Best Boutique Hotels in Vietnam

The Hanoi Elegance Diamond is an upscale boutique hotel that sits on a side street just off of Hoan Kiem Lake. It is a quiet spot, with easy access to the restaurants, bars, shops, and sights of the Old Quarter in five minutes on foot. The hotel's 34 stylish rooms are decorated with handsome wallpaper accent walls, wood floors, and plush velvet cushions, and come with modern amenities like free laptops, DVD players, and flat-screen TVs. The hotel has a small spa, as well as a rooftop restaurant and bar with excellent views of the lake and Hanoi (plus an outstanding free breakfast). Prices here are comparable to nearby Old Quarter properties like the Tirant Hotel, yet the Elegance Diamond offers larger and nicer rooms, though it lacks the Tirant's pool.

The Hanoi Serene is a sharp mid-range hotel with 32 rooms set in a narrow market alleyway in the heart of Hanoi's Old Quarter. Rooms here are a bit bigger than nearby competitors, and have free computers, free Wi-Fi and breakfast, and even include free bottles of wine for most bookings. Like most Old Quarter hotels, the Serene has a small restaurant which is open only for breakfast, but there are countless numbers of restaurants, bars, and shops in every direction. The market alleyway is crowded and chaotic by day, but quiet at night, and those who want to be in the midst of traditional Hanoi life will like it here. Compared to the Elegance Ruby and Cheering Hotel in the same alleyway, the Hanoi Serene offers the best size and value for its rooms.

Hanoi La Siesta Hotel & Spa is a stylish four-pearl property with a peaceful atmosphere despite being in the heart of the bustling Old Quarter. Sights such as Bach Ma Temple and Hoan Kiem Lake are within a five-minute walk. Features include a highly regarded spa, a movie room, and a popular restaurant serving Vietnamese and Western items for breakfast (a free buffet), lunch, and dinner. This boutique hotel has 50 rooms decked out with traditional wood furniture and trendy accents, and all come with welcome fruit platters, minibars, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen TVs. Some have balconies with street views, though others lack windows. It's worth consider the Essence Hanoi Hotel & Spa also in the Old Quarter, which has similar features plus freebies like free check-in bottles of wine at lower rates.

The Golden Sun Suites Hotel is a lovely 25-room boutique property located on one of the quieter streets of Hanoi's bustling Old Quarter. Close to plenty of great restaurants, street food, bars, and shops, this mid-range property is well-located for taking in the sights and nightlife of this atmospheric neighborhood. Rooms are stylish, with fine wood floors, velvet accents, and marble bathrooms, and also include flat-screen TV's with premium channels, minibars, free WiFi, and air-conditioning. A great, free buffet breakfast is served every morning and the hotel's travel desk is on hand to book tours and transport. Guests looking for on-site amenities like a spa and full-service restaurant may want to try Hanoi La Siesta Hotel & Spa, though rates will be higher. 

From its eighth-story restaurant to its moody basement bar, the upscale Hanoi La Siesta Hotel Trendy offers a stylish, modern, and upscale boutique feel that’s still fresh from its 2016 opening. Indeed, past guests rave about the food (including a free breakfast buffet), the trendy bar, and the impeccable service. The hotel’s 70 rooms and suites are stylish with wood floors and furnishings and details like mosaic tiled entryways and tray ceilings, though bathrooms tend to be narrow and entry-level rooms lack exterior windows. There’s no on-site pool or gym, but the hotel has a spa with six treatment rooms. The property's Old Quarter location is excellent, in walking distance to eateries, markets, sights, and Hoan Kiem Lake. For similar amenities, travelers may want to compare rates with the nearby O'Gallery Premier Hotel & Spa.

The Hanoi Elegance Ruby is a mid-range boutique hotel that sits in a tiny alleyway in Hanoi's Old Quarter. It's near all the tourist sights and tons of restaurants and bars, in an ideal location. The 20 rooms here are small, with wood floors and bright decor, and have free laptops for use, plus rainfall showers in the bathrooms. The hotel lacks much beyond its small restaurant, which serves free breakfasts and then closes for the day. Staff are knowledgeable and helpful about the area, and can direct guests to favorite local spots. While the rooms are a bit more cramped and pricey than the nearby Art Trendy Hotel, they are still a good choice for an Old Quarter stay.

Hoi An Holiday Villa is a tiny value boutique offering a five-minute drive from the center of Hoi An. Its 10 rooms are large and airy, with big windows, comfortable beds, and amenities including air-conditioning, electric kettles, free Wi-Fi, minibars, and flat-screen TVs. Bathrooms are clean and have rain showers, but the water boilers are tiny, resulting in limited hot water. The a la carte breakfast is free and varied, and tasty, inexpensive Vietnamese cuisine is served for lunch and dinner in a lovely open pavilion made entirely of wood. The outdoor pool is a good size and pleasant, and offers a handful of loungers, umbrellas, and self-service towels. Although the hotel is not centrally located for walking, guests can borrow bicycles to ride into town or go to the beach. Muca Hoi An Boutique Resort is another value option worth considering. 

