La Siesta Classic Ma May — Hotel in Hà Nội

I had a really great experience during my stay so I will be writing a long review to express my gratitude. But will start off with a TL;DR version for those who have no time:

My recent stay at La Siesta Classic Ma May in Hanoi was exceptional, thanks to the warm and friendly receptionist, Hang Pham. Hang's attentive, empathetic, and proactive approach turned a casual conversation about trying Salt Coffee into a memorable and delightful surprise on our last day. Her qualities as a front desk receptionist, including her exceptional English proficiency, made our stay truly remarkable. La Siesta Classic Ma May offers not only comfortable accommodations but also a personal touch that goes above and beyond. I highly recommend this hotel for a special and thoughtfully serviced Hanoi experience.

Full review:

I had the pleasure of staying at La Siesta Classic Ma May during my recent trip to Hanoi, and I must say, it was an absolutely wonderful experience. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted by the incredibly warm and friendly Hang Pham, the front desk receptionist, who set the tone for our entire stay.

What truly set Hang apart was her genuine interest in making our visit memorable. Every day during our stay, she took the time to have a chat with us in the hotel lobby, inquiring about our plans for the day or the next. Her willingness to engage with us and offer valuable suggestions on places to visit and activities to try was incredibly appreciated. Her recommendations enriched our exploration of Hanoi and made our trip all the more enjoyable.

The highlight of our experience came on our last day at the hotel. In a casual conversation with Hang during breakfast, we mentioned that we regretted not having the chance to try Salt Coffee and that we would have to save it for our next trip, as we were preparing to depart for our flight shortly.

Approximately an hour later as we were checking out of the hotel, Hang presented us with two cups of Salt Coffee to our surprise. This thoughtful gesture left us speechless and with an incredibly warm feeling in our hearts.

Hang's exceptional ability to pick up on a small detail, such as our desire to try Salt Coffee mentioned in a casual conversation, and turn it into a memorable and delightful surprise, reflects her extraordinary qualities as a front desk receptionist. Her attentiveness, empathy, and proactive approach enable her to actively listen to guests, understand their desires, and anticipate their needs. Her exceptional memory, customer-centric mindset, and resourcefulness showcase her commitment to providing a personalized and exceptional guest experience. Hang's dedication to going above and beyond to create meaningful moments for guests makes her stand out as someone who truly values and cares for their visitors, ensuring their stay is not only comfortable but also filled with thoughtfulness and warmth.

In conclusion, our stay at La Siesta Classic Ma May was nothing short of remarkable, and Hang Pham's exceptional service and kindness played a significant role in making it a memorable experience. If you are looking for a hotel in Hanoi that offers not only comfortable accommodations but also a personal touch that goes above and beyond, I highly recommend La Siesta Classic Ma May. Thank you, Hang, and the entire hotel team for making our trip to Hanoi truly special. We can't wait to return and create more beautiful memories at your...

I booked the hotel through an app and within a day, the hotel emailed me the confirmation personally and offered any assistance including booking tours and airport transfers. This was a good sign.

Upon arrival, we were met with Mr Long Nguyen and he impressed us with his initiative to share about Hanoi and where to go. I saw this occurring with other check in guests too. We were provided with a local map for our reference. A welcome drink was also given to us.

We booked this hotel in two blocks. 3N in a duplex room + 3N in a family suite. In between we had a Halong Bay 2D1N tour.

The duplex was clean, nice and comfortable. Water was provided but my advice is not to drink it as it was not sealed and its better to bring your own filter jug to filter tap water first before boiling it for consumption. Beds and pillows were very comfortable too. Noise from bars and pubs was a factor during night hours but it ceased at a reasonable time.

Breakfast was provided and it was quite varied with western and local cuisine. It was more than enough to fill ones stomach before we left for outings. Do try the eggs benedict and pho.

Mr Long Nguyen deserves special mention as he remembers guests names and is very detailed in his interactions with us. Before we departed for our Halong Bay tour, he arranged for us to store our large luggage bags properly. And when we returned, our rooms were all ready for us and they brought the bags to the rooms too. Excellent service! One surprise we had was when we were given their grand duplex as a complimentary upgrade even though we booked the smaller family suite for our 2nd block of 3N stay.

