Old Quarter View Hanoi Hostel
by the TopOfHotel team
Old Quarter View is the rare hostel where the free Bia Hoi hour and daily group outings, not the room, earn it the list's top score of 9.8.
Old Quarter View is the rare hostel where the free Bia Hoi hour and daily group outings, not the room, earn it the list's top score of 9.8.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Old Quarter View Hanoi Hostel packs just 16 rooms into a narrow building, ranging from 4-, 6- and 8-bed dorms to a few private doubles. The most-booked option is a private double of about 14 sqm on the third floor, done in a minimalist white palette with a firm queen bed and crisp, clean bedding. You get both a fan and air-con, a lockable storage cabinet, and a shared bathroom on the floor that guests rate as genuinely spotless. Hot-water pressure is decent rather than strong. Dorm beds start at about $11 a night and the privates top out near $26, the lowest rates anywhere on this page, with fast Wi-Fi that reaches the whole building.
Food and amenities
Breakfast is included and cooked fresh downstairs: big bowls of pho, banh mi, eggs to order, congee, strong Vietnamese coffee, juice, and a vegetarian menu every day, a spread that earns specific praise in guest reviews. Beyond food, the hostel runs a restaurant and coffee shop, a bar-lounge, bike rental, free luggage storage, budget laundry, and a 24-hour front desk. None of it is luxury, but it covers what a backpacker actually needs and keeps costs near the floor.
Location and getting there
The hostel sits in the heart of the Old Quarter. It is a 5-minute walk to the Old Quarter night market and about 7 minutes to Hoan Kiem Lake and the red Huc Bridge over to Ngoc Son Temple. The legendary Ta Hien Street beer corner, where plastic stools spill onto the pavement, is a short stroll away. Noi Bai International Airport is roughly 27 km out; a Grab or hostel-arranged transfer is the easy way in.
Things to know before booking
This is a hostel, not a hotel, and the trade-offs are real. The dorms and per-floor shared bathrooms are wrong for families or anyone who needs privacy and silence. There are only 16 rooms, so a 9.8 score means it sells out fast in high season, especially the privates, and you should book well ahead. Climate control is fan-plus-AC rather than premium, hot showers are usable but not powerful, and the nightly bar buzz that draws most guests can read as noise if you want lights-out early.
Our take
This is the pick for solo and budget backpackers who want to meet people from all over in a genuinely social setting. Reviews single out the young, eager staff, the daily group outings, breakfast that punches above the price, and an Old Quarter location that all comes in around $11 a night. It closes our list as the best-value stay of the eleven.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- Carries the highest real-guest score on this page at about 9.8, driven mostly by the social atmosphere and value rather than the rooms.
- Genuinely social setup: a free Bia Hoi beer hour every night from 7 to 8pm, plus daily group activities like a Ta Hien Street pub crawl, a 6-stall street food tour, and a Vietnamese cooking session in the hostel kitchen.
- Sits inside the Old Quarter, about a 5-minute walk to the night market and roughly 7 minutes to Hoan Kiem Lake, so you can walk to most of the action.
- Covers both budgets and styles with 4-, 6- and 8-bed dorms plus private doubles, and adds a restaurant, bar, bike rental, free luggage storage, and a 24-hour desk.
- Cheapest starting rate on the list at around $11 a night for a dorm bed, and the free breakfast (with a daily vegetarian menu) gets specific praise in reviews.
- It is a hostel: the dorms and per-floor shared bathrooms are a poor fit for families or anyone who needs privacy and quiet.
- Only 16 rooms in the building, so with a 9.8 score it books out fast in high season and you should reserve well ahead.
- Facilities are hostel-grade, not a full hotel: expect a shared bathroom on the private-room floor, fan-plus-AC rather than premium climate control, and decent but not powerful hot showers.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Hanoi
Day tours, attraction tickets and experiences around Hanoi — book ahead on Klook with mobile e-tickets.
See activities in HanoiAffiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Insider Tips
- Show up for the 7pm free Bia Hoi beer hour on your first night, it is the easiest way to meet the other travelers.
- Book the Ta Hien Street pub crawl or the 6-stall street food tour through reception instead of going it alone.
- Reserve well ahead, the 9.8 score plus only 16 rooms means it sells out fast, especially the private doubles.