| Alan |
May 29th, 2005 03:22 PM |
Back in 1997 when we were in Hanoi, the hotel we chose -- can't remember why -- was in the old town right above the early-morning markets. It was called the Dong Xuan (that's the name of the markets, too), and it cost us $US12 a double room. For that we got a balcony where we could look down (only two storeys) at the markets, and, I tell you, from 6 a.m. (when we were woken up by the sounds of the market stallholders setting up and the smell of the vegetables and spices) until about 9 a.m., we couldn't tear ourselves away from the balcony. Finally, when the need for food got too great, we simply walked downstairs and bought from a couple of the stallholders whose activities we had been studying all morning. That was our first morning in Hanoi, and, as great as the city is, I don't think we ever topped that fascinating three hours.
So I would highly recommend this hotel, with one proviso: I have heard that, in competition with an acknowledged high-flyer, one or two other hotels have opened in the same street, all calling themselves the Dong Xuan. I can't tell you anything about these, and I guess it would be easy to be deluded into checking into one of the "clones". The REAL Dong Xuan was right near a corner, and had balconies at the front looking down at the street.... it may pay you to ask, before checking in, exactly where the stalls will be set up next day. And, of course, don't accept anything but a front room!
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