The Golden Sun Palace is an 18-room boutique hotel located on a quiet street in Hanoi's Old Quarter. This value hotel is within walking distance of several restaurants and shops. The charming rooms can be small and some lack windows, like many in the Old Quarter, and they feature with fine wood floors, homey white furniture, air-conditioning, large flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi. The hotel serves a good free breakfast in a quaint lower-level dining area on site, while the small lounge above the lobby has free computers for guest use. Travelers looking for larger guest rooms might want to check out the hotel's sister property, Golden Sun Suites, which has slightly higher rates and is right next door. 

The Oriental Central Hotel is an upper-middle-range option with just 25 rooms located in the heart of Hanoi's historic Old Quarter just around the corner from the Walking Street bar area. Tasteful decor throughout includes black-and-white photos of old Hanoi, and small, modern rooms, have bright pops of color plus flat-screen TVs and minibars. As is standard for the neighborhood, the features here are slim, but include a great free breakfast and free Wi-Fi. There are hundreds of restaurants, bars, and shops in the neighborhood, and the hotel is well-located for reaching all of them, though guests will get more space at this hotel's sister property, the Oriental Suites Hotel, which has an on-site restaurant.

The mid-range Golden Sun Villa Hotel is the nicest of all the Golden Sun properties in Hanoi. Located just a few blocks from Hoan Kiem Lake on the edge of the historic Old Quarter, the 29-room hotel is surrounded by restaurants and shops and is close to most Hanoi sights. Rooms here are far larger than other similar boutique hotels, and have eye-catching woodwork plus modern comforts like flat-screen TV's, minibars, and rainfall showers. The hotel has a small restaurant that serves only free breakfast, plus a travel desk in the lobby for arranging tours. The price-point is about the same as the other Golden Suns, but it's a far better value, and an excellent small boutique choice when compared to the best of Old Quarter stays in its category. 

The mid-range Hanoi Emerald Waters Hotel & Spa is a boutique hotel located just two blocks from the Hoan Kiem Lake. The bustling Old Quarter is a nine-minute walk away, and there are several nearby restaurants, bars, and shops. The 50 guest rooms are elegant and come with flat-screen TVs, minibars, and free Wi-Fi -- suites have private balconies with city views. A hot buffet breakfast is included in all room rates and there's a restaurant and bar for other meals and drinks throughout the day. The hotel has an on-site spa, but no pool or fitness center. The Silk Path Hotel is a good alternative for a fitness center, meeting facilities, and live music on the weekends.

This upper-middle-range hotel is conveniently located in the middle of Hanoi's Old Quarter and within walking distance of many attractions. Since it opened in 2014, it's been popular with leisure travelers and gets consistently good reviews. Its 42 guest rooms are decorated in a simple, elegant style, with dark furniture, wooden floors, and a host of amenities, like flat-screen TVs, minibars, electric kettles, and free mineral water and fresh fruit. The luxe bathrooms have spacious walk-in showers and vessel sinks. A few rooms have balconies, but others are windowless. The hotel has a Vietnamese restaurant on-site, as well as a small spa, plus it offers perks like free breakfast and Wi-Fi. For an alternate option, the nearby Hanoi Elegance Diamond Hotel is another good choice, but some of its rooms also lack windows and can be dark.

The 34-room Lantana Boutique Hotel Hoi An is a lovely, upscale property a block from the Ancient Town. Rooms are cheerful and stylish, with painted floor tiles, local art on walls, free Wi-Fi, and great bathrooms with rain showers. Most have balconies, and many have views of the river, but a few are a tad compact. The restaurant serves a free, varied breakfast buffet, as well as excellent local cuisine for lunch and dinner, while the lantern-lit bar -- complete with riverside seating -- is an appealing spot for a drink in the evening. The pool is pleasant and spacious, but it is covered and the deck doesn’t get much sun. Rates at the Lantana are competitive, but travelers on a tighter budget may want to consider the Royal Riverside Hoi An Hotel, which is just a couple of blocks farther away from the center. 

Essence Palace Hotel is a mid-range boutique property in the Old Quarter, a short walk from cafes, galleries, and shopping. This is one of the more atmospheric parts of Hanoi, and it's hard to beat the five-minute walk to Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple. The hotel has an intimate atmosphere with stylish interiors, and a well-regarded Vietnamese restaurant that serves a breakfast buffet. The 25 contemporary rooms feature a wide range of amenities, including free welcome fruit baskets, in-room laptops, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen TVs with a range of channels. Travelers might want to compare rates with the nearby Hanoi La Siesta, which has an on-site spa, fitness center, and movie-screening room, though rates there will be predictably higher.

The two-and-a-half pearl Pham Gia Boutique is a cute family-owned bed-and-breakfast located a 10-minute walk from the city center. The nine rooms are spacious, clean, and light, with big windows opening to small balconies, and free Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, minibars, electric kettles, and great walk-in rain showers. A tasty homemade breakfast is included in all rates, but the property lacks a full restaurant (one will be added in late 2017) and no other meals are available on-site. This tiny boutique is simple overall, but its location, cleanliness, and low rates make it a good pick for travelers on a budget. The Golden Bell Homestay is even cheaper and offers free bikes, but it's closer to the beach than the city center.