We originally had booked another hotel, and were really disappointed with it, so we walked around and originally had looked at a hotel across the street based on a recommendation, but it was full so we crossed over to see what their pricing and rooms were like. We really loved the location, the rooms were very nice - VERY spacious, brand new, quiet, luxurious bathrooms (shower and tub, sparkling clean tile). The price was a little high, and the price quoted was higher than what we found on agoda, but when we pointed it out, they adjusted the price.

They sent their bellhop to our other hotel to pick up our luggage, which while a bit awkward on checkout at the other hotel, was a nice service.

We didn't eat much of the buffet, we only had a couple minutes one morning, it didn't look like anything special, but it was fine.

Anyway, would recommend - much better than so many hotels in that same location and still a reasonable price (I think we paid in the $70/night range).

A few small things could have been better - such as there was no extra TP or wash cloths in the room, and I don't think they provided a complete set of soap/shampoo/conditioner in the shower - I remember we used some of our own stuff. Little things that I would have expected, but wouldn't have changed my decision to stay there.

Oh, they also loan umbrellas!

have been to hanoi many times over the past 10 years and this is the best hotel i have found.
i recently stayed here for 5 nights . great hotel - excellent location in old quarter , handy to lake , cathedral , street quietish ( for hanoi!)
hotel is newly renovated and room are luxurious and comfortable ; marble bathroom had separate shower and deep bath. spotlessly clean .
all staff welcoming and friendly but not over the top. more than happy to help in any way they could eg recommending place for massage treatments , booking taxis or arranging room service refreshments.
laptop in reception available to use any time of the day.
hotel is staffed 24/7.
breakfast included in cost of room - choice of western or asian food

We spent 1 night here after enduring a less than comfortable night elsewhere in Hanoi. The hotel is very new and is of a very good standard. The rooms, bathrooms and common areas have all been finished well and it felt very luxurious.

Location was good, not far at all from the Lake, cathedral and Old Quarter, although it is on a very busy road. We stayed at the back of the hotel and with the double glazing it is very quiet, so we slept well

Breakfast was a buffet tpe and was ok, nothing special although we did note that other guests ordered eggs, rice etc to order and seemed very pleased with it. We ate the buffet that seemed to have been sat on the heater for a while so was not at its best - maybe we should get up earlier for the fresher food!

Staff, from bell boy to receptionist to manager were all very helpful, friendly and efficient. We benefited from a discount and were upgarded so think we did pretty well, although with taxes the room was still $70 and would have been quite a bit higher without discount, so probably not the best value unless you really want all the comforts that this hotel has to offer.

Overall a very good stay, and a great nights sleep!

Knowing Hanoi is knowing Vietnam, and a good start to this cultural discovery starts by staying in the Old Quarter, near Hoan Kiem lake in Hanoi.
This was our fifth visit to the wonderfully bustling core of the capital city, and even though we had been very satisfied with our previous hotel stays, ranging from the colonial posh (and waaaay overpriced) Metropole to more modest 2 and 3 stars lodgings, we can now affirm here that we have found the perfect accommodation in Hanoi: The Golden Rice Hotel.
Discovered by a dear Vietnamese friend of ours who scouted the rooms for us before our arrival, we settled for a Deluxe room, situated at the back of the hotel, thus quieter than the over energized street side.
The hotel was opened 4 month ago, and all the rooms are in tip top shape. Really.
Wonderful bathrooms (Toto toilets, rain showers, spotless bathtubs), roomy and very well appointed bedrooms with large LCD TVs, and great WiFi connection everywhere.
The property is owned by a very elegant Hanoi woman with an eye for antiques and decoration. A mix of marble and precious wood gives the hotel a very pleasant and immediately comfortable feel.
The staff is, as almost everywhere in Vietnam, very, very friendly and attentive to every need.
A good example of their desire to go the extra length would be the breakfast included with the price of the room.
When we arrived the first morning we were mildly disappointed to discover that it was served as a set menu rather than the usual opulent buffet commonly found elsewhere. To complicate matters, my wife has celiac decease and thus needed some gluten-free options.
We were able to work around that hurdle and later left for a few days to visit the country side.
When we came back, the personel had completely rearranged the breakfast room, buffet-style food is now regularly served, and gluten-free options thus available!
Also, as a special gesture from the courteous (and ingenious) management, we were upgraded — at no extra charge — to a front room, which is larger and more luminous that the back room we had occupied before. And just as quiet, due to double-paned windows. Definitely the best choice, should you decide to stay there.
And, really, you should. TripAdvisor is all about gauging, evaluating and eventually trusting the travelling community for its opinions at spotting the hidden gems when they become available, and this is indeed the case here.
You go, Golden Rice Hotel!