Mercat Hom

We stayed at the Azen Lakeside Hotel for two weeks while having cataract surgery at the Japan International Eye Hospital, which is almost directly across the road. The hotel is modern, comfortable and very reasonably priced. It was an ideal place for us to stay while recovering from our operations. Being so close to the hospital was a huge advantage, especially when we had to attend several follow-up appointments. But what really made this hotel special for us was the staff. In particular, we want to mention Hannah. She was exceptionally kind and caring towards us throughout our recovery. She took a genuine interest in how we were doing and was always looking for ways to help us. Her English is very good, which made communication easy, but it was her warmth and willingness to help that really stood out. Azen is a small hotel, which means the staff have to work particularly hard, and Hannah is a real asset to the hotel. She made us feel welcome and looked after, rather than simply being hotel guests. In fact, if we return to Hanoi in the future, we would look for a hotel where Hannah is working and stay there because of her. That is how highly we think of her. We would also like to mention Samuel, who is a fine young man. He was always friendly and helpful, and we wish him every success for the future. The other staff members don't speak much English, but that never stopped them from being helpful. They always greeted us with a smile and were happy to assist in any way.

The hotel is located on an incredibly busy street, but within walking distance to many sites. I personally found the buffet breakfast to be lacking and only used it once. The food looked like it had been out for awhile. Not much in the way of choices either. I did not use the pool and looked like it could use some TLC. The staff were very nice. The room was comfortable with a great working AC. The fridge and safe worked fine, and the bed was comfy, but pillows were firm. Not my favorite. I do not plan on returning to Hanoi again, but if I did, I would not stay here.