HANOI, VIETNAM — I’m not usually one for budget hotels, and I’d only tried a hostel once, but since I was traveling solo and wanted to let the adventurer in me out a little, I decided to give one a shot.
Besides, who wouldn’t want to save on accommodations?
On a friend’s recommendation, I checked out Hanoi Panda Hotel, communicating only through their Facebook page. I talked with its part-owner, Philip, while I was still in Manila, and since he gave me a nice package for my five-day stay, I booked the room without a second thought. Better to have a local friend, I told myself, since this trip needed to be flawless, if not perfect — it was my birthday trip.
Cebu Pacific’s lone flight from Manila to Hanoi leaves at 10:15 in the evening and arrives in Hanoi past midnight, after more than three hours in the air. The hotel’s driver was waiting for me at Noi Bai International Airport. Hanoi is relatively safe compared with other Southeast Asian countries, but I decided to take their private car service anyway, just to cut down on the hassle.
Thirty minutes later, I was checking in at the hotel. Their staffer Alex greeted me, friendly enough to help me out in the middle of the night and make me feel more at home.
STILL NEW YEAR. Alex (Nguyễn Duy Đức) welcomes every visitor home.
Part owner, Philip Nguyen, and his friends at Hanoi Panda Hotel lobby back when it still has the colorful wall decor.
There’s no elevator, but that gave me no trouble even with my room on the fifth floor, since the ceilings weren’t too high. Travelers who love modernity won’t find it here — Hanoi Panda Hotel has an old, almost antique feel, wooden furniture included — but I appreciated it all the more for it, since I was in a once war-torn city looking for a deeper dive into its culture.
Not a hostel, Hanoi Panda Hotel is a budget hotel without the amenities big hotels offer, but the room I stayed in was fairly spacious for a solo traveler. The bed was big too, and its comfort was comparable to a 4-star or even 5-star hotel. At only $18 (around Php920) a night, staying here is a great deal, especially with daily Vietnamese breakfast included in the rate.
Not my room but this one accommodates three or more guests.
Located in the heart of Hanoi, within easy reach of everything in the Old Quarter, Hanoi Panda Hotel was a great choice. When I wasn’t on tours, I explored the city on foot, tasting whatever food caught my eye at the sidewalk mini-restaurants. Money changers, banks, and bargain outlets are all just around the corner. Uber and taxi rides don’t cost much here, but exploring on foot made me appreciate the trip even more — and there are plenty of other foreigners roaming the area too.
Since the hotel also runs a travel agency, I booked the whole package, including the city tour and a Halong Bay cruise (which I wrote about in this post), for only around $250 (around Php12,750) for five days and four nights. That included private car transfers to and from the airport — value for money if there ever was one. All in, I spent about P20,000 total for the trip, airfare, transport, and meals included.
What I loved most about staying here, though, was how freely Philip and Alex gave their help. Their hospitality made me feel a little guilty for not taking Philip up on his invitation to dinner and drinks — I was too busy working through my to-do list — but the gesture meant a lot. I’m definitely going back to Hanoi for that.
SMALL BUT WORTH YOUR MONEY. Taken using my iPhone outside the hotel at night.
HANOI PANDA HOTEL
Address: 09A Hang Mam, Hoan Kiem , HN
Telephone Number: (+84) – 1645791999
Hotline: (+84) – 01645 791 999
Email: hanoipandahotel@gmail.com
Website: http://www.hanoipandahotel.com
Some photos are owned by the hotel.