Hanoi la Palm Boutique Hotel

There was a huge inconvenience with the check-in for Time Hotel that I booked on Trip.com at 30 August 2022. When we arrived at the location of the hotel, there was a large security garage door/gate covering the front of the building. We tried contacting their phone number written on Trip.com and even the number written on the building sign but the numbers were unavailable. (our taxi driver tried calling too). We tried knocking on the door/gate but there was no response either. We were stuck outside and had to go book another hotel which costs us a lot more because it was a walk-in transaction. We were already tired at this point because we just arrived in Hanoi and had to travel for quite some time. I was really satisfied so far with Trip.com for the smooth sailing of our trip, but this has really got me thinking twice. If possible, I would like to request a refund for the first day of our booked hotel.

I want to warn anyone considering a stay at La Charm Hotel and Spa (former name Cristina Center Hotel and Spa) in Hanoi to think carefully before booking. Our experience here was extremely frustrating and disappointing due to deceptive photos, poor customer service, and unprofessional handling of issues. We arrived yesterday evening after booking two rooms based on the photos from a popular booking app, which showed modern, comfortable spaces. However, upon entering our rooms, we were immediately disappointed—they looked nothing like what was advertised. One room faced a noisy street, and both were cramped and worn down, far from what we expected. After only a minute in the rooms, Upon raising these issues with the staff, we requested to change rooms. Initially, they told us no room changes were available for that night but that we could switch to a quieter room the next day. Curious about their offer, we checked the alternative room they proposed, only to find it was essentially a basement room with no windows at all. From the first moment we raised our concerns, the staff simply apologized and repeatedly said there was nothing they could do. They seemed unwilling to acknowledge that the rooms were not as advertised, offering only minimal discounts on our stay, which we did not want. We just wanted to leave with a full refund, but we faced a wall of unhelpful responses that felt impossible to break down. The staff then called the manager multiple times, hoping he would step in to help. However, he was equally unhelpful, insisting that no other guests had ever complained—despite the fact that, during our two-hour conversation, we met other guests at reception also requesting a room change because they had been misled by the photos online. Rather than take responsibility, the staff and manager kept adjusting their “policies” on the spot, but that didn’t address our main issue: we felt we had been deceived by inaccurate photos, and we simply wanted to cancel the booking with a full refund. We wasted two hours dealing with this, lost valuable time on our trip, and endured unnecessary stress over what should have been a straightforward situation. In the end, the hotel’s lack of transparency, dismissive attitude, and unwillingness to resolve our concerns professionally were incredibly disappointing. If you value honesty, reliable service, and accurate advertising, I strongly advise avoiding this hotel. They rely on outdated, inaccurate photos to lure guests and refuse to take responsibility for it. Save yourself the trouble and book elsewhere. Always check rooms before paying there, once you pay - you'll face a wall that can't be broken. I’ve stayed in multiple hotels across northern Vietnam during my trip, including in villages, and I have never experienced such poor conditions or encountered such a scam with such unprofessional and disrespectful treatment. No charm at all at this hotel.

Dirty, smelly, like a building site. Rooms old and shabby, beds hard. Toilet door did not even shut never mind lock. Noisy. Did not feel safe so left. Probably part of a scam so beware. Do not recommend in any way.