Novotel Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay was an absolutely beautiful destination! The location of the hotel is stunning, with the perfect view of the sea and limestone islands around. We appreciate the free upgrade, surprise anniversary set up, and connecting rooms they prepared for us. The hotel is near the beach, so if you're looking for a quiet area maybe it's best to avoid it as you can hear party music until 12mn. The staff were accommodating and made sure everything was comfortable throughout our stay. Though, there was a communication difficulty when it came to ordering room service. Also, the breakfast spread was bountiful and delicious, offering a great variety of local and international options. Special mention of the coffee where it had hints of cocoa. Yum! P.S. be careful around the pool because the tiles nearest the pool were super slippery

The room was spacious, with a separate changing area and a bathtub. The staff were friendly and very helpful throughout our stay. However, we were disappointed by the overcrowding. There were too many guests, and we wait until 2 p.m. to check in, despite being tired from a long flight. The check-in queue was long, and standing in line for an extended time to get our room key was quite unpleasant. The lobby was noisy, with children running around and loud voices filling the space. The restaurant was also overcrowded, with no available seating, and even the nearby coffee shop was similarly packed. Our room initially didn’t have cold water—the hot water was functioning, but the cold tap wasn’t. We informed the staff around 9:30 p.m., and they responded immediately. Although we didn’t want to move rooms that late, they kindly offered. The next morning, they provided us with a key to another room so we could shower. Very kind and well trained staffs. It was a short trip, and overall the hotel maintains a good standard. However, the guest experience was affected by the lack of crowd control as seems many Chinese travelers with the tour guide makes complicated. It would be better if the hotel could manage high guest volumes more effectively to ensure a quieter and more comfortable stay for everyone.

This was my second stay at Novotel Ha Long Bay, and while there were definitely some highlights, a few things fell short of expectations—especially as an Accor property. The good parts first: the hotel was pleasantly quiet, which made for a peaceful and relaxing stay. Ha Long Bay itself isn’t very busy during certain seasons, so if you’re looking to unwind without the hustle and bustle, this place works well. The staff were truly wonderful—friendly, welcoming, and very accommodating. They even upgraded our room, which was a lovely gesture and very much appreciated. However, a few things didn’t quite live up to the standard you might expect from Novotel or Accor more broadly. The property feels like it needs some maintenance and refreshing—it’s starting to show its age in both the common areas and the rooms. Breakfast was okay—decent variety and quality—but again, not quite on par with other Accor hotels I’ve stayed at. It felt more basic and lacked the polish or wider selection you usually see in similar properties. There’s also not a whole lot to do around the hotel, so if you’re planning to stay here, just be mindful that it’s more suited for a short, quiet stay rather than an action-packed holiday. Overall, the staff really elevate the experience, but the hotel could use some improvements to meet the usual standards of the Novotel brand.