Hanoi Backpackers Hostel
Outstanding budget option
What we say: 
Located on a sidestreet near St Joe's cathedral, this was for years the only real hostel in Hanoi, but now cheaper, almost-as-good places are springing up like daisies. It's still good value though and the central location plus its longstanding good reputation make it worth a couple of extra bucks. Not to mention the popularity: single travellers and anyone looking to mix and meet as they ply the Southeast Asian trail can find new friends here as easy as pie. Under Australian management, the Hanoi Backpackers Hostel has absolutely spotless, air-con dorms (both mixed and women-only) along with a selection of very large double rooms, all of which are equally immaculate. We've got consistently positive feedback from a number of Travelfish users. A kitchenette allows you to prepare your own food on site and a rooftop bar offers daily happy hours and Sunday barbecues with all the free bia hoi you can drink. Also, they have upgraded their tour services and now offer their own Halong Bay tours that they run from start to finish, including things like rock climbing and kayak trips to little-visited caves that absolutely no one else in town is offering. This constitutes a very reliable first stop if booking any kind of tour, even if you aren't staying here. Highly recommended.
Check rates around Hanoi best price guarantee!Contact details:
48 Ngo Huyen, Hoan Kiem District. T: (04) 3828 5372Visit website
What we were quoted
| Type of room | Low season | High season | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dorm air-con | 8 USD | 8 USD | Upto $8.50 |
| Deluxe- Double | 30 USD | 30 USD | $36 for a triple |
Added to Travelfish on: 16th February, 2006
Last visited or updated on: 3rd June, 2010
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Read Hanoi Backpackers Hostel reviews
Rated 4 out of 5
Based on 15 ratings and 15 reviews
Ok but very busy
Hanoi Backpackers is in a great location with good services, friendly staff and my dorm room was clean with good air-con and a clean bathroom. Unfortunately there is a lot of building going on in this street and a very loud jackhammer in the building site right next door made breakfast in the kitchen so unbearable that I went somewhere else. I spoke to someone who had a dorm next to this and said it was unbearable. My only other problem was that this place is too busy/crowded. The bar was so crowded I could bearly get in the door and the computers (not that I needed them) seemed to be never empty. This atmosphere might be great if you don't mind crowds but if you want a bit of space or are beyond 30 then you may want to look elsewhere. I would recommend this place to everyone under the age of 25, just check that the building site next door is beyond the jackhammer stage.
Hanoi Backpackers Hostel reviewed by pac (Total reviews: 5) on
Pooooooooo
Beds were okay - but toilets not working in a 16 person dorm just isn't cricket. Stunk the whole place out. Breakfast was not bad as far as free hostel breakfasts go - unlimited baguettes, condiments, tea/coffee, and noodles.
Hanoi Backpackers Hostel reviewed by tristan99 (Total reviews: 7) on
Awesome.
I stayed here for 3 nights and also did the 2 night Halong Bay tour. I had such a good time here. All the tour leaders are backpackers and heaps of fun. Great bar downstairs and they take you to another bar everynight when it shuts. Rooftop BBQ and free beer. Be prepared for a really loud crowd and a party. Also stayed in their hostel in Hue which was a bit more chilled out but free beer every day and awesome staff. Yeah, there might be cheaper dorms in town, but pay the extra dollar. It's worth it.
Hanoi Backpackers Hostel reviewed by laurab87 (Total reviews: 3) on
Chaos!
We booked the Hanoi Backpackers months ago for 3 nights, had a confirmatiom, and have had correspondence with them since then. We truned up after a long day, late flight, and chocker experince getting kicked off the airport bus in the middle of nowhere and having 3 taxi drivers not know where they were going. The hostel said they didn't have a booking for us, and were full. They put us in a room in the 'hotel' across the road, which was minging, filthy and cockroach-infested. When we showed them the email confirmation they just said the old manager had left. Chaotic. And then, to add insult to injury, when we did find another place who could have us for the remaining 2 nights, they tried to charge us a cancellation fee! Cheeky! Not recommended. We ended up staying at Tung Trang, just around the corner, super friendly and clean, great value.
Hanoi Backpackers Hostel reviewed by bretandgerri (Total reviews: 8) on
Double Rooms Not Worth It
Overall this hostel is excellent. Everything your looking for in a hostel is here: super friendly staff who are happy to hand out the travel tips, and a really friendly social vibe. But if you're a couple staying in hostels to save money the doubles are too much: now 30US a night and not worth it. 1.They are internal rooms so no sunlight 2.very loud when breakie starts at 5am 3.the bathrooms are tiny, with showers over the toilet so everything gets soaked 4.overall grimy (dorms much cleaner) While these are minor gripes the price tag should provide you with more in vietnam(currently staying in $15p/n in Hue and quality of room is much much higher)! If you do really want to stay here put up with a dorm for a couple of days that way you get the social vibe with a backpacker friendly price tag :) and do book the rock long rock hard halong bay tour-best time yet!!
