The Essence Hanoi Hotel & Spa is a newer hotel located right in the middle of Hanoi's bustling Old Quarter, just next to the raucous nighttime Walking Street and pub area. You don't need to go far for a meal or a drink here, and it is smack in the middle of all the action. The stylish hotel has 30 rooms, all with wood floors, plush settees, and free laptops for guests to use, while the upper category rooms include free bottles of wine, minibars stocked with free items, and even free laundry services. The hotel is a step up from the average Old Quarter stay in that it has a spa as well as a restaurant that serves lunch and dinner and a free breakfast buffet. It costs a bit more than some of the competition -- so some would argue it's not quite as good a value as the Calypso Grand -- but the Essence is a solid, fresh property in the heart of the action.