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 INTERCONTINENTAL |
WEST LAKE - HANOI |
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When a luxury resort hotel turns down evening turn down service, the economy must be bad. But when the property is in low-labor cost Vietnam, more than eyebrows are raised. “We stop turn down service for the environment” explained guest services at Hanoi’s chi chi InterContinental, on prestigious but surburban West Lake. Presumably, maids must be using too many extra towels when refreshing rooms in the evening, but quite seriously, it is one of the deciding factors between 4 and 5 star ratings. We’re already asked to retain the same bed sheets for several days, as well as bath towels (although they never seem to dry sufficiently). But an extra spiff up before retiring to bed, along with the chocolate on the pillow, just seems too much to forsake. |
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We regularly challenge high internet rates in hotels, especially considering so many of us today travel with IPhone, Blackberry, and laptop. Worse, traveling with two laptops makes a mockery of most hotels in-room wireless and cable connections. Hotel single user wireless passwords exacerbate the situation. |
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Thankfully, Hanoi’s InterContinental came to our rescue, with their IT man spending a good half hour installing our personal in-room wireless modem. So are two computer families a sign of things to come when travelling? Expect the upgrade to be glacially slow.
Standard internet rate at the InterContinental is US$24++ per day.
At Shangri La and Traders worldwide, it is free! For other properties offering complimentary wifi www.wififreespot.com/hotels.html |
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www.intercontinental.com |
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rave: nov 2009 |
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| MAISON D'HANOI |
HANOI |
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With a dearth of up-market boutique properties in Hanoi, we quickly latched onto Maison d’Hanoi, a trendy looking hotel of just 65 individually designed rooms on a street riddled with lesser 2 and 3 star abodes. Its bright beige monochrome lobby does a disservice to the sumptuous colors on upstair floors, where its regal hallways are especially impressive. “Classic” rooms are Lilliputian, reminiscent of Singapore, but fitted with a great bed and sumptuous pillows, wide flat screen TV, and practical design. Deluxe rooms range from small to sizeable, and definitely worth the upgrade. Better yet, free (and fast) internet in all rooms. Drawbacks? Price, for one thing. Originally marketed at $180+ when it opened 6 months ago -- steep even in overpriced Vietnam -- the hotel is already offering special two for one packages, including breakfast and airport transfer. Size does matter, however, so if you have lots of bags, avoid the classic rooms. In room air conditioning is noisy, and aimed directly at the bed head in many rooms, so terrible for the sinus. Also, classic rooms have no viewing windows, merely glass blocks for daylight, or worse. Excellent breakfast, but give the bitter espresso a miss, as well the cheap Lipton tea bags steeping an indifferent cuppa. Oreo cookies incongruously served at check in, plus with a la carte espresso, and even sold in room. Couldn’t they source a local home made cookie instead? Good location in the center of Hanoi’s Old Quarter. |
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www.hanovahotel.com |
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rave: nov 2009 |
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