Tu Linh Legend Hotel

The Tu Linh Legend Hotel isn't one of the Old Quarter's most modern properties -- the furniture is a bit outdated and the style won't inspire soliloquies. However, this is a clean, bright, friendly, and welcoming value property, which is immediately clear upon stepping inside. The lobby is fairly large for an Old Quarter hotel and while there are only a few siena-colors places to sit in the austere space, modern orange circular light fixtures brighten things up, and colorful paintings ranging from abstract prints to Hanoi street life hang on the walls. The breakfast-only restaurant downstairs is more cheerful, if still lifted from an earlier time, with elongated red banquettes alongside white-linened tables. Guests here are predominantly couples, though the stray family and solo traveler pass through as well. 

On the western side of the Old Quarter of Hanoi, this hotel is a five-minute walk into the heart of the neighborhood's narrow and chaotic streets. While the hotel itself is on a very busy and traffic-filled street, it isn't as congested or noisy as staying in the heart of the Old Quarter. The Old Quarter teems with restaurants, bars, and shops, and it is a 15-minute walk to Hoan Kiem Lake, the water puppet theater, and the area's main sights from the hotel. Walks to the Walking Street bar area, which comes alive at night, take about 10 minutes and the night market is also a 10-minute walk from the hotel. Depending on traffic, it will take 45 minutes to an hour to reach Noi Bai Airport by car. 

There are 26 rooms at the Tu Linh Legend Hotel, most of them in the Standard and Superior categories. Design is similar across most rooms, with white walls and light wood laminate floors plus colorful abstract wall art and mustard-tone bed runners and throw pillows. Standard Rooms are extremely small, and guests had better be very close if planning to share these rooms. The Superior Rooms only cost a few dollars more and provide a bit more space, including a desk. In both cases, the window situation isn't great -- Standard Rooms have none and Superior Rooms have only small interior-facing windows. Deluxe, Honeymoon, and Family Rooms are far better, and even include love seats and large exterior-facing windows, plus balconies in the Honeymoon and Family Rooms. The Honeymoon Room also has better artwork on the walls and feel far brighter. All rooms have modern features like flat-screen TVs with cable, air-conditioning, minibars, and electric kettles, although free tea or coffee aren't provided. Tiled bathrooms are also compact, but clean, with bathtub/shower combos and stand-alone sinks plus toiletries and modern fixtures. We did notice a bit of wear in some rooms, including chipped paint and peeling laminate floors. 

Like the majority of the hotels in Hanoi's Old Quarter, there aren't many features to speak of at this hotel. The hotel does have a bright restaurant downstairs restaurant where they serve a free breakfast buffet, but it closes after that, so guests will need to go out to eat for other meals. There is also a travel desk in the lobby, where guests can arrange tours to Halong Bay or Sapa, book train or bus tickets, or take care of just about any travel-related need. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. The 24-hour front desk can also help arrange laundry services and daily housekeeping is included in room rates.