 45 minutes; otherwise a taxi or Grab is the usual choice, and many hotels arrange pickups.
Noise and windows. Hanoi's cheapest rooms are often the ones without windows. Read recent reviews for street noise and karaoke, and check that the room has air conditioning that works, since Hanoi is hot and humid from May to August.
Seasons. Autumn, September to November, is Hanoi's best season and its busiest. Tet, the Lunar New Year, closes many family-run restaurants and raises transport prices; see our Tet travel guide.
Train Street. Hotels and cafes near the tracks may advertise Train Street access, but it is officially restricted; check our Train Street guide rather than choosing a room for it.
Plan 2 to 3 nights, counting only full days; our how many days in Hanoi guide has the day-by-day split. Our 2.5 days felt tight, and we would add a night.
If you are adding Ninh Binh or Ha Long Bay, give them their own nights rather than squeezing them in as day trips from your Hanoi hotel; see day trips from Hanoi and our Hanoi to Ninh Binh guide. On our 4-week Vietnam route, Hanoi came first, followed by Ninh Binh, Hue and Hoi An.
The Old Quarter, ideally its southern edge near Hoan Kiem Lake. The trade streets, street food, the lake and the French Quarter are all on foot.
Yes. Motorbikes start early and the bars around Ta Hien run late. Ask for a back or high-floor room with a window, and stay a few blocks from Ta Hien.
The Old Quarter for street life and the cheapest central rooms; the French Quarter for quieter nights, wider streets and bigger rooms, a 5 to 15-minute walk from the Old Quarter.
Express bus 86 runs from both terminals to the Old Quarter edge and Hanoi Railway Station for about 50,000 dong. Taxis, Grab and hotel pickups are the alternatives for the 35 km trip.
For longer stays, yes. On a 2 to 3 day trip it is too far from the Old Quarter, roughly 15 to 25 minutes by car.
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