Where to stay · Hanoi · Vietnam
Where to stay in Hanoi
6 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Clay Gilliland, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Old Quarter. Narrow guild streets of tube houses, street stalls, motorbikes and beer corners. Best alternatives — families: Hoàn Kiếm Lake.
Key facts
- First visit
- Old Quarter
- Families
- Hoàn Kiếm Lake
- Budget
- Old Quarter
- Nightlife
- Old Quarter
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Old Quarter | Narrow guild streets of tube houses, street stalls, motorbikes and beer corners |
| Families | Hoàn Kiếm Lake | The tree-lined lake at the centre of the city, with a weekend pedestrian zone |
| Couples | Hoàn Kiếm Lake | The tree-lined lake at the centre of the city, with a weekend pedestrian zone |
| Budget | Old Quarter | Narrow guild streets of tube houses, street stalls, motorbikes and beer corners |
| Luxury | French Quarter | Wide colonial boulevards, embassies and grand hotels south of the lake |
| Nightlife | Old Quarter | Narrow guild streets of tube houses, street stalls, motorbikes and beer corners |
| Food lovers | Old Quarter | Narrow guild streets of tube houses, street stalls, motorbikes and beer corners |
| Solo travellers | Tây Hồ (West Lake) | Lakeside expat district of cafés, craft beer, villas and boutique hotels |
| Quiet stays | Ba Đình | Government district of the mausoleum, embassies and the Imperial Citadel |
Hanoi neighbourhoods in detail
$$ · Best for first-timers, budget, food lovers and nightlife
Old Quarter
The Old Quarter, north of Hoàn Kiếm Lake, is a tight grid of streets named after their trades, such as Hàng Bạc and Hàng Gai. It has the city's widest choice of budget and mid-range hotels, the densest street food and the Tạ Hiện bar street. Pavements are crowded with parked motorbikes and stalls, so expect to walk in the road.
- Good
- Street food on every corner; Walking distance to the lake and many sights; Good-value hotels
- Watch out
- Constant motorbike noise and traffic; Rooms can be small and windowless; Touts and overcharging around Tạ Hiện
- Nearby
- Hoàn Kiếm Lake, Đồng Xuân Market, Bạch Mã Temple, Tạ Hiện street
$$$ · Best for first-timers, families and couples
Hoàn Kiếm Lake
Hotels on the streets around the lake put you between the Old Quarter to the north and the French Quarter to the south, with the water puppet theatre and Ngọc Sơn Temple on the shore. From Friday to Sunday evenings the surrounding streets close to traffic and fill with families, street performers and games.
- Good
- Central for everything; Pleasant early-morning walks around the lake; Weekend car-free streets
- Watch out
- Higher prices than the Old Quarter's back streets; Very crowded on weekend evenings
- Nearby
- Ngọc Sơn Temple, Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre, St Joseph's Cathedral
$$$$ · Best for luxury, couples and culture
French Quarter
Laid out by the French in the late 19th century, the area around Tràng Tiền and Lý Thái Tổ streets has the Opera House, the Sofitel Legend Metropole hotel, ochre villas and museums such as the Vietnamese Women's Museum and Hỏa Lò Prison. It is calmer and greener than the Old Quarter, with upscale restaurants and hotels.
- Good
- Quieter streets and wider pavements; Elegant hotels and restaurants; Walkable to the lake
- Watch out
- More expensive; Less street-food atmosphere
- Nearby
- Hanoi Opera House, Hỏa Lò Prison, Vietnamese Women's Museum
$$ · Best for culture and quiet stays
Ba Đình
Ba Đình is Hanoi's political centre, with Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum on Ba Đình Square, the yellow Presidential Palace, the One Pillar Pagoda and the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long. Streets are leafy and orderly, and the Temple of Literature is on its southern edge. Hotels are fewer and mostly mid-range.
- Good
- Close to major historic sights; Calm and green; Good local restaurants on side streets
- Watch out
- Quiet at night; A taxi ride from the Old Quarter's nightlife
- Nearby
- Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long, Temple of Literature
$$$ · Best for quiet stays, solo travellers and food lovers
Tây Hồ (West Lake)
Around the 500-hectare West Lake, especially in Quảng An and along Xuân Diệu street, Hanoi's expat community has brought international restaurants, bakeries, yoga studios and bars. The lakeside road is good for cycling and sunsets, and Trấn Quốc Pagoda sits on an islet at its south-eastern corner. It is 15–20 minutes by taxi from the Old Quarter.
- Good
- Calmer than the centre; Lake views and sunsets; Wide choice of international food
- Watch out
- Taxi needed for most sights; Less traditional atmosphere
- Nearby
- Trấn Quốc Pagoda, Quảng An, Trúc Bạch Lake
$$ · Best for food lovers, budget and quiet stays
Trúc Bạch
Trúc Bạch Lake is separated from West Lake by Thanh Niên road. The small Ngũ Xã island on its shore is known for phở cuốn and phở chiên phồng restaurants, and guesthouses here are a short walk from Ba Đình and the north end of the Old Quarter.
- Good
- Local atmosphere and food; Quieter than the Old Quarter; Lakeside walks
- Watch out
- Fewer hotels; Limited nightlife
- Nearby
- Ngũ Xã island, Quán Thánh Temple, Trấn Quốc Pagoda
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Old Quarter | $$ | Hoàn Kiếm Lake, Đồng Xuân Market, Bạch Mã Temple, Tạ Hiện street |
| Hoàn Kiếm Lake | $$$ | Ngọc Sơn Temple, Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre, St Joseph's Cathedral |
| French Quarter | $$$$ | Hanoi Opera House, Hỏa Lò Prison, Vietnamese Women's Museum |
| Ba Đình | $$ | Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long, Temple of Literature |
| Tây Hồ (West Lake) | $$$ | Trấn Quốc Pagoda, Quảng An, Trúc Bạch Lake |
| Trúc Bạch | $$ | Ngũ Xã island, Quán Thánh Temple, Trấn Quốc Pagoda |
Getting to your hotel
Nội Bài International Airport is about 30 km north of the centre. Taxis and ride-hailing cars take about 45–60 minutes to the Old Quarter depending on traffic, and the orange bus 86 runs to the Old Quarter and the railway station in about an hour.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Hanoi for first-time visitors?
Old Quarter. The Old Quarter, north of Hoàn Kiếm Lake, is a tight grid of streets named after their trades, such as Hàng Bạc and Hàng Gai.
+Where should families stay in Hanoi?
Hoàn Kiếm Lake: Central for everything.
+Which area of Hanoi is best for a budget stay?
Old Quarter ($$): Narrow guild streets of tube houses, street stalls, motorbikes and beer corners.