Hanoi travel guide: planning your stay

Getting there and choosing your base

Noi Bai International Airport (HAN): Well north of the city, with international flights at Terminal 2 and a shuttle to the domestic terminal. Express bus 86 stops near the Old Quarter, the Opera House and the railway station, so a hotel close to one of its stops makes a cheap transfer workable.
Hanoi railway station (Ga Hà Nội): On Lê Duẩn street, south-west of Hoan Kiem Lake, for the Reunification line south and overnight trains towards Lao Cai for Sapa. Sleeper berths can sell out days ahead in high season, so fix the train before fixing the final night's room.
My Dinh and Gia Lam bus stations: Long-distance coaches use My Dinh on the western side; minibuses to Ha Long leave from Gia Lam across the river. Many tour operators collect from Old Quarter hotels instead, which is one practical reason to stay there.

Areas to consider

Old Quarter

Fits first-time visitors who want street food, cafés and the main sights within walking distance. Ask whether the hotel's street is closed to cars at weekends, because taxis and minivans may have to drop you a few blocks away with your luggage.

French Quarter (south of Hoan Kiem Lake)

Fits travellers who prefer wider, calmer streets near the Opera House and the lake. Confirm the walk to the Old Quarter at night, since some addresses filed under this area sit well south of the lake.

Tay Ho (West Lake)

Fits longer stays, families and anyone wanting lakeside space, expat restaurants and larger international hotels. Hotels at the north end of the lake are a taxi ride from downtown, so budget for that ride twice a day.

Ba Dinh

Fits visitors focused on the Ho Chi Minh complex, the Presidential Palace area and the Lotte Center side of the city. Look at what is open nearby in the evening; parts of this district are government and office streets that empty after work.

When to go

Autumn brings the most comfortable weather, while summer is hot, humid and stormy and winter feels raw because most buildings have no heating. Tết, the Lunar New Year in late January or February, closes many businesses and puts pressure on trains and rooms, and air pollution is usually at its worst in the winter months.

Before choosing a room

For a December to February stay, confirm the room's air-conditioning unit also heats; Hanoi winters are damp and many older buildings have no other heating.
Old Quarter hotels often occupy tall, narrow tube houses: ask whether there is a lift and whether the room has an outside window or only an interior or corridor-facing one.
If a Ha Long cruise or Sapa trip starts from the hotel, check whether the operator collects from that address or from a nearby pick-up point, and whether the hotel will store luggage while you are away.

Sources and planning resources

Facts checked on 30 October 2026. Transport services, taxes and hotel offers can change. Confirm the details for your trip before booking.