EZPZBZ

My trip to Hanoi is coming up in a few weeks. I ended up booking the cheapest room, and got upgraded one notch to an 'Overwater Pavilion' room. I'll report back after the trip with impressions.

quitecontrary

The best hotel in Hanoi is undoubtedly the Metropole (a Sofitel) - it's very central (right beside the Hilton), luxurious rooms, great club with fine French and Vietnamese delicacies, good upgrades if you're an Accor Plat and and as one of the Grande Dames it beats the Hilton and the IC hands down. Having said that on our last couple of visits we do stay at the IC first and move to the Metropole for the last couple of nights just to luxuriate in its grandeur.

I have never considered the Hilton.

db1234db1234

What about the new Landmark72? Is it a better option than Westlake for a tourist and first timer to the city?

db1234db1234

Bump. Any experiences with Landmark72 vs Westlake? Or recs?

no7agency

booked king bed deluxe advance purchase $149

IC Hanoi Landmark 72

Gold Ambassador

day of arrival checked app - upgraded to club king deluxe

on arrival told its a club deluxe room but no club access.

If i wanted club access extra $22++++ but only for cocktails not breakfast.

No upgrade in my opinion as a king deluxe is a king deluxe the fact they called it a club king deluxe means nothing as no club benefits.

Eventually offered : Complimentary breakfast.

Expected better on a Sunday night in a new property.

Update - King Deluxe available for tonight $112 - I spoke to reception pointed this out and was told Club Deluxe King is bigger than Deluxe King and blah blah blah....

scubaccr

If as xxx Ambassador you try to game the IC Amb upgrade +1cat by booking -1cat below Clubroom, then you know to expect. this result, so stop whinging

Price at time of booking is irrelevant, Rates go up and down, mostly upwards, If flex you have option to cancel+rebook at a lower rate, if ADR non-cancel then you were happy to lock in a lowish guaranteed rate which (in most cases)nis lower than checkin nights rate.

craz

I stayed at the IC Landmark72 on Thurs night, unless you have biz in that area, I wouldn't stay there. Its in the middle of nowhere and apx 130k by taxi to The Old City area. Today I went from the IC Westlake area(was staying next door at The Sheraton) and it cost me 70k to The Hilton, it would have been less to The Old City which is a short walk from The Hilton You can save alittle by taking the smaller car taxis, I took Mia Minh and the slightly larger Toyotas which start at 10k the smaller cars start at 6500

Also the IC has the top 10 floors in 1 tower, so you take 1 elevator to the 62nd floor(Lobby) then a 2nd to get to your room. Room was Ok as a IHG Plat they said they upgraded me, room was on the small size , arrived midnight and out the next morn so I didn't spend any real time at the IC

Only reason I stayed was rate was $104 and will get me the $100 gift card refund by staying 1 of the 2 needed stays at an IC. when I come back I wouldn't be heading back to the IC Landmark its just too far away from everything

Best hotels are either The Hilton Opera or better The Metropole (Sofitel)cant beat either, location wise, with Metropole winning out between the two

db1234db1234

Thank you for your comments. That’s what I was looking for. I may reconsider this hotel for Westlake instead.

IAN-UK

NO no no !!!! Westlake is a delightful area, buzzy and busy. Plenty of restaurants and cafes around: good walks lake-side.

The potential downside is that it is quite a hike from the city centre - but the Landmark offers no remedy to that.

If you want to be in the old town, aim for any of the boutique places you'll see assessed in Tripadvisor, or opt for the more central Hilton etc

craz

IC landmark is void of anything once outside the building, a lot of the area is empty land to boot.

I stayed 2 nights at The Sheraton Westlake and it was full of life along the main drag. A taxi to the old city is maybe 10 mins (the North end) and a small taxi car s/b apx 60k or < $3. Its nice walking outside the hotel and be smack in or a 10 min walk to the old city area. But if a person wants IC or IHG or SPG credit/pts then Westlake is the place. If you have lounge access to IC or Sher that will more then make up for the cost of a taxi to/from

