Usually, we only list a hotel if it has at least a 3*** rating unless it's in an area where there is no alternative. However, although it's located in the centre of Hanoi, the 2** Church Hotel puts many supposedly superior establishments to shame.
The six-storey Chains First Eden is located on a corner at the northern end of Hanoi's Old Quarter, overlooking a small park. It's an unassuming small hotel with 44 rooms in three categories.
Built around 1960 and renovated twice since (the latest being three years ago), the four-storey Army hotel has one of the best locations in Hanoi. Apart from the nearby five-star establishments, it's also the only hotel with a swimming pool in the city centre.
The 22-storey Meliá belongs to the worldwide and respected Spanish 'Sol' chain, and is located in a tree-lined boulevard about a fifteen-minute walk from Hoan Kiem lake. Its external appearance is off-putting - a featureless tower block. However, the interior more than compensates.
The De Syloia is a bijou hotel on one of Hanoi's leafy boulevards about a five-minute walk from the city centre. It's an eight-storey building tucked in on a narrow plot with a small reception area.
The Sofitel Plaza towers over Tay Ho, Hanoi's largest lake. The building is striking - twenty storeys zigzag down the facade providing good views from all rooms.
The Horison's name is not misspelt - the owner is from Indonesia, where it's spelt with an 's', not a 'z'. Indonesian features and motifs in the hotel range from the display of ceremonial weapons to shadow puppets on the walls.
Our brief comments: Situated on the shore of Hanoi's largest lake, the Sheraton is about a ten-minute taxi ride from the city centre. The hotel was built around 1998.
