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Vietnam hotels
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THE ALCOVE LIBRARYHOTEL
133A NGUYEN
DINH CHINH ST, PHU NHUAN, HO CHI MINH
CITY, +84 8 6256 9966;
ALCOVEHOTEL.COM.VN
one for the books
The Alcove Library
Hotel
in Ho Chi Minh
City’s quieter Phu Nhuan
district makes for a smart
hotel choice if you’d like
to experience the city’s
energy with the volume
dialed down. The hotel
is on a short and narrow,
semi-residential street just
off the major thoroughfare
that on one side leads to
Tan Son Nhat International
Airport, and on the other
takes you straight into the
pulsating heart of the city.
After you’ve had your fill of
dinner and drinks around
the Dong Khoi area, it’s
easy enough to escape back
to The Alcove where by
10pm, you’ll find most of the
nearby shops shuttered for
the day, the street empty
and quiet. And when you
need to catch your flight out
of Ho Chi Minh, you won’t
need to worry about getting
caught up in the daily tangle
of downtown traffic.
The hotel is small (a
low- density building of 26
rooms) and elegant (the
white walls and black iron
grillwork out front make it
look like a stylish London
townhouse). It’s luxurious in
the way boutique hotels are,
where much attention has
been given to the finer details
of hosting: they’re quick to
call you a cab and instruct the
driver where to take you; the
WiFi is free and fast; and as a
reference to its bookish name,
a short story accompanies
a complimentary packet of
nuts as part of the turndown
service.
Other extras that make
the-less-than-US$100-a-
night price tag feel like a real
steal: you can borrow books
and pick from the wall of
well-stocked bookshelves in
the lobby; and Bookmark,
the penthouse restaurant
and bar, where breakfast is
served, has a balcony that at
night offers a beautiful view
of the twinkling city. Without
the noise.
THE CINNAMON HOTEL, right beside St Joseph’s
Cathedral in Hanoi’s buzzy Hoan Kiem district, is
spare but stylish, almost spa-like, with retro tiles,
brass fittings and dark, polished wood that give it a
romantic, Old World vibe. French doors that lead to
a balcony lush with pots of bougainvillea and their
bright pink blooms? We’re so there. But if there’s
one thing you won’t forget about this hotel, it’s the
warmth and the enthusiasm of the service. You’ll get
a handshake, a wide grin, and patient and sincere
assistance — all the restaurants they recommend are
proven winners, and the staff won’t hesitate to warn
you against overrated establishments. Check in and
give our regards to our main man, Sony, possibly the
friendliest concierge you’ll ever meet.
Cinnamon
Hotel, 26 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, +84 4 3938
0430; cinnamonhotel.net; rooms start at US$86
This gem of a boutique hotel away from the
jumble of Ho Chi Minh City is a must-visit
