Overwhelmed with cultural history and social diversity from its rich historic past, Hanoi is truly the place to behold and experience a true Vietnamese lifestyle. 

A large ancient city, shaped and scared by its colonial past and wars, Hanoi was once the imperial capital of Dai Viet for several generations before Hue. Today, Hanoi is the second most populated city after Ho Chi Minh; formerly known as the city of Saigon.

It’s historical sites and tourists attractions are situated all over and around the Old Hanoi Quarter which makes Hanoi quite a challenging place to visit. Some of the places in this area can get super crowded with both human and motor traffic at certain times of the day while the level of sanitation and cleanliness in some of its places are also in a somewhat adverse condition.

However, with the blossoming of new stylish boutique hotels and modern westernised lifestyle scenes springing up around the area, basic amenities and accommodation facilities have improved over the years, adding comfort to your stay. With some level of sanitation and hygiene standards in check, travelling around Old Hanoi quarter is also made simpler and safer.

One of the most important tips for travelling in and around Hanoi, especially for first-timers, is to choose a centrally located hotel that has a good cleanliness record. On my recent trip to Hanoi, I have chosen My Moon Hotel as my home. Here is what it’s like checking in to My Moon Hotel in Hanoi.

The Hotel

Strategically located in the heart of Old Hanoi Quarter, My Moon Hotel provides great accessibility to most of the historical locales with many great shopping and dining options around the hotel vicinity. You do not need to worry about how to get around town as you can simply cover the whole old historical town area in less than two hours on foot.

The hotel has a great cleanliness standard and features modern interior decoration. Lots of local love birds even come to the lobby for their wedding photoshoot. Room rates are reasonably priced given their level of hospitality and services. The staff converse fluently in English and are extremely helpful. They even have a Whatsapp channel for those of you arriving in the wee hours of the morning or late at night.  Having a good knowledge about Hanoi and its off-the-beaten tracks, including where and how to get the best deals for your shopping fever, the staffs here are just like your ‘Hanoi-pedia’ and always ready to help you should you need a little local travel advice.

The Rooms

Situated along one of the lesser traffic streets, the hotel is quiet even during day time. You can rest and snuggle between pillows on the comfy oversized bed without being haunted by the crazy traffic honks.

Location perfect and traveller friendly, My Moon Hotel is an affordable hotel with average nightly stay costing around 40 USD with free breakfast. With four room categories ranging from deluxe to executive suites, each deluxe individual room are adorned with beautiful interior decor complete with basic necessities while the executive suites are furnished more sophisticatedly with chandeliers, a sofa and a balcony.

During my trip there, I stayed in one of its almost pastel-pinkish deluxe room which I totally adore. Very European and very feminine. Every corner around the room and ensuite bathroom are spotlessly clean. I’m very impressed with the hotel’s daily housekeeping standard. The only minor issue was the supply of hot water flow during peak bathing times. Nevertheless the hotel staff are courteous and prompt in dealing with the situation to keep your stay happy and relaxing. 

Dining

My Moon Hotel has only one small cafe-dining area with limited seating located at the ground floor past the hotel lobby and is only open for breakfast daily till 10.30 a.m. Breakfast spread is simple but generous with fresh daily choices of bread, salads and fruits, ham and sausages, sweets and desserts, and an egg stand that also cooks up many local delights like Pho and fried rice. The must try is their omelette, made fresh every time! 

If you’re too lazy to head downstairs for breakfast, you can always give the hotel concierge a buzz and they will bring your breakfast up to your room at no extra cost. If you are catching an early morning flight, they can even offer to cook a take-away breakfast for you to pack on your way to the airport, considering none of the food stalls at the airport are open before 10 a.m.

Activities

Located in a prime location, My Moon Hotel is situated in close proximity to many commercial streets and sight-seeing locales like the old Hanoi Opera House and the mystical Hoan Kiem Lake and its Turtle island. 

Staying at My Moon Hotel, you get full accessibility and freedom to get to anywhere within the Old Hanoi Quarter. You can basically walk from one place to another without much difficulty, besides traffic. The places of interests are situated close to one another and are well connected.

Most of Hanoi’s imperial heritage has been lost through the destructions of war and some parts have been reused by the Vietnamese government as military bases ever since. Historic sites in Hanoi can be divided to the very old and ancient Dai Viet imperial relics, French and European colonial architectures, war propaganda, memorial relics and new age modern art sculptures inspired by some western influences.

Streets around the corner of the hotel are dotted with small bars and restaurants where you can chill and relax when night falls. Several famous local cafes and eateries like Cha Ca Thang Long and Pho Gia Truyen that serves traditional Vietnamese cuisines are also housed around the area. And if you need to top up any necessities, a convenience store is just a couple of steps away.

The hotel also offers exotic tour packages to heritage places like the Ha Long Bay and Sapa at exclusive prices only for its hotel guests. The prices are slightly cheaper compared to other tour agencies and you get the comfort of a small private group tour with pick-up and drop-off right at your hotel doorstep. 

My stay at My Moon Hotel was over my expectations and my trip to Hanoi was made all convenient and easy. I highly recommend this hotel to any couple and solo-female traveling to Hanoi. Besides location and cleanliness, the hotel is equipped with good security and personalised attention that guarantees a safe and flawless stay.

My Moon Hotel Hanoi
Address: 59 Cửa Đông, Hoàn Kiếm Hà Nội 111000 Vietnam
Contact: +84 24 3734 7106
Website: http://www.mymoonhotel.com

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