The Ultimate Gay Travel Guide
The Gay Passport is your complete Gay Travel Guide. Looking to Drink, Play or Sleep we have reviews to help. Award-winning & Updated 2024.
Hanoi is a sprawling city, but the vast majority of visitors mostly stay within the Old Quarter of the city. This area spreads west and north of Hoan Kiem Lake and contains most of the major sights in town. Bustling yet charming by day, it turns into the city’s main nightlife hub when the sun sets, packed with street food stalls and bar terraces. This is also where the only gay bar in town, the Golden Cock, is located, so it goes without saying that most of our recommended gay-friendly hotels are in this area. There is something for every budget and taste, from grandiose colonial 5-star luxury to modern boutique vibes.
Are hotels in Hanoi gay-friendly?
Culturally most hotels in Hanoi could be described as gay-friendly although legally there is a lack of anti-discrimination protections. As a visitor, it is highly unlikely you will be anything but welcome, and you should have no trouble checking into rooms as a gay couple.
It is worth noting that overt public displays of affection are frowned upon in Vietnamese society, even between opposite-sex couples. Holding hands is fine, but anything more than that might be considered rude.
What are the most popular neighborhoods for gay travelers in Hanoi?
Most gay visitors book hotels in the Old Quarter as it’s home to most of Hanoi’s tourist attractions and limited gay nightlife.
♥ Historical Hanoi hotel
♥ Original colonial design
♥ Exceptional fitness facilities
♥ Award-winning food
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi is a heritage hotel containing over a century of city history within its walls. Opened in 1901, it has hosted a long list of famous figures – there is even an underground bunker you can visit that was designed to protect its prominent guests from air raids during the war. Of course, the building is stunning, impeccably maintained yet preserving its original colonial appeal. The rooms are split between two wings: the Metropole wing, which maintains the colonial aesthetic – complete with mahogany furnishings – and the more neoclassical Opera wing. There are two restaurants and three bars, spanning French and Vietnamese cuisine and offering distinct atmospheres. Facilities include a state-of-the-art modern fitness center, a charming spa, and a large outdoor swimming pool.
♥ Comfortable well-appointed rooms
♥ Quiet and convenient location
♥ Amazing breakfast buffet
♥ Large gym with wide range of modern equipment
Movenpick Hotel Hanoi is conveniently located just outside the Old Quarter, where the noise from the bustling nightlife is less likely to keep you awake. It is especially handy if you’re getting into town by train, as the railway station is just a 10-minute walk away. The rooms are decorated in a classic, tasteful style and are both well-appointed and extremely comfortable. The breakfast buffet – although on the pricey side – is one of the best in town and the hotel’s Vietnamese restaurant is also very good. Fitness fanatics will love the large gym, which has an excellent range of cardio and strength training equipment.
♥ Elegant modern design
♥ Comfortable and relaxing rooms
♥ Fantastic food
♥ Good on-site gym
Melia Hanoi brings together understated contemporary design with a meticulous approach to services and facilities for a relaxing Hanoi stay. The comfortable, well-appointed rooms feature minimalist design in earthy tones, and all have floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. All the on-site food is exceptional, with an incredibly varied breakfast buffet being a highlight. The outdoor pool area is lovely and the gym is very well-equipped. The hotel is located in the grander, more colonial part of town, but is only a 15-minute walk to the heart of the Old Quarter and the Golden Cock gay bar.
♥ Blend of classic and modern decor
♥ Fantastic location – just 2 minutes from gay bars
♥ Rooftop pool with lake views
♥ Extra-comfy beds
The Oriental Jade Hotel is located just one block from Hoan Kiem Lake and less than 2 minutes from Golden Cock bar. This gay-friendly Hanoi hotel features striking contemporary design with classic elements of Western and Vietnamese design – for instance, the rooms blend modern lines and simple palettes with vintage furnishings and dark wood accents. The beds are great, and the marble bathrooms are large and luxurious. Look out for the rooms with Cathedral or Lake views to make the most of the location. There is an outdoor infinity pool overlooking the lake, a bright and well-equipped gym with panoramic city views, and a relaxing spa.
♥ Panoramic city views
♥ Stylish and unique interiors
♥ Supremely comfortable rooms
♥ Exceptional fitness and wellness facilities
Located in Hanoi’s new business district, this stylish luxury hotel towers over the city, giving you a bird’s eye view from the floor-to-ceiling windows in every room. The spacious rooms and suites have a contemporary design that prioritises comfort, from the ergonomic office spaces overlooking the city to the pillow-top mattresses and indulgent deep-soak tubs. The gay-friendly hotel has three restaurants, a bar, and a cafe lounge, all of them blending extraordinary interior design with impeccable high-quality food and ingredients. The fitness facilities are exceptional, including a fantastic gym, yoga studio, a range of classes, tennis court, squash court, and indoor mini-golf. You can then wind down with a L’Occitane treatment at the spa, or relax on one of the cozy pod loungers by the pool.
♥ Luxurious neoclassical decor
♥ Spacious kitchenette studios available
♥ Only rooftop pool in the Old Quarter
♥ Ideal location for sightseeing and gay nightlife
Apricot Hotel is a slice of classic French luxury, set in a decadently decorated neoclassical building by Hoan Kiem Lake. The rooms are renovated to a modern standard, with vintage decor and original Vietnamese art – we recommend booking a room with lake view or one of the studios, which come with a lovely and well-equipped kitchenette. The rooftop pool – the only one of its kind in the Old Quarter – is set in a gorgeous terrace overlooking the lake. Other facilities include a first-rate spa, a good gym, and two luxurious restaurants, one French and one Southeast Asian. The hotel’s location makes it ideal for sightseeing and for gay nightlife, as the Golden Cock bar is only a 5-minute walk away. Apricot Hotel is one of the most booked luxury gay hotels in Hanoi.
The Gay Passport is your complete Gay Travel Guide. Looking to Drink, Play or Sleep we have reviews to help. Award-winning & Updated 2024.