this hotel has very interesting pictures, but no real reviews, and their website is "coming soon". Has anyone experienced it and can give a brief summary? Also, is it in or near the Old Quarter?
Thanks

Reviews on booking.com, rated 9.9 - exceptional. Looks great. Not in or near Old Quarter.

No no no! I have my Hanoi hotel already booked. Don't give me a reason to second guess! In all seriousness, the hotel looks lovely and the reviews seem good. It depends on where you want to be. I'm staying at the Aira Boutique Hotel, which is I think fairly close to the Old (French) Quarter. You can see if perhaps it suits you.
https://airaboutiquehanoi.com/

Looks like a nice hotel but the location isn't great. It is 30-40 mins by taxi from the Old Quarter with little in the vicinity to attract the average tourist.

Hanoi lacks any form of mass transit system, traffic is terrible, which makes the location of your hotel is key to getting around to see the sights. We were there a couple of months ago and whilst the traffic was better than I have seen in many, many years (because many people are yet to return to the city from their villages post pandemic.

If you want to be in the thick of the old quarter then the area to the north of Hoan Kiem lake would suit. A little quieter but still a buzzy area, around St Josephs Cathedral to the west of Hoan Kiem. To the south of the lake is the French Quarter which tends to have some of the more upmarket hotels , the main one being the historic but very expensive Sofitel Legend Metropole. Another hotel in the same Accor group is Hotel de l'Opera Hanoi - MGallery also nice and less expensive.

There are some reviews on google.

Can you share how about your budget for hotel in Hanoi? Smarana Hanoi Heritage hotel is in Cau Giay district, far from the old quarter.
I recommend you to stay at the hotels in the old quarter for example: La Siesta hotel 4* boutique; Apricot hotel 5* boutique; Silk Path hotel 4*; De L'opera hotel 5*; Antole hotel 4*, Imperial hotel 3*+ ....

I stayed in this hotel right after they opened for business ( October 2022) and honestly, it was worth a 20 minutes cab drive to Old Quarter. It is really unique, they focus on traditional art and Hanoi culture and their staff are well-trained. Plus they offer free shuttle to the center in the afternoon and evening.

I would be interested to learn why you recommend these particular hotels. I have stayed in four of them in recent years;

La Siesta Premium Hang Be is a very nice, good value option in a great location towards the top of the lake in the old quarter. Amazing staff and a wide variety of room options

Silk Path - Not quite so nice but still a good option though the location at the bottom end of the lake is not so good.

Le Opera - is a long established Accor property in the French Quarter. Nice rooms, great service. Not as grand as the Metroplole but also a lot cheaper.

The Apricot - a disappointment . I wouldn't describe this as a 5* hotel. Fixtures and fittings seemed largely fake and plastic. Pretty average rooms but cheap (for that reason presumably). We left after one night. Last time in Hanoi in October there seemed to be a lot of building works going on next to the hotel.

The Apricot is sensational AND the works nearby stopped in 2020 because of covid (it was supposed to be a Four Seasons hotel)

I guess your definition of "sensational" is very different from mine. "the works nearby stopped in 2020because of covid" if that is the case it was strange to see the scaffolding there three months ago.

Scaffolding ? Where have you seen them, especillay when the works have not resumed AT ALL !!!!
https://vietnamtravel.com/images/202...anoi3.jpg.webp

Pity I cannot attach a recent photo !!! The works have never esumed because not enough foreign tourists, but, of course, since you live in Hanoi also, you KNOW Hi Hi hi !!!!addition

We were in Hanoi last month and would agree with Crellston's first post on this thread. We stayed at two hotels in the old quarter on three separate occasions. The first hotel was the Peridot which was nice but the Grand Balcony suite was way overpriced. Our second stay was in a Grand deluxe room that was reasonable and fine except for the Euro style shower that leaked water on to the floor. Our second hotel was the LaSinfonia Majesty that was also quite good. We did like the LaSinfonia suite. if I were to return to Hanoi I would stay again in the old quarter.