Meliá Hanoi

Rooms and decor

The Meliá Hanoi is a 22-storey brown-and-cream tower in the Hoan Kiem district, Mediterranean lines softened with a contemporary finish. It opened in 1998, so it is older than the newer hotels in town, but it is kept in good shape — the lobby runs 10 metres high with a crystal chandelier, Spanish and Vietnamese art, and fresh flowers. The flagship room is the The Level Premium at 35 sqm, around $183 a night, done in contemporary Spanish cream, red and gold with a King bed, a sofa, a desk, a 50-inch TV, a Nespresso machine and a minibar. The marble bathroom has a jacuzzi tub, a rain shower, a Toto Washlet and Carolina Herrera toiletries — a Spanish luxury touch you do not see everywhere.

Food and amenities

Dinner runs through El Patio, the hotel's Spanish restaurant, where a Spanish chef leads a Vietnamese team. The Valencian paella for two (about $34) is the thing to order — saffron rice with chicken, clams, shrimp and chorizo, done proper Valencia-style — backed by a 12-piece tapas spread (around $15), a full Spanish wine list, and Cava by the glass (about $11). The second kitchen, El Oriental, does Cantonese with a Vietnamese accent, including a Vietnamese-Cantonese Peking duck (around $46). The outdoor pool on the 4th floor stretches 25 metres, holds a steady 28°C, runs 06:00 to 22:00 and has a pool bar serving cocktails. The spa offers a 90-minute treatment (about $69) that blends Vietnamese herbal work with Spanish aromatherapy.

Location and getting there

The hotel sits 1.2 km from Hoan Kiem Lake — a 15-minute walk down Ly Thuong Kiet street, or a 6-minute taxi for about $2. After dinner you can walk 5 minutes to the Apocalypse Now club, a longtime favorite with foreign visitors that has been open since 1991. It is Vietnam War-themed — the name comes from Francis Ford Coppola's 1979 film — and plays pop, rock and electronic from 20:00 to 04:00, with free entry.

Things to know before booking

The building dates to 1998, so it reads older than Hanoi's newer towers; it is well maintained, but go in expecting vintage rather than brand-new. Entry rooms start at 32 sqm, smaller than the rooms at the JW Marriott. And it is 1.2 km from the lake — close enough to stroll over, but not the lakeside doorstep some hotels promise. If the Spanish-kitchen-plus-club-floor combination is not your priority, the gap to the lake is the trade-off to weigh.

Our take

This is the best Spanish 5-star stay in Vietnam — Meliá Hotels International, The Level club floor, El Patio's paella and MeliáRewards all in one place, scoring 8.8/10 across more than 4,000 reviews. Rooms open around $150 a night, roughly $43 less than the JW Marriott or Lotte, which makes it a smart pick for business travelers, couples, MeliáRewards members and anyone who wants real Spanish food and club-floor perks without the top-tier price.