The grand duplex was much roomier than the other duplex and came with a balcony with seats and tables. It was really nice and a very much appreciated gesture on the part of Mr Long Nguyen and the hotel staff as we returned from a tiring cruise. Thank you!

A special understandable circumstance then had us shifted to the tenth floor where we were given two rooms. One was a triple sharing and the other was the executive room. The executive room was the only one with a smart TV function with Internet apps and access. It was great to have that! Both rooms were equally clean and comfortable with the triple sharing room having a separate bedroom that was cosy and loved by my oldest child. The only downside was that the tenth floor was only accessible by stairs from the 9th. But the staff managed our bags for check out and relocation so it was not an issue. Thank you for that too.

When we checked out of the hotel to end our trip, Mr Long Nguyen gave us another surprise. He presented us with a local handmade gift that was lovely and thoughtful! We didn't expect that at all. It made the trip to Hanoi one filled with very pleasant memories especially after staying at this hotel. I cannot fathom myself staying anywhere else and nowhere in the world have I ever experienced such personalised service with excellent initiatives by any hotel staff. I pride myself on being a seasoned traveller and this hotel is truly one of the best I've seen and stayed in.

Thank you for taking care of my family with your smiles and excellence in service and friendliness. 5 stars is what I can rate you but you...

My wife and I just completed our third trip to Hanoi. Previously we have stayed at the Metropole, which might be our favorite hotel in the world. For this trip we were only able to book 3 of our 6 nights at the Metropole, so we spent the last 3 nights at the La Siesta Classic Ma May.

We walked to the hotel a day before our scheduled arrival to check it out. The street outside is noisy and chaotic, typical of the old quarter in Hanoi (and a far cry from the upscale neighborhood of the Metropole). I had my doubts.

We went in and were immediately welcomed by the staff. I want to particularly thank Ms. Hang Pham, who greeted us when we walked in. We explained we would be checking in the next day. Ms. Pham seated my wife and I in the quiet, clean, and well-appointed lobby. We were given some very nice tea and sweets, while we chatted with the staff.

The next day we checked in. Ms. Pham greeted us by name when we walked in, and showed us to our upgraded room overlooking Khách sạn street.

It was Valentine's day, so we booked dinner at the Red Bean restaurant. The meal was terrific, and again the service was warm and gracious (see picture below).

Later that evening we went up to the Moonlight Sky Bar on the 11th floor. It was not what I was expecting. We had a commanding view over the rooftops of Hanoi. The Sky Bar was really well done, with a lot of attention to detail. The drinks were also really great, but what made it over the top (actually over the roof) was the ambiance.

We chatted with many of the staff during our visit. They arranged a tour of Hanoi and helped us figure out how to get our clothes laundered locally (always cheaper than hotel laundry).

My wife and I have travelled extensively for more than 3 decades. We are professors at Stanford, which involves giving lectures all over the world. Our experience at the La Siesta was unique. The staff really made us feel like family (without the yelling and washing the dishes).

We have never had a hotel staff welcome us as family like this. This was truly an experience unique to Vietnam, whose people are so kind, warm, and gentle (albeit tough as nails).

Our trip to La Siesta was bookended by 3 days at the Metropole, followed by two days at the Mandarin Oriental in Taipei. The Metropole and Mandarin Oriental are among the finest hotels in the world. The service was perfectly professional and absolutely first class, exactly as one would expect from two of the best hotels in the world.

However, it didn't feel the same. We were just two more guests. Hotels almost never make guests feel special. The staff at La Siesta made us feel like we were part of their family every time we entered the lobby.

Given the choice of these three hotels, I'd chose the La Siesta. The hotel is very nice, but we have been in many nice hotels. What makes the difference is the staff. They are just wonderful in way that may be unique to Vietnam.

We hope to visit Vietnam next year. We'll be staying at the La Siesta Classic, hopefully for a much...