Whenever I head to Hanoi, I usually stay in the Old Quarter, as that is where most of the places of interest are. This time, I made it a point to book a stay at the city’s famous West Lake. I decided to stay at Pan Pacific Hanoi, where its location beside Thanh Nien Road made it easy to head over to the Old Quarter. That it has a fantastic view of West Lake also made it easy for me to decide.
TL:DR
Fantastic views of West Lake
Spacious suite
Nice service
Away from Hanoi’s Old Quarter
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Service:
I arrived for a three-night stay and check-in was smooth, with no crowd that morning. As I initially made a booking for the Deluxe room, I was surprised to find out that they have upgraded me to the Premier Lakeview room. I requested a paid upgrade to a suite for the last night. The staff helpfully suggested the Premier Suite as it is a one-bedroom suite with unblocked views of West Lake. This was in contrast to the Executive Suite that I initially brought up as it is a two-bedroom suite and it was too big and not required for my stay. I thanked the staff and decided to take up their suggestion.
The breakfast service was uneventful as the staff was generally busy with both business visitors and domestic tourists. While I was there, the staff cleared the empty plates promptly and were generally polite. Even while I checked out, the staff was friendly and was keen to ensure I left feeling satisfied with the hotel’s service.
My stay in the Premier Suite came with a welcome drink at the hotel’s lounge, and I made sure to get a drink on the last night before I flew off. I enjoyed a mango smoothie that was done perfectly by the staff. The staff were friendly and cheerful during my time in the lounge and I enjoyed the time spent there while reading the news on my mobile phone.
In general, I liked the hotel’s service as it felt warm and the staff made sure to make every guest feel welcome.
Hotel Facilities:
The hotel has an indoor swimming pool and a gym, which is located beside the pool. The hotel also has a spa, which I did not use, as I was too busy during the 3 nights I was in Hanoi. It is interesting to note that the hotel also has serviced suites, and it is not uncommon to see Korean expatriates swimming in the early morning before starting work. During the morning that I was there, I was quite surprised to see that there were already a few elderly-looking folks keeping fit in the pool. I only managed to snap a few pictures before heading down for my breakfast.
The gym appeared adequately sized with all the necessary equipment, from your treadmills to the dumbbells. While the pool was busy, there was no one in the gym. Perhaps the gym is a good place for your workout if you prefer to exercise alone.
The hotel also has a club lounge for club guests. It was unfortunately closed while I was there, due to the lack of guests caused by COVID-19. Hence, I was unable to see and enjoy the club lounge. Having said that, I hope that the next time I am in Hanoi, I will be able to visit the club lounge and enjoy my meals there.
Breakfast:
A full buffet breakfast service is offered by the hotel. Consisting of the standard continental options, there is also an egg station where staff will cook you your preferred type of egg. During my time at Pan Pacific Hanoi, I chose the sunny-side-up and omelette and was well-pleased with both options.
The breakfast service also had a few Japanese options, including a Japanese omelette, tofu, and sushi. I assume it was catered for the business visitors who frequent the hotel, where I did see quite a few of them getting those options.
The service also had fresh fruits, and they were quite good. I had a serving of sweet-tasting watermelon and honeydew and was happy at the conclusion of my breakfast.
For Vietnam lovers, you should be pleased to know that they serve both western and Vietnamese coffee so you will not need to forgo your caffeine so early in the morning. And yet, I drank Americano each time I was there. While I had no idea why, I made sure to make a trip to the nearby Cong cafe for a well-needed black Vietnamese coffee.
Room:
The Premier Suite is a 50-square-metre suite that comes with a living area and a separate bedroom. When I first entered the room, I was actually quite surprised by how big the entire suite is. The living area was huge, while the bedroom was comfortably large, especially with a king-sized bed.
As a guest of the Premier Suite, the staff generously provided a fruit plate and a bottle of sparkling water for me to enjoy. I appreciated the thought, especially the fresh fruits that were just the right amount for one person to enjoy.
