As our driver weaved through the busy traffic, streets began to pass by in a blurry motion. I reckoned this must be the Hanoi’s famous Old Quarter and that we should be reaching La Sista Hotel Trendy soon. Thought I’ll try to distinguish street from street, but it proved impossible. There were many old buildings that looked all the same, plenty of shops, twisting lanes and alleys, people on the streets and of course, the chaotic traffic of the Hanoi’s roads.
The driver turned into an alley and stopped in front of a small lobby. Two men dressed in long robes stepped out to take our luggage. A stark contrast to the unmaintained roads of Hanoi, we stepped into a tastefully designed hotel lobby, and were ushered to the sofa while the reception checked us in.
Staying at Hanoi Old Quarter –
La-Siesta Hotel Trendy
While we waited, two more staff came up to us, ready with a tray of fruits and glasses. Pineapple mocktails were freshly prepared before us and served. Gestures like this is always a delightful way to welcome us to a new city! It was my first time in Hanoi and I was curious about what the city has to offer.
La Siesta Hotel Trendy, the sister branch of the popular La Siesta Hotel & Spa, opened for business in March 2016. We were hotel guests on April 2016, so it was still a very new hotel!
Tastefully Designed Hotel Room
Once our room was ready, we went up and entered an artistically designed room. The different colors, textures, tiles, choice of furniture and touches of art, blended beautifully to create a cozy and interesting space. A personalized, welcoming letter from the hotel had been placed on the bed, aww.
Over the next two nights, we were to have a restful time staying at this hotel. I imagined if I were to stay for more than a few nights, I’ll be a very happy digital nomad producing lots of work!
The only, only ‘fault’ that I could find about the hotel was, the bed felt a little on the small side (and I’m already a slim, 5ft-tall lady). By the way, you can ask for firm pillows if you find the default ones too soft for your liking!
Good location at Old Quarter
Conveniently at Old Quarter, La Siesta Trendy is located in the central area in town, yet slightly tucked away into a quiet street. This gives you ease to get around places, without having to put up with street noise and Hanoi’s ceaseless traffic.
My partner and I also headed to the original Red Bean restaurant by foot, and took a short taxi ride back to this hotel. You can read more about the experience below!
If you’re not familiar with Hanoi, its roads are always full of bikes and motorcyclists constantly honking – the horror! Thankfully, La Siesta Trendy Hotel feels like a sanctuary.
Starting off mornings right with good breakfasts
My room comes with complimentary breakfast every morning. Served at its RedBean Trendy restaurant within the hotel building, I will order freshly prepared chicken pho as the main course of my breakfast. A staple food of the Vietnamese, pho is rice noodles in hot broth (chicken or beef) and a few herbs. You can add additional condiments such as lime and chilli padi to taste.
On my last morning in Hanoi, I polished off two bowls of pho (along with 2 sunny-side up eggs, 2 pieces of toast, 2 bacon slices, 2 sausages, 2 glasses of fruit juice) all by myself; I had that good an appetite here! You can help yourself to the buffet spread at the restaurant.
Carefully Prepared Dinner
In the evening, the restaurant converts to one where the public can dine at as paying customers. On my last night, we decided to settle dinner here, and afterwards simply take the lift up one level to our wonderful room. It felt like bliss.
As for the food, even though what we ordered had been prepared with much care and effort from the chefs, honestly, its taste couldn’t beat the excellent dinner standards of Red Bean Restaurant Classic at La Siesta Hotel (not La Siesta Trendy Hotel, don’t get confused!). Whatever the food didn’t manage to impress, the restaurant staff makes up with excellent service and thoughtfulness. I’m confident that the standards at RedBean Trendy restaurant will be on par with RedBean Classic restaurant eventually, perhaps even by now!
Why I loved and highly recommend La Siesta Hotel Trendy in Hanoi
Excellent Service & Hospitality
What made La Siesta Hotel Trendy really stand out was the service quality of its hotel staff.
Each staff we met spoke fluent English, was respectful and polite, thoughtful, always ready to help, and efficient.
On the first evening, we wanted to book a table at its sister hotel’s restaurant. The concierge staff immediately made a phone-call on the spot and helped us secure a table. He didn’t even ask for my name, simply because he’d remembered by heart! We walked over to the restaurant to find a table with cozy sofa seats reserved in a quiet corner for us. That evening, I ate the best food I had in Hanoi.
I was actually in Hanoi for work. On the first morning we woke up in Hanoi, I had a driver come pick us up to go to a meeting. He reached the lobby when we were still having breakfast at the restaurant. Pucca, one of the hotel staff who was at the restaurant, came to our table to notify me personally.
It felt like all the staff knew me like a VIP, which was a very heartwarming way to be treated as a hotel guest who was only staying for two nights.
Help rendered when needed
By the way, taxi-drivers in Hanoi have a bad reputation for scamming tourists.
On the way back from dinner at the other Red Bean, the taxi-driver tried to trick us into paying an exorbitant taxi-fare for our very short ride. He also purposely stopped way past the hotel entrance instead of being right outside it. Because the restaurant had earlier advised us what’s the usual estimated taxi-fare, we knew this taxi-driver was trying to scam us.
Seeing he wouldn’t give up, my partner quickly went to the hotel lobby. La Siesta Trendy’s lobby staff came running immediately to see how they can help us. Seeing them coming, the taxi-driver quickly grabbed my offered cash (which was already more than the usual estimate) and left. We were very grateful the hotel staff appeared for us!
It feels like a sanctuary
Honestly, once I was no longer at the hotel, it was personally very stressful for me to be outdoors in Hanoi. The crazy traffic, challenges of orientating directions among the winding alleys, and having to communicate with locals who mostly can’t speak English, be alert against snatch-thieves and scammers, was too much for me. I’ll feel an immediate sense of relief and joy the moment I step back into the hotel.
Unexpected farewell gifts
On the day my partner and I checked out, a group of the hotel staff walked us to the car to say bye, passing us each a little paper-bag as a farewell gift. Each paper-bag contained a long hanging mobile of stuffed, fabric birds in colorful cloths, handmade by Vietnamese locals, for us to use for home decor. The gesture was truly unexpected!
It’s clear that La Siesta Hotel Trendy values good service and had invested in training its staff well. I could feel the staff’s joy in teamwork and co-operation, their commitment to their jobs and the way they take pride in delivering top service standards.
I’ve never come across a hotel as thoughtful as this. We truly appreciate the warmth and hospitality of each staff at La Siesta Hotel Trendy, thank you.
If I ever visit Hanoi again, La Siesta Hotel Trendy will be my top choice and recommendation for anyone. The warmth I felt from staying here, compared to what would otherwise have been a stressful trip, made all the difference.
| Check La Siesta Hotel Trendy rates on Booking.com today! |
Stayed: Apr 2016
Address: No:12 Nguyen Quang Bich St., Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi, Vietnam
Airport Transfer: Hotel has private airport transfer service available at USD$23/ car/trip (as of Apr 2016) including all tolls. The hotel will contact you to arrange this after you booked your room.
Hotel facilities: There’s a spa, a library/reading corner, and a fashion boutique.
More information is available at the hotel website.
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