Golden Silk Boutique Hotel

On arrival, the Golden Silk Boutique Hotel is quite impressive. Stepping into the lobby, one is greeted by marble floors, a glittering gold lacquer wall towering over reception, hanging chandeliers, ornate Chinese vases, and lacquered cabinets. Additionally, there are a couple of massive throne-like chairs set about the room. The lovely welcome extends further back, where there is the period Piano Bar, complete with old gramophones, black-and-white photos of Hanoi, and velvet chairs and booth seats with antique silhouettes. Guests of the hotel are mostly couples, though families and solo travelers pass through as well.  

The Golden Silk Boutique Hotel sits along Hang Gai, which is Hanoi's silk street and district. Besides silk and textile shops, the hotel is surrounded by plenty of restaurants and bars, and is in a great location for touring the Old Quarter, the center of which is just a five- to 10-minute stroll away. Scenic Hoan Kiem Lake is just a few minutes down the street on foot, and guests are a 10-minute taxi ride away from the Temple of Literature and Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, two of the city's most popular tourist attractions. Additionally, the international airport is just under an hour's drive from here. It's an excellent central location; the only drawback is that Hang Gai has an endless stream of non-stop traffic all day and night, and it can be noisy. 

There are 55 rooms at the Golden Silk Boutique Hotel, and while they do have a few scuff marks and other scars, they are aimed at a boutique crowd. Muted floral curtains and matching bed runners look sharp against white linens and warm hardwood floors. Each room features a wooden desk and upholstered bench seating (or velvet love seats in higher category rooms), and have modern amenities including flat-screen TVs with cable and movie channels, minibars, safes, free Wi-Fi, and electric hot water kettles for making free tea and coffee. Standard Deluxe Rooms are fairly small and lack exterior facing-windows, while the next category Luxury Rooms only have small windows. Various suite categories provide ample light and balconies overlooking all the action along the Silk District below. Bathrooms are fine, but not quite up to boutique hotel style levels. The lower category rooms only have small shower units in bathrooms, while the suites have shower/tub combos. Luxury Suites have double vanity sinks. Spending extra for the balcony suites is the way to go, as they are bright and cheerful, and photographers will appreciate the view down to the street below.

The Piano Bar sits at the back of the lobby and features velvet chairs and booth seats set around a piano, with live entertainment on weekends -- it's an atmospheric place for a drink and a feature many hotels in this part of town lack, and there are also happy hour deals to go with the relaxed vibe. The Oriental Restaurant is up on the second floor, and offers all day dining as well as free breakfast buffets, with both an international and Vietnamese menu. Silk Spa is located on the hotel's top floor. Spa treatments are available, and there are hot tubs along with steam and sauna rooms for relaxing. The hotel also has a gift shop that sells art, bottled water, and slippers. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property. There is a tour desk as well that can help arrange sightseeing plus provide airport transfers and local transportation.