Hotel Review: Golden Holiday Hotel, Hanoi VN

It might be the local cuisine, its old charm, or the friendly people that we met in our past travels - there's something/s that keep drawing us back to Hanoi, Vietnam. Just 3 and a half hours away from Manila via plane, I was able to score a great deal from yet another irresistible Cebu Pacific promo that only cost us about Php4500/person round trip airfare. But as with majority of budget carriers, schedules are red eye flights so we arrived around one in the morning and was forced to pay for a hotel room a day in advance so I'd be guaranteed an accommodation upon arrival. Nevertheless, I still managed to book a room that fits our requirements: must be clean and comfortable, offers reasonable rates, easily accessible within Old Quarter, and comes with complimentary breakfast - all adequately met by my hotel of choice, Hanoi Golden Holiday Hotel.

Moreover, this boutique hotel takes pride in having a dedicated and professional team that ensures its guests have a memorable stay in the city. Apart from the basic hotel facilities, Hanoi Golden also offers airport transfers, 24/7 front desk and security, concierge, currency exchange services, Vietnam tour packages and many more. Since I knew that we'd be spending most of our time out, I passed on the room with a private balcony and got the suite with a city view instead.

 

The perfectly designed golden suite double room has large windows to let the natural light in and offers modern amenities like a 42" TV with Netflix and free wireless internet. That's on top of its basic room features such as a double bed, airconditioning unit, complimentary coffee and tea, safety deposit box, iron and ironing facilities, private toilet and bath, sitting area and a mini bar.

Another thing to love about Agoda is the flexibility in its room rates. Guests have the option to book rooms depending on their budget and needs. While breakfast is always a good idea, there are days when you had to leave your hotel early in the morning even before the usual 6AM breakfast time. With Agoda, you can book rooms without breakfast to cut down your room rate instead of paying the full amount. But since we don't have a tour or a flight to catch, I opted for a room with buffet breakfast for two. Variety is quite limited, as to be expected as this is a boutique hotel, but the dishes offered were appetizing and tasty. Besides, the street food in Hanoi is something to look forward to so leaving the hotel in a half full stomach is the best way to go.

Pros: Warm reception, helpful staff, affordable room rates, great location, spacious and well designed room and allows late check-out but subject to room availability. Another notable thing about the hotel is that aside from letting guests leave their bags after check-out, guests are permitted to use the shower on the lower ground level, complete with towels and bathroom amenities, to freshen up before leaving. They surely take hospitality to a whole new level.

Cons: Except for the slow internet that made Netflix on TV impossible to stream, we loved our stay at Hanoi Golden Holiday; it definitely tops the list of our favorite hotels in the city.

~o~o~o~

Hanoi Golden Holiday Hotel
43 Hang Dong, Old Quarter
Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel.: (8424) 32004833
Website: www.hanoigoldenholidayhotel.com

Sung Sot Cave, Halong Bay VN

Situated in the center of Halong Bay's heritage zone, Sung Sot Cave was discovered in 1901 by the French and have been called as Grotte de Surprises or Cave of the Surprise since then. Sung Sot is probably the most spectacular cave DB and I have ever been to with its two chambers and high ceiling (30 meters max) with stalactites in various shapes. The first chamber has been described to be similar to that of a wide theater hall where a narrow passage leads to the second chamber. The deepest part of this chamber is where you can find the fascinating "royal garden" with a clear pond and a broad diversity of flora and fauna.

The grotto covers an estimated area of 10, 000 sqm. with about 500 meter paved passage intended for tourists wandering the famous cave. Light posts and spotlights with varied colors installed for illumination adds charm and enchanting feel once you step inside Sung Sot Cave.

The exit will lead you to the steps going to the deck with an amazing view overlooking the famous Halong Bay. Such a picturesque sight!

If you don't like too much crowd, I suggest visiting Sung Sot Cave early in the morning while most tourists are still having their breakfast. Remember to wear comfortable clothes and shoes as there are slippery and uneven paths you have to climb and walk to. And lastly, keep an open mind, bring a camera and be prepared to be surprised!

A Secret to Tell: Bhaya Cruise On-Board Meals

The reason why we chose Bhaya among the numerous companies offering cruises along Halong Bay is because of the good reviews of the food that they serve, next to affordability of course. Lunch, breakfast and brunch the following day were all buffet while dinner was a five-course set menu.

Upon arrival, we were ushered to the dining area for the briefing and buffet lunch. The buffet spread was superb as the seafood were fresh and delicious.

Drinks were not included in the buffet but it wasn't exaggeratedly expensive as the common misconception in cruise ships.

For the set dinner menu, guests were given two choices for the main course -- Pan Fried Beef with Black Pepper Sauce or Pan Fried Fish with White Wine Passion Sauce. To be able to try both, DB decided to go for the fish while I had the beef meal.

Cream Pumpkin Soup

Steamed Prawns and White Mussels

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Green Mango Salad with Shrimp

Pan Fried Beef with Black Pepper Sauce

Pan Fried Fish with White Wine Passion Sauce

Cream Mango Mousse

We arrived early for breakfast the next day so we had the whole dining area for ourselves for a while. While the other guests were still asleep, we were already stuffing ourselves with freshly-baked breads and fruits to prepare us for the activities for the day.

Exploring the Sung Sot Cave for three hours burned all the calories from the buffet breakfast and left us hungry as a bear. Good thing the staff prepared a sumptuous brunch before sailing back to Tuan Chau Marina where our service is waiting to transport us back to the city.

Service was outstanding (language barrier was still a challenge though especially when the manager was not around), accommodation was very comfortable and the great variety of food were enough reason to choose Bhaya Cruises. And this is one secret I'd gladly share with everyone!