Back in Hanoi and this time I stay at the sister Legacy Hotel Bat Su – just around the corner. My Ha Long Bay tour drops me off at the original hotel and a porter takes me to the Bat Su on the back of a scooter – a thrilling 5 min experience
dodging the billions of other scooters
running down the narrow alleyways. So happy I got the chance to experience this – a real blast!

I am met by Mr. Nguyen – the manager of both hotels. Aim with his famous welcoming smile I am given a large, comfortable room on the 3rd floor with a narrow balcony (as requested) and all modern amenities.

This hotel is slightly behind the throng of the Old Quarter and a pleasant escape from all the madness. All the staff at the hotel are so friendly, which beats the stuffiness of some of the 5 star hotels I have stayed at.

The room as stated is spacious, the bathroom large, and I delighted to find a fruit platter in the minibar fridge for me.

Breakfast on the top floor of the hotel (8) is plentiful with a delicious offering including fried rice, chicken, stir-fried Bok Choi, breads, cereals and fruit. I am also offered an egg which I ask for fried. Again, smiling friendly staff – even the chef comes out of the kitchen to give me my eggs with a smile and a ‘Hello, how are you’?

I book a tour at the hotel and a water puppet show add-on – prices are very reasonable – about $35 for the full day including lunch.

I enquire about where the local $1 per kilo washing services are nearby and Mr. Nguyen kindly offers me a 50% discount of the hotel’s laundry service which I gratefully accept – takes the hassle out of worrying about my clothes. And it only cost $4!

Which hotel would I choose between the 2? Probably Bat Su – slightly quieter area yet close to everything, and newer-built. But that being said, both are GREAT!