One-Month Stay in Hanoi : Tips For Accommodation

For those planning one-month stay in Hanoi, here’s how to find accommodation and some of my personal experiences. While moving between various places throughout the month is an option, this guide is for those looking to stay in one place for four weeks or more.

1. Define Your Criteria for One-Month Stay in Hanoi

First, choose an area based on your goal for Hanoi travel

The most important factor when choosing accommodation for one-month stay is the purpose of your trip. Depending on what you plan to do and where you want to go in Hanoi, the area you stay in will vary. If you want to immerse yourself in the bustling urban life of Hanoi and stay close to tourist attractions, the Hoan Kiem area is ideal. However, if you prefer a quieter environment and plan to work remotely with occasional trips to tourist spots, modern apartment complexes in My Dinh or Da Ton are good options.

Next, determine the minimum requirement of facilities and set a budget

Most accommodation booking sites have filter options. Use them to find places with necessary facilities like a private bathroom, a kitchen with cooking utensils, a desk, and Wi-Fi, which are crucial for one-month stay. Setting a budget is also important. Without a budget, you might be tempted by more expensive and luxurious options, leading to decision paralysis. Establish a maximum budget from the start and avoid considering options beyond it for an efficient search.

2. Major Areas for One-Month Stay in Hanoi

In Hanoi, you can find one-month stay accommodations in five main areas. Accommodations with private rooms and bathrooms for two people are available in all these areas, starting from at least 500,000 KRW. Choose the area that best suits your one-month stay purpose.

1) Hoan Kiem

This central area of Hanoi is rich with tourist attractions, traditional markets, restaurants, and cafes. It offers a variety of sights and food. However, it can be noisy and crowded with tourists, and accommodations tend to be expensive relative to their facilities.

2) Ba Dinh

This area is home to historical sites like the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the Presidential Palace, along with government offices and embassies, making it relatively quiet and orderly. It can be somewhat deserted in the evenings, and there are fewer accommodation options.

3) Tay Ho

Located around West Lake, this area offers beautiful scenery and walking paths, and many foreigners reside here. It provides a pleasant and upscale living environment close to major tourist sites but has the highest accommodation and living costs in Hanoi.

4) My Dinh

Known for housing many global corporate representatives, My Dinh is equipped with modern apartments and commercial facilities. However, it is about 12 km from central areas like Hoan Kiem.

5) Da Ton

This new city area has new apartment complexes and many educational institutions like international schools, attracting many local residents. It offers a comfortable living environment with affordable living costs due to various local food options and shops, but it is about 15 km from central Hanoi.

3. How to Book Accommodation for One-Month Stay in Hanoi

You can search for long-term accommodations in Hanoi on sites like Airbnb or Booking.com, comparison sites like HomeToGo or HolidayHomes, or through Facebook Groups. I recommend using accommodation-specific booking sites like Airbnb and Booking.com.

1) Booking Site: Airbnb, Booking.com

These sites offer various filter options for accommodation conditions and allow you to read reviews from previous users. They are widely used platforms, so you will have many options to choose from.

2) Price Comparison Site: HomeToGo, HolidayHomes

These sites claim to compare prices from multiple booking sites, but in Hanoi, they mainly link to Vrbo (by Expedia) or Booking.com, so the advantage of price comparison is minimal. They lack filter options for amenities, requiring you to check each accommodation’s facilities manually.

3) Facebook Groups

You can find accommodation posted by local hosts and contact them directly through Facebook. While this method eliminates intermediaries and allows direct communication with hosts, it requires you to verify each accommodation’s facilities manually and deal with unfamiliar individuals for the contract.

4) Tips for Booking Accommodation for One-Month Stay in Hanoi

Unlike hotels, one-month stay accommodations often lack certain services. Before booking or before the free cancellation period ends, confirm the accommodation conditions to avoid unnecessary disputes. Contacting the host before finalizing the reservation can also help ensure smooth communication during your stay.

Check for:

• Cleaning service availability
• Inclusion of electricity, water, and internet fees
• Provision of consumables like conditioner, body wash, laundry detergent, and toilet paper
• Towel and bed sheet replacement services

4. Yumsis’s Pick: Vinhomes Ocean Park in Da Ton

I aimed to experience the daily life of locals by living in a residential area and traveling to central Hanoi or nearby tourist spots in the afternoons or weekends. Therefore, I focused on searching for accommodations in Da Ton, avoiding the potentially hectic central areas and expensive Tay Ho.

I filtered for accommodations with essential amenities like a private bathroom, a dedicated work space with a desk and Wi-Fi, and a monthly budget of less than 600 USD. I found an ideal place in Vinhomes Ocean Park. Despite the 30-minute bus ride to Hanoi Old Quarter, the excellent facilities and surroundings were worth it.

1) Booking Method and Price

I booked through Airbnb two months before check-in for 455 USD for 30 nights. This price included electricity, water, and internet fees. I purchased bath products like shampoo and conditioner separately.

2) Accommodation Facilities for One-Month Stay in Hanoi

The accommodation had a separate bedroom for two, a corner with a bed and desk, a private bathroom, a living room with a TV, sofa, and dining table for four, a kitchen equipped with a refrigerator, induction stove, electric kettle, and microwave, and a washing machine with a drying function.

3) Surrounding Environment

Located within walking distance of universities and international schools, the area mainly houses local families. The apartment’s ground floor features a supermarket, convenience stores, restaurants, cafes, salons, and massage shops. Food is inexpensive, with meals costing around 50,000 VND (approximately 2 USD) per person.

Residents of Vinhomes have access to amenities like swimming pools and a private beach at Ocean Park. Despite being a temporary tenant, I fully utilized these facilities.

4) Transportation

From Hanoi Airport to the accommodation, it costs approximately 423,280 VND (about 17 USD) by Grab taxi. To reach central Hanoi, it’s a 5-minute walk to the bus stop and a 15 km bus ride (30-40 minutes) costing 8,000 VND (about 0.32 USD).

Previously, staying on the outskirts of Hanoi meant expensive taxi fares to tourist sites, but now the “BusMap Ha Noi” app allows convenient bus route and arrival time searches in English.

I hope this guide on finding one-month stay accommodations in Hanoi and my experiences helps someone with their future travel plans.