InterContinental Hanoi Westlake
by the TopOfHotel team
InterContinental Westlake is an over-water hotel on West Lake — pavilions standing in the lake with a 360-degree view.
InterContinental Westlake is an over-water hotel on West Lake — pavilions standing in the lake with a 360-degree view.
In-Depth Review
InterContinental Hanoi Westlake sits on West Lake (Hồ Tây), the largest lake in Hanoi, about 5 km from the Old Quarter. It is built from two main buildings plus a Pavilion of 80 rooms standing on pilings in the water, reached by wooden bridge — a resort mood dropped into the middle of the city. The open lobby looks straight out over the lake toward Tran Quoc Pagoda, a temple founded more than a thousand years ago, and the overall guest score lands around 9.0/10.
Rooms and decor
The Pavilion Suite runs about 55 sqm at roughly $275 a night, and it is a true room over the water — you walk a 50-metre wooden bridge to the door, with the lake on every side and a brown timber balcony that opens onto a 360-degree view of West Lake. The look is Indochine in blue and white, with a King bed (200x200 cm), a sofa, a desk and a minibar. The marble bathroom has a deep jacuzzi, a rain shower, a Toto Washlet and Aromatherapy Associates products. Open the balcony door and you can watch fish moving under the room and the sun drop over the lake. Main-building rooms start at 38 sqm at about $210, roughly 25% below the Pavilion.
Food and amenities
On the first evening, head up to the Sunset Bar, a terrace over the lake open 17:00 to 24:00, where a cocktail runs around $11. The signature Westlake Sunset mixes gin, lychee and lime, and the sun goes down over the lake between 18:00 and 18:30 — the sky shifting from orange to violet, mirrored on the water. For dinner, Saigon serves southern Vietnamese food — Pho Bo, Banh Xeo and fresh Goi Cuon spring rolls — at about $22 a head, while Milan turns out wood-fired pizza for around $13. The next morning, the spa offers a 90-minute Vietnamese Tropical Treatment using frangipani oil and pandan leaf for about $84.
Location and getting there
The hotel is in the Tay Ho district on West Lake, 5 km from the Old Quarter — a taxi takes about 15 minutes — and roughly 30 km from Noi Bai airport. The outdoor pool sits right over the water at 28°C, and guests can borrow kayaks free to paddle the lake for half an hour. A short 5-minute walk along the shore brings you to Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest temple in Hanoi, set on its own island in the lake — red and gold, with an 11-tier stupa, and free to enter.
Things to know before booking
The big trade is distance: at 5 km from the Old Quarter you get calm and a lake view but lose easy access to central nightlife. The Pavilion rooms cost about 30% more than the main building, so the over-water experience carries a clear premium. And in the rainy season (May to August) the water rises and some shoreline Pavilions close, so confirm your exact room is open if you travel those months.
Our take
InterContinental Hanoi Westlake is hard to match anywhere in Asia — over-water Pavilions on West Lake, the Sunset Bar terrace, and the thousand-year-old Tran Quoc Pagoda a few minutes away. It scores 9.0/10 from 5,200+ reviews, with rates from about $185 in the main building up to roughly $275 for a Pavilion. It is worth it for honeymooners and anyone after a resort feel in the middle of the city, IHG One Rewards members included.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- An over-water hotel on West Lake that gives you a resort mood right in the middle of the city, built across two main buildings plus the Pavilion.
- The Pavilion holds 80 rooms standing on pilings in the lake — you walk a wooden bridge to your door, with water on every side and a 360-degree lake view from the balcony.
- Full IHG One Rewards membership applies, so you earn and redeem points and get a free welcome amenity; Diamond members also get late check-out at 4 PM.
- 4 restaurants, led by the Sunset Bar for cocktails on a lakeside terrace and Saigon for southern Vietnamese food like Pho Bo, Banh Xeo and fresh Goi Cuon spring rolls.
- An outdoor pool set right over the water at 28°C, plus a spa and 24-hour fitness, and free kayaks for guests to paddle the lake.
- It sits 5 km from the Old Quarter, roughly a 15-minute taxi, so you trade central convenience for the lake setting.
- The Pavilion rooms cost about 30% more than the main building — the overwater room is the whole point here, but it carries a clear premium.
- In the rainy season from May to August the water rises and some of the shoreline Pavilions close, so confirm the room type is open before you book those months.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
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Insider Tips
- Book a Pavilion Suite if the budget allows — it is a genuine room over the water with a balcony that hangs above the lake.
- Get to the Sunset Bar by 17:30 for the 18:00 to 18:30 sunset; the Westlake Sunset (gin, lychee, lime) is the signature, around $11.
- Walk 5 minutes to Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest temple in Hanoi on its own island in the lake, with an 11-tier stupa and free entry.