InterContinental Hanoi Westlake - Hanoi, Vietnam - Located on the banks of the famous Ho Tay Lake, commonly referred to as the West Lake, InterContinental Hanoi is found relatively close to the 800 year-old Golden Lotus Pagoda and more. This restaurant with its 359 guestrooms, amenities, services, dining areas and more is looked upon as one of the better hotels in Vietnam and has garnered many positive Hanoi hotel reviews.

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First Impression/Lobby: We were greeted by the bellman as soon as we arrived who escorted us to the reception area. The lobby space was elegant and well designed with large artistic flower arrangements, ceilings opening up to the floors above, paintings splaying the wall and enhancing the warm hues of soft colors, lamps bringing in a warm glow to the place and more. The tones of colors were all soft and delicate, offset with vibrant cushions and other materials of deep pinks, violets etc bringing in the much needed rich contrast. Spacious and stylish, the lobby at InterContinental Hanoi had a quiet elegance about it that made a very good first impression.

Reception: The check-in process at the was quick and easy, but completely devoid of any warmth or friendliness. The lady checking us in seemed to be following a process rather than showing any extension of hospitality that a five-star hotel requires. Once our check-in was completed she walked us to the elevator and pointed us in the right direction, almost as if she was herding us rather than welcoming us.

The Suite: We had the opportunity of trying out two of the InterContinental Hanoi’s suites during our stay. We moved from the first suite to one that offered us a view of the beautiful lake. The suites were pretty much the same in décor and only were different in sizes and amenities. The beds were comfortable and big and offset with pretty patterned quilt against the white duvet. There were two rooms in the suite, a bedroom and a living room and both were spacious and decorated as well as can be. With comfortable sofas bringing in the contrast to the soft colored walls, lamps and picture frames decorating the place, the suites were comfortable. There was a balcony attached to the bedroom and the living room.

The second suite offered us a breathtaking view of the lake from the balcony. The set-back here was the balcony. With peeling paint, cobwebs decking the wall corners and numerous bugs making merry, it wasn’t the most pleasant place to hang out in. The second suite was also larger than the first suite and offered a dining table meant for four. The suite was fitted with a large-screen TV which offered choices of a number of channels; but one negative, there was no Wi-Fi available in the room and it only offered a wired internet connection.

The bathroom had all the luxurious amenities; dual sinks on gleaming warm counter-tops, a medium sized shower-stall and a bathtub. However, with all it had to offer, we weren’t blown-away by the suite at the InterContinental Hanoi in the least bit.

The Executive Club Lounge: Having checked into the suite, we also had the opportunity to drop into the Executive Club lounge. It served breakfast, afternoon tea, canapés with a selection of different cocktails and soft-drinks throughout the day. But the stark aura of the place and the mediocre food offered, had us running the other way.

Room Service: The room service was quite below par. Though the InterContinental Hanoi offered a decent selection of options of food for room service, the presentation, delivery and the quality of food were just O.K.

Housekeeping: Though the housekeeping at the InterContinental Hanoi clearly paid no proper attention to the outside balcony area of the room, the service catered inside was quite good.

Concierge: The concierge was quite disappointing with his failure to arrange for a car and a guide for a day trip. He said it was because we were only giving him about 12 hour notice. However hours later a manager got involved and we had our car and driver arranged. The concierge was also quite lacking in suggestions of places to dine nearby in Hanoi.

Restaurant: The InterContinental Hanoi housed three options for dining. The Saigon, open for dinner, offered Vietnamese cuisine set in a chic Asian design element with glass-fronted kitchen, and a splendid view of the city’s skyline. Café Du Lac, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, acted as a French brasserie and was set over the West Lake. Milan, open for dinner, offered Italian cuisine and a selection of Italian wine.

Pool/Spa/Activities: The pool at the InterContinental Hanoi was small and very uninviting without many chairs available for the guests to lounge in.
The fitness center was located away from the hotel in its own building and housed a gym and offered activities like yoga, aerobics, Taichi, Pilate classes and more. There is also a spa that you can drop into for a relaxing steam-bath after your workout.

Check-Out: We had no problems with the check-out at the InterContinental Hanoi and it proved to be a quick and easy process.

Overall Impression: The InterContinental Hanoi definitely didn’t leave a positive lasting impression on us. Located outside the city, the poor housekeeping care on its balconies, the unimpressive concierge service and the poor welcoming and hospitality extended to us made our stay here unappealing and we give it a rating of Between Bombastic and Not. If you are looking for true luxurious accommodations while in Hanoi, then check into the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi. (Click her to read our hotel review of the Sofitel)