Because we knew that the distance from Hanoi to Halong Bay takes nearly three hours to travel, and because we wanted to feel rested and relaxed when we boarded our cruise, we arrived the afternoon prior and spent the night in Halong City. It is not possible to walk to the dock to board an overnight cruise from the Novotel; the dock area on Tuan Chua Island is 10+ minutes away by car. Guests can walk to the Halong Night Market from the Novotel, as well as to shops and restaurants located along the waterfront. Nearby stores sell souvenirs, drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), and snacks. Royal Park, where visitors can attend a water puppet show or a cultural performance, is located across the street from the hotel; guests may even be able to see and hear part of the performances from their hotel balconies.
The Novotel is contemporary and modern in design and decor. A long curving driveway rises many feet in elevation from the street / sidewalk to the main entrance, which is at the rear of the building. Although we did not drive our own car, parking is included in your room rate. The Novotel is open year-round, but some nearby hotels and businesses appear to be fully functional only in the busy season.
The infinity-like outdoor oval swimming pool overlooks the waterfront and some of the islands in Halong Bay. The hotel provides pool service at both lounge chairs and regular tables and chairs. The hotel has a spa located on the third floor; the relaxation area overlooks the pool deck. The fitness center has windows that overlook Halong Bay, and it features several machines (one elliptical, two treadmills, one bike, and weights).
This property offers three dining venues: The Square (with all day dining, including a breakfast buffet [not included with our room rate]), the Lobby Lounge, and the Pool Bar. We did not eat at the hotel; instead, we chose to walk a few blocks to nearby tourist (yet still local Vietnamese) restaurants.
This hotel has several categories of rooms: Standard, Superior Bay View, Executive, and Junior Suite. All rooms have balconies. We booked an Executive King room, which was large, uniquely shaped, and Zen and minimalist in design. Our room featured a small seating area with a trendy curved sofa and oval coffee table, wet bar area stocked with glassware, dry snacks, and mini-bar beverages, and a large closet system that included an electronic safe. A small table that we used as a desk preceded the bedroom area.
Guests can slide open and closed several shoji-type screens to let light into the bathroom area. The bathroom contained separate frosted-glass cubicles for the shower and toilet, and a larger open area with the sink and free-standing modern oval soaking bathtub. The hotel provides N by Mobas toiletries, although the selection and number of products differs by property. In Halong Bay, the Novotel offers two kinds of body wash, combination shampoo / conditioner, body lotion, soaps, cotton swabs, shower cap, nail file, and so on. Our room had a balcony located off the bedroom area that held two chairs; we gained access to the balcony through a fold-open door (it was not a sliding door).
We made the right decision to stay at the Novotel Halong Bay before our cruise. The hotel was modern and attractive, and there was enough to see nearby (walkable) to keep us busy for an afternoon.