When you first enter the suite, you are greeted with a three-seater sofa facing West Lake, so guests and you can enjoy the sunset view. The aircon is strong enough that you will not feel warm even with the sun beaming down on the hotel. There is a four-seater dining area at the side, which is helpful when guests order room service, although it is difficult to watch television from both the dining table and sofa. Perhaps because of the design of the room, the television is located in the right corner of the living room, which makes watching television a chore. I actually found it a little difficult to watch television from either area and in the end decided to wheel the workstation chair from the bedroom to watch some television while I enjoyed my room service meal.
The balcony was just fantastic, as it offers views of both West Lake and Truc Bach Lake, which is perhaps more famously known as the lake that the late John McCain landed in when his plane was shot down during the Vietnam War. The lake is now bustling with visitors and tourists, especially during evenings when visitors can enjoy a boat ride on one of the many swan boats provided by vendors.
While the hotel has a rooftop bar, The Summit, for guests to chill out while waiting for the sunset, Premier Suite guests need not bother. You can enjoy your beverage or even a full meal in the air-conditioned comfort of your suite while looking at the sunset. I spent quite some time stepping out into the balcony to snap some pictures before heading back into the suite for a respite. The Premier Suite is definitely the suite to be in if you wish to enjoy a great view of the sunset over West Lake.
Within the bedroom, there is another television facing the bed while the workstation is located just beside the television. Perhaps by design, this means that while you got views of the city and West Lake, you cannot watch television while working. No issue though, as I found the bed sturdy enough to handle my laptop while I worked and watched television at the same time that night.
There is a nice clothes rack in the room as well and it came in handy when I sent some clothes for laundry the day before. It came back washed and ironed, nicely hung on the rack. As the hotel is admittedly getting on in years, the control panel situated on the bedside is also correspondingly old. However, it is still functional and does its job perfectly. You can turn off the lights and change the room temperature with ease using the control panel.
Perhaps due to its age, Pan Pacific Hanoi does not provide Nespresso capsules. Instead, guests can use Nescafe sachets to make some instant coffee. While many may no longer appreciate such coffee, I know at least a few elderly folks who prefer such sachets to Nespresso, or whatever western coffee one can think of.
The bathroom comes with both a standing shower and bathtub, with the bathtub having its windows opened to face the bedroom. The bathtub also comes with bath salts and a loofah, so you can do a proper bath after a hard day’s work visiting the city’s sights. Unfortunately, you cannot exactly watch television from the bathtub, such is the placement of the bathtub. You can, however, look at your partner on the bed from the bathtub. Perhaps this was done intentionally.
The shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, and body lotion come from Eco-boutique, where a search online shows that the brand appears to originate from Germany, with its focus on providing solutions for corporations. The familiar em.brace is also present in the suite, offering other toiletries such as shaving, dental, and vanity kits. The toilet is perhaps the highlight of the bathroom, as it comes with an electronic shower toilet seat. While old, it is still functional and does its job well.
To my surprise, this specific suite comes with a surprise balcony on the other side of the room. Located beside the bedroom, there is a door to the balcony, where guests can get a great view of the city and Nhat Tan Bridge. Depending on the weather, it can look amazing in the morning when the morning mist is still present and the bridge appears to be a mysterious structure appearing in the background of the city.
Overall, I enjoyed my stay at the Pan Pacific Hanoi. The Premier Suite was generously large for couples to enjoy, while staff were generally eager to please and were keen to make sure you were satisfied with their service. I will make sure I am back one day to enjoy their club lounge!
Click here to find out more about Pan Pacific Hanoi and book a stay today!
Cost of Premier Suite: VND 4,883,879.45 (approximately S$291) a night - stayed over a weekend in July 2022 (Note: This consisted of an initial VND2,263,772.45 for a Deluxe Room and a subsequent additional VND 2,620,107.00 paid upgrade to a Premier Suite)
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