Thuy Lam Hotel - HANOI (Hotels in Vietnam)

Member Name: indiecater

Product:	Hotels in Vietnam
Date:	18/11/01 (132 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Clean, Affordable, Centrally Located.

Disadvantages: The Rooms Are Quiet Small.

Silence Of The Lam

Located on the busy Hang Ga street, Thuy Lam hotel offers just about the best value for money that the old quarter in Hanoi can offer. Unspeakably cheap at $5 a night for a double room with ensuite facilities it is a credit to the extremely friendly Vietnamese family that run it.

The old quarter of Hanoi is where you will find most of Hanoi's budget accommodation. With a steady influx of tourists guaranteed, this also means that the old quarter has its fair share of pushy street vendors and scam merchants. If you suspect a friendly native has an ulterior motive then it is better to be polite and move on.

After arriving from the airport by minibus we were surrounded by a circle of hotel agents offering us the hotel of our dreams. Luckily we had a recommendation so we jumped on a pedicab to escape the throng. From the street the Thuy Lam hotel looks like nothing special but the cool air-con and smiling staff are enough to win you over. The decor in the hotel is simplicity itself suffering perhaps from a laboured seventies feel. A marble spiral staircase leads to the rooms on 4 different levels.

While the size of the rooms is just about adequate there is the bonus of a satellite TV (with movies, sport, CNN, MTV), fridge, fan and a working but limited air-con system. The room we got on the third floor was really quiet, strange considering the hullabalo that emanates from the traffic on Hang Ga street.

There is no official restaurant in the hotel although there is a breakfast menu available. The catch however is that you need to order the night before to get breakfast the following morning. Tea and coffee are available at any time and the staff were not too concerned about adding it to our bill which suited us just fine.

Thuy Lam don't expect customers to pay the bill until they are checking out. This is quite useful
as most people arrive in Hanoi without the local currency, the Vietnamese Dong. There is an ATM at the Anz Bank near the lake in the old quarter which is 10 minutes from the hotel. To ensure people don't scarper without paying reception hold on to your passport. Bills can be settled in either dollars or Dong.

The hotel offers a tour service to many of the attractions in the area. We chose the tour to Cat Ba Island and Halong Bay. Cat Ba Island has a National Park and pristine beaches. Halong Bay is one of Vietnams natural wonders with 3,000 limestone islands jutting imperiously from the water. For a 3 day, 2 night trip we paid $23 which included accommodation and food. The deal was certainly good value for money but if want to enjoy the Halong Bay experience free from the hordes then you would be better served going it alone.

Among the other services available in the hotel are fresh towels and room cleaning service daily. There is also a free security box available from reception. The staff will also provide a wake up call which is indispensable if you have an early start for a tour from the hotel.

One of the main advantages of staying at the Thuy Lam hotel is its proximity to the old quarter area of Hanoi. In the old quarter area there are excellent shopping opportunities, lots of nightly entertainment possibilities and many of Hanoi's attractions like the Hoan Kiem lake and water puppet theatre are nearby. If you are getting a mini bus from the airport they should be able to stop at the Thuy Lam.

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