Tu Linh Palace Hotel 2

The Tu Linh Palace Hotel 2 is a simple budget property housed in a narrow white building on a busy street. There's not much in the way of public spaces; the small, functional lobby is set up a flight of stairs above the hotel's ground floor L Bar and Restaurant, and it offers several tufted purple sofas and armchairs to relax on. The white front desk is presided over by several world clocks lining the wood panel wall behind it, while potted plants and flowers add a burst of greenery. Tour posters on the wall entice guests to head over to the tour desk which sits in the other corner of the room. Downstairs, the dining room is filled with wooden booths with patterned cushion seats. There's not much in the form of decor in this small and simple space, but it's pleasant and well-lit by a large glass entrance. Other than this, all of the action is outside in the bustling street, and there are a couple of seats overlooking the road that offer great people-watching. Ma May Street is popular with budget travelers, and most of the clientele here are taking advantage of value rates in the heart of the historic quarter.

The Tu Linh Palace 2 Hotel is located in the middle of Hanoi's Old Quarter on Ma May Street, a bustling, traffic-filled road with restaurants, bars, shops, and tourist facilities. The location is ideal for exploring the Old Quarter, but travelers should note that the street is noisy, congested, and chaotic all day and night, and there are a lot of tourist hassles here, from pestering cyclo drivers to shoe repair salesmen. Hoan Kiem Lake and the water puppet theater are just a 10-minute stroll away, as are most of the old town sights. It's a 10-minute drive to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, and the airport can be reached in just under one hour. 

The hotel's 22 rooms are small, but pleasant, with bright, cheery colors paired with white furniture and wooden floors. Patterned wallpaper accents complement fuchsia pillows and bed runners topping crisp, white sheets. While rooms here don't have safes or tea/coffee facilities, they do have flat-screen TVs with cable channels, minibars with beer and soft drinks, air-conditioning, small work desks, and free Wi-Fi. Lower-tier rooms including Standard and some of the Superior Rooms do not have windows, while the Deluxe Rooms and Honeymoon Suites have large windows and some have small private balconies. Brown-tile bathrooms are small and a bit drab, outfitted with either shower/tub combos or walk-in showers.

The Tu Linh Palace 2, like most of the small Old Quarter hotels, does not offer much in the way of extra features and facilities besides its rooms. The on-site L Bar and Restaurant operates as a breakfast-only niche, with a small breakfast buffet included in the room rates. The restaurant also doubles as a bar in the afternoons and evenings. Additionally, there are four computers available for guests' use in the restaurant. There is a travel desk in the lobby where staff can arrange trips to Halong Bay or Sapa, day excursions, and book train, bus, or other transport tickets upon request. Wi-Fi is free throughout.