Lake View Backpackers Hostel & Rooftop Bar — Hotel in Hà Nội

Lakeview Backpackers is, without a doubt, one of the best hostels I've stayed at in Southeast Asia. From the moment I walked in, I knew I had made the right choice. It's a perfect blend of a fantastic social scene, a prime location, and a staff that genuinely cares about your experience. Staff and Vibe: The Heart of the Hostel The staff at Lakeview are the real MVPs. They're not just there to check you in and out; they're the heart and soul of the hostel. They're incredibly friendly, full of energy, and always ready to help with a smile. Whether it was giving me a recommendation for the best bún chả, helping me book a Ha Giang loop tour with a great company, or just chatting at the rooftop bar, they went above and beyond. The social events they organize, from karaoke nights to pub crawls, make it incredibly easy to meet other travelers, especially if you're a solo backpacker. The atmosphere is consistently welcoming and lively, and it's clear the staff's dedication is a huge part of that. Location: Unbeatable and Central You simply can't beat the location of Lakeview Backpackers. Tucked away in a small alley just off the main street, it offers the perfect balance of being right in the middle of the action without being overwhelmed by the constant noise of the Old Quarter. You're just a few minutes' walk from Hoan Kiem Lake, the Water Puppet Theater, and the famous Beer Street. All the major sights, amazing street food stalls, and vibrant nightlife are right on your doorstep. Being so centrally located saved me so much time and money on transport, and it was a great base for exploring all that Hanoi has to offer. Experience: More Than Just a Bed While the location and staff are fantastic, the overall experience at Lakeview is what makes it so memorable. The rooftop bar is a major highlight, offering a great space to relax, socialize, and take in the city views. It's the perfect spot to grab a drink and meet new people after a long day of exploring. The beds were clean and comfortable, and the hostel offered all the essential amenities you need as a backpacker. The free breakfast was a huge bonus and a great way to fuel up before a day of sightseeing. It's a place where you don't just stay; you get to truly live the backpacking lifestyle and make lasting memories. If you're heading to Hanoi, especially as a solo traveler or with a group of friends looking to meet people, do yourself a favor and book a stay at Lakeview Backpackers. You...

Disappointed with our stay here.

We booked online through hostelworld. Our bus arriving way delayed mid trip by 24 hours so we reached out to the hostel via WhatsApp and communicated that we would miss the first night. They said no problem, that we can check in the next day. The next day, before arriving, we received an email from hostelworld notifying us that the reservation was cancelled.

We arrive to the hostel and explain the situation and ask why it had been cancelled. The person working explained that hostelworld automatically checks if we are there and automatically cancels when we’re not. I can understand that. The frustration arises with them saying that it won’t be cancelled then it is.

To solve the issue, the woman working the front desk says that she will tell hostelworld to refund us the charge and we can pay for the nights we stay. We agreed. It has been about 1.5 weeks since this was said and no charge has come back from hostelworld.

Then, we pay for the room, we book the ha giang loop (it was pretty cheap here, you could maybe find it for $20 cheaper but we paid $180usd for 3d2n with hong hao with an easyrider). The loop was great and transportation and accommodation and everything for that went great logistics wise.

But after we pay, when we think we’re going to walk 20 feet to our room, then the woman working informs us that there is someone that’s “very sick in your room” and so we will need to walk “5 minutes” to their sister hostel. The 5 minutes was more like 15, especially walking around with your bags in the busy old town streets.

The other hotel was nice, and you have access to both breakfasts, but I think that we would’ve rather known it was full and chosen another hostel ourselves instead of paying and then learning about the situation. And you’re not close to the jacuzzi that is offered, or the rooftop bar. We heard other people getting moved as well and ended up in the other hotel with other people that had been moved.

They did let us use the showers after checking out and there were easy access bathrooms on the first floor but they were in poor conditioner cleanliness wise.

Great stuff about it: great location, great rooftop view, good breakfast with lots of options. Can’t speak...

Yesterday I stayed at this hostel and it was the worst experience of my life. Yesterday everything in Hanoi was absolutely collapsed, so I managed to find two beds in this hostel through the HostelWorld app. They cost me almost 5 times their original price, I made the reservation and when I completed the payment, the app informed me that I did not have a reservation because the hostel no longer had availability. So I decided to book through the Booking app where it was even more expensive but they still had availability. Fine, I made my reservation, I arrived at the place and waited to check in. When I entered the room, it was disgusting, everything was completely dirty, the bathrooms were unpleasant, the door where the toilet was did not close and not only that, the sink was outside next to the beds. Literally while I was in my bed I could see and hear everyone cleaning their nose and brushing their teeth in the sink, which is completely disgusting.

At night, I received a notification that I had a reservation through the HostelWorld app (which means the hostel actually had processed it). When I realized this, I went to the reception to explain what happened and ask for help because obviously I was not going to pay double, and if it had been intentional, I would not have chosen to pay for the more expensive reservation. While I was explaining the situation to a woman working there, she would not let me speak, she rolled her eyes, moved her hands in an annoyed way, and also raised her voice with the intention of shutting me up. She was really rude, I let her know, and she continued to be rude. In short, she only told me, “today is a very busy day,” meaning they were not going to lose money and did not care about my problem. She even ignored me and continued talking to a guy who also works there. It was extremely annoying and disrespectful that they did not even want to help me by simply checking the system for the error.

This hostel is overrated, has terrible customer service, dirty and poorly maintained rooms, and overpriced food. Awful experience!!! I have never felt so much...