Presently at the HGI just walked back in a hard dizzle from The Old City and as nice as it is Id rather be back in Westlake

coffeelover

I don't write much since I don't travel a whole lot, but I am a part time resident of Hanoi so I can chime in on many of the nice hotels. This is under IC Westlake so I will start there. Nice property, a bit dated, with overwater pavilions (islands) out onto Westlake. You only want to stay out there when the weather is nice. When its hot its no fun to make the short walk or the golf cart ride to main building. I like the pool area, a lot of plants and unique pattern to bottom of pool. I've stayed there I'd say 8 times over the years as a Platinum Ambassador. Been upgraded very nicely at least twice (low occupancy at time). As others have said, close to nice walk along lake (weather permitting) and nice restaurants nearby. Sheraton is literally across a small lane (you would say they are next to each other) from the IC Westlake. I stayed there once, don't have status, its really dated. Some nights $80 though, not enough to entertain me going (because no status). Hilton Opera and Hilton Garden Inn, have had Diamond before, currently Gold status with Hilton. Location, location, location. Hoan Kiem Lake is a 5 minute walk, Old Quarter (shoe street, spice street, silk street, etc.) a 15 minute walk. I take my family there when the price drops and we need a night away. Never stayed at the Metropole (2 minute walk from Hilton Opera), I'm too cheap and its pricey (for me). Looks great though. Intercontinental 72. New place, very nice. I've eaten there a few times and visited my friend's suite to check it out (compare to other hotels). Feels a little odd to be 60+ stories in the sky in a hotel (I know there are much higher), amazing views on a clear day. Crowne Plaza West Hanoi. 5 minute taxi ride away from IC 72. Both places are on the western side of Hanoi. Will cost you a taxi ride of 7 or 8 dollars to get to the touristy areas (near Hiltons). I like the Crowne Plaza West Hanoi just as a place to get away and watch cooking shows on a comfortable bed with my wife (Crowne Plazas in Asia are nicer than US counterparts). The service there is great, food has recently improved. I like how quiet the club lounge usually is (they treat people with status very well). They offer economical rates, but a little bit of a ride if you want to go to the old quarter. JW Marriott, if you are an engineering or architecture buff (I'm neither) this is worth a visit. A dragon shaped hotel with green grass growing on the roof tops and a year round pool with a near 360 view from the pool (view of buildings). The JW Marriott is nice but also in western Hanoi (next to National Assembly Building). I hope no one is miffed I threw all these hotels onto one post.

coffeelover

Sorry, I should have said the rooms in main building of the IC Westlake are nice and you don't have to sweat to get to the breakfast or lounge. They have nice suites at the top with great views of the lake too.

no7agency

Not winging, just posting my experience.

Just completed a one night stay at IC West Lake was upgraded to a suite over the lake and club access. They can rely on my Business when in Vietnam.

greendx

Just checked out of Westlake after a couple of nights and now at Landmark. Booked cheapest room using my corp rate at Westlake as Plat Amb and upgraded to Lotus Suite with lake view. It was nice though odd shaped and a bit dated but loved that view. No club access though I think one gets it if booking this suite directly, buy up price was $60/day I passed. There is currently road construction near the hotel so there is a lot of rush hour traffic and I was told that getting to Old City during rush hour takes 40 minutes by taxi instead of usual 15. I haven't gone there yet so can't say for sure how long it would take but there was definitely a lot of traffic in the evening rush hour during my arrival. Construction goes until July 2018.

Booked the cheapest rate at the Landmark and "upgraded" to the King Club Intercontinental room but without any benefits. So as posted above it's not much of an upgrade. No big deal, the only thing that would have been nice is free breakfast. Was offered $25++ for breakfast if added on via front desk, otherwise it is a bit more expensive. Pretty cool being up on 70th floor overlooking the city, haven't checked out the area near hotel but didn't look like much around here on my way over here as noted by others. Would have stayed closer to old quarter but this stay knocks out both accelerate and master card promos

barracuda93

Forgot to post an update: stayed at JW and visited IC Landmark just to compare (asked for a small tour to show me rooms and the Club). I have seen the Club only in terms of layout, since I went really late and it was already closed: they just let me in for a couple of minutes. Cannot comment on offerings there. Design-wise the Club there is really impressive, more pleasing than JW to my taste. The rooms were the opposite: complete disappointment after the outstanding suite at JW. Since I have stayed after at IC Nha Trang, I can add that rooms there are much better as well.
As for IC Landmark, given its poor location and unimpressive rooms, can't justify booking a regular room, and booking the Club makes little sense at their price point. Thought to use Amb cert there at first, but Amb rates are insane. Sheraton looks like a total bargain, booked weekend there for August and perhaps gonna stay there.
P. S. If you got Gold or Plat with Marriott, go for JW, it's great.