Essence Palace Hotel & Spa

Formerly the Dayton Hotel, the Essence Palace opened in 2014 as a boutique property. Located in the vibrant Old Quarter, the eight-story white building has colorful lanterns and a skylight at the entrance. There's a lot more style here than at many of the more dated mid-range hotels in this part of town, helping to make this a solid value for travelers. Guests are welcomed with a free fruit smoothie, cold towel, and a tourist map. Vietnamese arts and crafts, a mirrored ceiling, marble floors, and lime-green sofas give the the lobby a stylish feel. The restaurant has a low-lit, intimate atmosphere, with dark woods and red tablecloths. Given its Old Quarter location near cafes, shopping, and sights, the hotel draws mainly tourists, especially couples.

Essence Palace Hotel is in the vibrant Old Quarter, the historic section of Hanoi that's packed with French colonial architecture and preserved shop houses. Bustling with activity, the area has a surplus of restaurants, bakeries, cafes, bars, art galleries, and shopping stalls selling handicrafts, silks, and herbs. Several bus stops are a short walk from the hotel, and the Long Bien Railway Station is a five-minute drive or 12-minute walk. It's a three-minute stroll to the Thang Long Water Puppet Theater and northern end of Hoan Kiem Lake (Turtle Lake). Ngoc Son Temple, which sits on an island in the lake, is also a five-minute walk from the hotel, and it will take 10 minutes to reach the the Dong Xuan fashion and souvenir market on foot. The area including the Hanoi Opera House and National Museum of Vietnamese History is a 15-minute walk. The Imperial Citadel of Thang Long is a 10-minute drive or 25 minutes away by bus. The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is a 15-minute drive or a 30-minute bus ride. Expect a 45 minute drive to Noi Bai International Airport.

The 25 rooms at the Essence Palace Hotel include stylish Single and Superior Singles and Doubles, Family Connecting Rooms for up to four people, and a range of Suites with wood floors, dark-wood furnishings, and a mix of Vietnamese and French-inspired decor. Colors range from chocolate brown and white walls to white bedding with green-gray-and blue decorative throws. Rooms range from 172 square feet to more than 517 square feet (16 to 48 square meters), so some are a bit small. Despite its location in the bustling Old Quarter, rooms are quiet, though some lack windows.

The 25 air-conditioned rooms all come with slippers, two free daily bottles of water, welcome fruit baskets or daily fruit platters, desks, electronic safes, coffee/tea makers, and minibars (free items replenished daily in suites). The amenities package also includes in-room laptops, free Wi-Fi, and 32-inch flat-screen TVs with a wide range of satellite and English channels including CNN, BBC, HBO, Disney, and Discovery. Turn-down service is offered. Some rooms have balconies with street views, and some suites have living rooms with sofa beds. Bathrooms are clean and well lighted, but can be small. Not all bathrooms have bathtubs, and some have Japanese heated toilets. Rooms are all nonsmoking. 

As a small 25-room hotel, the Essence Palace lacks a pool, sauna, steam room, and fitness center, but the Essence Palace's nearby (a three-minute walk) sister hotel Essence d'Orient Hotel & Spa has a full-service spa with a wide array of Vietnamese and international-style massages, scrubs, wraps, and facials. On-site, the hotel serves a breakfast buffet (for a fee unless room booked directly with the hotel) with cooked-to-order eggs, French toast, and pancakes, plus Vietnamese fare like pho and a continental spread of cereal, breads, pastries, and fruit. The restaurant serves authentic Vietnamese and Western fare for lunch and dinner. Menu items include Pork Ribs with Lemongrass and Curry Chicken in Baby Coconut. The restaurant also serves fresh fruit smoothies, coffees, and wine. The Essence has 24-hour room service and a bar with happy hour. A boutique shop sells clothing including silks, souvenirs, and handicrafts. The hotel also has tailoring service, a business center, concierge service, baggage assistance, a 24-hour front desk, airport and train station transfers (for a fee), guided tours (for a fee), and limited parking (for a fee). Free Wi-Fi is available throughout.