Hanoi Backpackers Hostel reviewed by kendoll (Total reviews: 2) on
Good Hostel
We found out about this place on travelfish, lonely planet and rough guides so decided to stay here. For a bed in a dorm was $7.50 which didnt seem to bad. Nice place if you want to meet other backpackers. You can organise all your tours through them, we did the Halong Bay through them which was good they advertise their own island for the 2nd night, we didnt have such good weather so it was a bit boring on the island but would be great with sun. We found it cheaper and just as easy to do our Sa Pa tour on our own. But a nice hostel and is clean
Hanoi Backpackers Hostel reviewed by thetravellingtrio (Total reviews: 2) on
Book if you wana stay here!
If you wana stay here, then be sure to book way in advance. We arrived in the evening after a 24 hour journey from China and there were no available rooms for a few days. Seems like a great place to meet people although only really great if you're not a budget backpacker who cant afford to get hammered every night. Next door is a lovely hotel called The Rose hotel, US $15, which is 25p more than the dorm rooms here, for a lovely double room with balcony, cable tv, fridge etc etc.
Hanoi Backpackers Hostel reviewed by sarahcarey (Total reviews: 3) on
bad experience
After two nights without problems, we came back to our room at 8pm... but our luggage wasn't there! Someone was in our room but nobody told us... The manager apologized but said he had no rooms now... Despite his mistake he didn't make a good price: USD36 for two nights... Advice: hotels around have double rooms for USD10 or 15... (for example Thien Trang Hotel, very near...)
Hanoi Backpackers Hostel reviewed by benji (Total reviews: 1) on
Good value for your money
Stayed only one night because had to leave Hanoi. Enjoyed the atmosphere, many interesting people, good breakfast. Room was clean and bed comfortable. The toilet could be better, the shower was quite dirty as well as the floor, but in general you can manage. Recommended.
Hanoi Backpackers Hostel reviewed by dorsie78 (Total reviews: 2) on
Good times
The staff were very helpful, and the rooms were clean and relatively new. What more can you ask for in a hostel? It did have a bit of a frat house feel to it, but other than that, it was a perfect first stop. They were very helpful in booking trips and tours as well. There's definitely cheaper tours out there, but for the convenience of not having to leave the hostel, you can't go wrong!
Hanoi Backpackers Hostel reviewed by AmyHuffman (Total reviews: 4) on
Great hostel
Good points: Great place to organise all the tours from, Very Friendly and helpful staff, Clean, Great place to meet people,Rooftop BBQ. Bad points: Luggage area is just a space under the stairs where you fire your bag on top of the next so would be to good to invest in a luggage room. Reception area is manic 24/7.
Hanoi Backpackers Hostel reviewed by Mulch (Total reviews: 6) on
Super Friendly
Stayed in a private room here, now $25 and although that is more expensive than other hotels, the best thing about this place is that the staff are superfriendly. They must have checked in thousands of backpackers but still treat you with enthusiasm and even carried my bag to my room !! The travel desk is a bonus and free internet helpful. You also get free breakfast and tea and coffee all day. The social side of this place is great as they have a happy hour on the roof top bar and BBQ's 3 times a week and you can't fail to get chatting to other travellers. I have backpacked all over the world and this is one of the best hostels I have come across, (alongside the infamous Sim Cozy's in Chengdu). I highly reccommend this place, but book early as it has been full the whole time I have been here. Find the Cathedral in Hanoi and as you look at it straight on, the wall of the street to the left has a map of how to find the hostel. Easy peasy. Cheers, Alison Leslie
Hanoi Backpackers Hostel reviewed by alison (Total reviews: 13) on
Just feel like home!!!
highly recommended! just a wonderful place to stay. clean bed & nice shower, friendly & helpful staff (Mike, Max & Yuki), excellent location, great common room... we stayed there on & off longer than a week!! Just feel like home!
Hanoi Backpackers Hostel reviewed by fitzlee (Total reviews: 2) on
Great hostel choice
Friendly staff, cool crowd staying there. Also very clean and nunnery available.
Hanoi Backpackers Hostel reviewed by stef_thomp (Total reviews: 6) on
Okay -
The double rooms are okay, new and look good. As a comparison to others in Hanoi, like the Buffalo($18)down the road, they are not as good. You do not get fridge or TV whereas for the money they are charging($25) you do elswhere. Their internet price is lower than the direct price and they tried to overcharge me! The free b/fast is Tea/ Coffee/ bread and you have to pay for everything else(pancakes, eggs)- it's cheaper to eat out! On the plus side the dorm rooms are good.
Hanoi Backpackers Hostel reviewed by bell (Total reviews: 5) on