sf7307

<<<After several frustrating email exchanges on my own with Hanoi Elegance Hotels, who seemed not to understand exactly what I wanted, I let the agent do the negotiating.>>>

This is interesting because my email communications directly with Hanoi Elegance have been quick and painless! Were you asking for something unusual? What kind of negotiations are needed with a hotel?

WillJame

Well, I think they're probably pretty good for just booking a room with arrival and departures dates. But, in addition to staying there on arrival, I wanted to book their tours to Sapa and Halong Bay, returning in between for a few days, and then staying afterwards too. I asked if they had any "special offers" because some of their expired specials included a junior suite with Halong Bay trip, or breakfast and massage after Halong Bay before check-in. Way too complicated for them as the answers was "We have a room for you from March ___ ..." and the rest ignored. Then when I changed arrival date that was too complicated too. And, despite their automated promise to respond to an inquiry within 24 hours, they were always several days.
Easier just to tell V'Explore what I wanted and let them set it up. You've probably seen the Hanoi Elegance instructions for paying deposits by Western Union or Visa. Again, a nuisance, especially when it seems the travel agency could get better rates for me than I could for myself.

sf7307

It's true our communications were "straight up" - quoted me a price for the dates I wanted, I chose what room/rate I wanted, and they confirmed. I paid the deposit by Visa, no problem at all.

WillJame

I meant to write above "...or breakfast and massage after SAPA [not Halong Bay] before check-in." I.e., you arrive back in Hanoi from Lao Cai very early in the morning, weary from the overnight trip, and have to put in a long morning before you can get your room once more.

thursdaysd

I'm about to sign up with Tonkin for a week in Vietnam the end of February. They've suggested the Golden Sun Legend for Hanoi, which looks very nice, and the Boutique for Sapa. Just wanted to check again that the Boutique is tolerable! It gets good reviews on tripadvisor.

WillJame

Thursdaysd, have a look at linawood's account of arrival in Hanoi and being taken to a hotel that was NOT the Golden Sun Legend where she had been booked (not arranged by Tonkin). Maybe overbooking or a driver misrepresenting himself and taking them to the similarly named Golden Sun Sunrise (#76 on TA)?

linawood

Re our arrival in Hanoi, we had arranged with GS Legend for airport pickup and the sign at the airport had our name and GS Legend. Perhaps if reservation were made by Tonkin and airport pickup arranged by Tonkin, GS Legend would bump someone else. We really liked GS Legend so much, but if we were to go again, I think I would try that in order not to be bumped if we arrived so late.

Re Boutique Sapa, the location was superb, the service was excellent, the restaurant was lovely and food very good, the room was very attractive but low lighting, the bathroom had the shower head in the middle of the wall, and there was no source of heat (except auxilliary heater on request which was OK). We were in the newer annex a couple of doors down from the main hotel and perhaps the rooms differ from the main hotel. Anyway take a look at our pictures. There are a couple with the stupendous view from our room (last 2 in the 4th row. You'll also see the lovely faces of that area).

http://picasaweb.google.com/linawood...etnamTrip2010#

(not sure why this is different address than posted above but think they both work)

thursdaysd

Thanks! My flight gets in at a reasonable hour, so maybe my chances of getting the right room are higher. Although I just got sent to a backup hotel in Chennai, even though I arrived at 4:00 pm. (It was an agoda booking, though...)

WillJame

Linawood, the reason I raised the possibility of an airport scam was because the Hanoi Elegance website details exactly what you experienced. The traveller arrives at the airport; driver meets them with a card bearing hotel name and traveller's name; en route they are told the hotel is full and taken to a so-called "sister hotel." Of course you were collected next day at the "wrong" hotel and taken to the "right" one, so this might not have been what happened, but it's very similar. http://www.hanoielegancehotel.com/he...z=11&t=0&lid=0
Hanoi Elegance Hotels are now advising that you should ask the driver to show your confirmation number on pickup.

jcasale

Thanks so much for all of the details and the link to the pictures. We are in the planning process so I am gathering all of the information I can. Sounds like a great time!