Best Value Hotels in Vietnam

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 its not quite as good value as the Calypso Grand -- but the Essence is a solid, fresh property in the heart of the action.

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.

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 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. 

The 10-room Riverside Oasis Villa is a cute value boutique, located a 20-minute bike ride from the city center. There's little on-site other than a small, pleasant pool and a tiny restaurant that serves free a la carte breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The hotel’s rooms are spotless and well-maintained; all have flat-screen TVs, minibars, free Wi-Fi, and air-conditioning. They feature small balconies with pool, garden, or river views. The villa is a quick drive from the city center, and guests can borrow bikes free of charge. The Riverside Oasis doesn't offer shuttle service to the beach or Hoi An, which is unusual for the area. Those looking to explore the Ancient Town on foot may want to consider the Hai Au Hotel, which is within walking distance of the main sights in Hoi An. 

The 20-room Golden Sun Moment Hotel sits on a congested, noisy street in Hanoi's Old Quarter. Although near plenty of bars, restaurants, shops, and sights, the immediate area is difficult to navigate and the traffic is nonstop. The hotel itself, though, is an oasis of calm and serves a good free breakfast every day. Rooms are small but stylish, with wood floors, contemporary furniture, and modern rainfall showers in bathrooms as well as modern amenities like air-conditioning and flat-screen TVs, though some rooms lack windows. Travelers may want to check out rooms Calypso Grand or Art Trendy, which have a bit more character at a similar price point.

The three-and-a-half-pearl Hadana Boutique Hotel is located between the My Khe Beach and Da Nang's city center -- less than a 15-minute walk to both. The 54 rooms are modern and well-equipped with air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, minibars, and free Wi-Fi -- all feature ocean or Han River views. Located on the 11th floor, the Son Tra Rooftop Restaurant and Sky Bar is one of the hotel's highlights, serving both Vietnamese and Western cuisine with panoramic city views. There's also a lobby bar on the ground floor next to the outdoor swimming pool. Freebies include a buffet breakfast and loaner bicycles. The small spa offers a range of body treatments, including massages. This is a truly lovely hotel, but for cheaper rates and a closer beach location, travelers can consider Sofia Boutique Hotel.

The 22-room Hanoi Charming 2 Hotel is located on the edge of Hanoi's touristy and atmospheric Old Quarter, near restaurants, bars, shops, on a busy street with heavy traffic. Rooms have traditional decor, with wood floors and polished wood cabinets and furniture. All rooms come with free computers and DVD players, and the highest-priced rooms have balconies and get a free bottle of wine at check-in. A free breakfast is served daily in the restaurant, but not lunch or dinner. This mid-range hotel, part of the Hotel Group that includes the Hanoi Holiday Diamond Hotel, is well-maintained and friendly, and a good choice for those wanting to stay in the Old Quarter, but travelers might also want to compare rates at the nearby Calypso Grand.

The 30-room Hue Serene Palace Hotel is a value property situated on a quiet side street in central Hue. It's within walking distance of restaurants, bars, and major tourist attractions, and is just two blocks from the Perfume River. Simple rooms are equipped with flat-screen TVs, computers, and mini-fridges, and some have balconies with nice city views. The restaurant serves all meals, including a free breakfast, and most guests give it good reviews for its Western and local offerings. Other features, though, are few and far between. Airport transfers are available, and the hotel assists with a variety of tours. Travelers looking for more amenities at similar rates could check out the Moonlight Hotel Hue, which adds a fitness center, spa, and pool.