I’ve had great experiences at the InterContinental Manila, so I was pretty upset when it closed its doors to give way for new developments by its landowners. Since then, I had been yearning for a stay in an InterContinental hotel. The chance arose fortunately—I slept a couple of nights at the InterContinental Hanoi Westlake on the last leg of my long Vietnam trip recently.
The InterContinental Hanoi Westlake is tucked in a secluded location, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. With ridesharing services like Uber and Grab, however, getting to and fro the action in the Old Quarter—only about 3km away—is easy and affordable.
As the name suggests, the hotel is located by West Lake, which is the largest lake in Hanoi. Right beside the hotel, meanwhile, is the famous 800-year-old Golden Lotus (Kim Lien) Pagoda.
As my Uber pulled into the hotel’s porte-cochere, a bit of nostalgia kicked in. Sure, the InterContinental Manila and InterContinental Hanoi Westlake each had a distinct charm of their own, but the latter gave me the same feeling of class and elegance that the former evoked.
Walking across the ostentatious lobby, I checked in, and immediately, I was helped by one of the charming front desk associates and was handed my keys.
I luckily was upgraded to a Deluxe Panoramic View Room, which had a veranda with a view the lake and the city beyond.
The room was both contemporary and luxurious, and its design tastefully integrated Vietnamese influence into an otherwise Western-style hotel room.
As expected of a five-star hotel, the room was appointed to meet the needs of today’s travelers. It had really cozy twin beds, which were fitted with high-quality linen and complemented with fluffy pillows. Aside from those are a large handsome desk, a 32” LED TV, a mini bar, and coffee/tea making facilities. The immaculate bathroom, on the other hand, had marble-top counters, a rain shower, a separate soaking tub, and fragrant amenities by Agraria San Francisco.
I had my breakfasts at Café Du Lac, the hotel’s French-themed all-day dining restaurant. It had a truly five-star spread of Western, Asian, and Vietnamese items.
Whilst my stay there, I had the chance to walk around the hotel and appreciate it entirely. Aside from the over-water pavilions, the hotel also had a swimming pool and a fitness center.
WHY STAY THERE:
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The location is perfect—tucked away from the busy streets of Old Quarter but not far from them either.
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Rooms are well-appointed, in addition to being luxurious and contemporary.
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Rates are affordable for an InterContinental property, making stays great value-for-money.
INTERCONTINENTAL HANOI WESTLAKE
Tu Hoa Street, Tay Ho District, Hanoi, Vietnam
Telephone: +84 24 6270 8888
Email: res.hanoi@ihg.com
Website: hanoi.intercontinental.com
Social Media: Facebook and Instagram
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Jetstar Pacific flies to Hanoi from Ho Chi Minh, Da Nang, and all over Vietnam, while Jetstar Asia flies from Manila to Ho Chi Minh and Da Nang via Singapore. For “all day, every day, low fares,” book flights at jetstar.com. For promos and updates, follow Jetstar Asia on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. |
