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Just as the magical sword of Hoan Kiem Lake mythology eventually found its rightful place in the depths of the water, you will have little trouble finding the accommodations that are right for you.
Hanoi is a small city with many lodging options. The high-budget tourist or business traveler will find luxury in hotels with beautiful suites, fantastic restaurants, pools, fitness centers and first-rate service. The backpacker will find comfort in guest houses that may charge less than USD5 for a night's stay. Visitors with some money to spend, but who do not want to spend it all at the hotel, will also be pleased with the large quantity of midrange accommodations Hanoi offers. This city has beds for everyone.
Your preferred means of travel should play a part in your choice of location. There are many ways to maneuver around town. Taxis are not hard to spot outside most nice hotels and nightclubs. Hop on a xe om (a hitched ride on the back of a motorcycle) for a fast trip if you are traveling alone without any baggage. Cyclos (pedicabs) offer slow effortless travel. With a rented bicycle most of the city seems easily accessible and, for the most part, it is.
Once you have tried to brave the Hanoi's chaotic traffic, though, you may decide pedestrian travel proves the best choice. The blaring horns of weaving motorcycles and unyielding automobiles make road travel daunting. If this is the case, you should select lodging within walking distance of the majority of places you plan on spending time. If you are willing to brave the Hanoi streets, taxis, xe om and cyclos will be happy to have your regular business. Outlying hotels will welcome you with open arms.
Old Quarter
The exciting Old Quarter is generally a place that many people want to visit, but only the backpackers want to stay. The hustle and bustle of this 700-year-old commercial area weave through streets full of budget accommodations. Those of limited means can find singles or doubles for less than USD10. Amenities such as air conditioning may cost extra. Some of the better inexpensive options include Hotel Especen 11 by St. Joseph's Cathedral, the Old Darling Hotel, hidden on a quiet alley off Ta Hien, and the Nam Phuong Hotel, enjoying the activity of Gia Long Market Street.
If the enthusiasm of the Old Quarter attracts you but "cheap" does not, there are a number of pleasant choices. The competition for the backpacker business proves so great that for a few dollars more a night than the budget hotels you can stay in a small degree of luxury. The Salute Hotel, The Classic Street and The Quoc Hoa can all balance your needs for Old Quarter location and boutique hotel comfort.
Hoan Kiem
Staying in Hoan Kiem District keeps you close to tourist attractions, museums, shopping and good restaurants. While the crazy Old Quarter sits to the north of the Hoan Kiem Lake, accommodations within a few blocks east, west and south of the water provides a wide range of comforts without the bedlam.
To the east sit two of Hanoi's premier hotels. You cannot find more opulence in more convenient locations than in the Hotel Sofitel Metropole Hanoi and the Hilton Hanoi Opera. These hotels spare no effort to please. To the south, the Thuy Nga Guesthouse affords views of the lake, and the Hoa Binh Hotel features 70 years of affordable splendor. Continuing west on Ly Thuong Kiet, the shiny towers of the Melia Hotel may beckon you or the boutique luxury of the Guoman Hotel.
Beyond Central Hanoi
For those not afraid to venture a little farther from the heart of the city, the range of possibilities grows. If not for the Asian financial crisis, the West Lake area would probably be the home of many fine places to stay. Some hotels remain unopened; some blueprints sit in wastebaskets. Two hotels have survived the storm: the moderate Thang Loi Hotel and, offering perhaps the best sunset view in Hanoi, the Meritus Westlake.
Ba Dinh District, west of the city's center, plays host to a number of embassies and government buildings. It is also the home of some of Hanoi's nicest lodgings. The glorious Daewoo Hotel is the choice of presidents and others of international nobility. A little closer in sits the comfortable and classy Lakeside Hotel (on Giang Vo Lake) and the five-star Hanoi Horrison (technically in Dong Da District).
The hotels of Hai Ba Trung District, though not far from the tourism and business of central Hanoi, offer a very different experience from their slightly northern counterparts. The very adequate accommodations in this area provide easy access to the "Vietnamese" shopping of Hom Market along with the morning exercise and evening romance of Lenin Park. The very reasonable Green Park Hotel, the sophisticated Hotel Nikko and the luxurious Sunway Hotel Hanoi are a few of the more notable options.
Whether you want to stay in the center of the city or the outskirts, in extravagance or thrift, Hanoi's accommodation choices are sure to satisfy.
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