Hotel in Hanoi
 

Our AMA river cruise tells me they can get me a hotel in Hanoi for $400 per night as it is the same hotel they use for cruise passengers. Is this a fair rate? Anyone have a better rate? We will depart on the AMA trip on Feb 16 2016.

That's a shocking price by my standards. Fair? I don't know as you don't say what hotel it is. Check the hotel's own website and maybe booking.com, if you know which place, and compare. It may be the Sofitel Metropole, a lovely looking place, so if you don't mind paying that, proceed. Just know you can get a very comfortable place for a tenth of that price. Not posh but new and comfortable.

Is that $400 possible a typo? Even the Metropole's balcony rooms are less!

Could be. Was thinking maybe the cruise guys marked them up. It's a mystery.

Do not under any circumstances accept the cruise line's $400 a night hotel!!

I hadn't heard of AMA until now, but Indochina Junks has a promotion now where, if you do one of their trips to Bai Tu Long Bay, they include a FREE night at the new and posh Apricot Hotel in Hanoi. Maybe you can mention that to AMA!
Three's 4-yr-old comment on Cruise Critic, indicating the writer stayed at the Sofitel Metropole prior to his AMA cruise. If that is where they'll put you up, Dawg, there's no way the room should cost $400, even though Metropole is probably the most expensive hotel in Hanoi.

Look on Expedia , Asia Room, or Google hotels in Hanoi. You can at least see what the going rate is and know they are padding your bill. Way over priced. some of the local 3-4 star hotels in Hanoi are very comfortable and centrally located. Just do some home work.

CaliNurse, AMA is a river cruise line, has long offered river cruises in Europe, started offering Mekong River cruises in SE Asia a couple of years ago. It's a completely different type of cruise line than the little local junks that cruise Halong Bay.

Traveldawg, the hotel booking sites I use most often in Asia are www.agoda.com and www.booking.com I'm not that surprised that they would quote you an outrageous price. After all, cruise lines are renowned for making extra money on items like shore excursions at double the rate you could arrange on your own. This is just another example. If you want to stay at the Metropole, you can certainly find it for much less. But there are other lovely places to stay in Hanoi for even less.

Agoda and Booking.com both fall under the same umbrella...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Priceline_Group

I like both, but at the moment prefer Agoda. I've booked 5 of our 6 hotels in Vietnam [starting this Wednesday] with them.

27 nights B&B for 2 for just less than £550 (less than US$800).

LancasterLad, what do you particularly like about Agoda? I generally book directly but I'm interested to know what the advantages might be.

IME both agoda and booking often have prices lower than what the hotel's own website offers. I always check both before booking,

Oh, and a local agent can often get me an even better rate than agoda. Not everywhere, but in India, Indonesia, Myanmar, VN it's worth checking

I stayed for some time in a hotel I loved (http://hanoihibiscushotel.com/index.php) whose delightful owner, Dong, now lists a number of properties on Airbnb. It's a site for finding good and reasonably priced hotels in Hanoi, not just rooms in homes or apartments.

I have used Agoda and booking a lot over the last year and have found that booking. Com has much better after sales service if there is a problem. Agoda were hopeless.

Traveldawg - if you are looking for 5* in Hanoi, have a look at the Newly opened Apricot Hotel. It looks really nice and is in a great location right by Hoan Kiem lake. We have stayed a couple of times at the Metropole and weren't that impressed the last time ( albeit a few years ago now) could be better now it is managed by Accor.

@Mme Perdu<<<LancasterLad, what do you particularly like about Agoda? I generally book directly but I'm interested to know what the advantages might be.>>>

Tbh I've never had a problem with any hotel I've booked or with who I've booked it with. Most of the time the vfm is v.good, which is one reason why mid-range is my absolute upper limit. If the price is the same or better by booking direct then I'll consider doing that.

I always do lots of homework, and take recommendations from trusted sources. Eg. Crellston is v.honest with the places he and his wife stay, and he's recommended the newly opened Travel Lodge in Hoi An, and the great opening deal they are offering. I jumped at it.

I've made a few bum choices too, but that's mainly due to location rather than the hotel itself.

I don't mind paying up-front if I'm very confident with the product. I can do that on Agoda, it takes seconds, and I've got the hotel voucher printed-off and in my hands. I make sure that the room I've paid for is the room that I get. Not been let down yet, so can't comment on the efficiency of after-sales service.

I recommend to you Hanoi silk path hotel at 195 - 199 Hang Bong. Can book thru Agoda or booking, Here is 4 star hotel in the center, much cheaper than you book thru AMA, 400$/per night is too high cost

I was on the Uniworld (similar to AMA) on the Mekong and they put us up at the Intercontinental Westlake- WOW, I only wish we could have stayed longer. Great hotel, not super convenient to sights, but a truly amazing place to stay.

Thanks for all the input. I am going to do some more research.