Holly’s Balcony Bliss Homestay

Holly’s Balcony Bliss Homestay Overview

Holly’s Balcony Bliss Homestay is one of those places that actually lives up to its name – and honestly, that’s rarer than you’d think in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. I mean, you walk up to this narrow building on Trần Nhật Duật street, which is tucked away enough that you’re not dealing with the constant motorbike symphony that hits you on the main drags, but you’re still literally a three-minute walk from Hoan Kiem Lake. The owner, Holly, genuinely seems to care about the details that matter – like how the balcony spaces (and there are several) catch the morning light just right, or how she’s figured out the perfect balance between local character and actually functional WiFi.

What got me was how the place feels authentically Vietnamese without trying too hard. The common areas have this lived-in quality, with local artwork that looks like it was chosen by someone who actually lives here rather than a decorator, and you know what? The coffee situation is legit – they’ve got connections with a roaster just a few blocks over on Lý Thái Tổ that most tourists never find. The rooms themselves are clean and comfortable (though if you’re over six feet tall, you might want to duck under a doorframe or two), and the air conditioning actually works, which… well, if you’ve stayed in budget places in Hanoi’s summer, you’ll appreciate that detail. The balcony spaces are where this place really shines though – there’s something about having your morning coffee while watching the organized chaos of Vietnamese street life that just works.

The location is honestly perfect for getting a real feel for Hanoi without being overwhelmed by it. You’re close enough to walk to the weekend night market, but far enough from Tạ Hiện street that you can actually sleep through the night. Holly knows the neighborhood inside and out – she’ll point you toward the bánh mì lady who sets up on the corner around 7 AM (cash only, about 15,000 dong, absolutely worth it), or tell you which evenings the temple nearby has ceremonies if you’re interested in that sort of thing. The whole experience feels more like staying with a knowledgeable local friend than checking into a typical homestay. It’s not luxury by any stretch, but it’s genuine, comfortable, and Holly’s clearly put thought into making it work for travelers who want something more authentic than the cookie-cutter hotels but with better amenities than your average backpacker crash pad.

Holly’s Balcony Bliss Homestay Accommodations

Reviews of Holly’s Balcony Bliss Homestay

• Antonella from Uruguay – 28 April 2025 (9/10)

  La habilitación es muy amplia y cómoda y el baño grande. Estuvimos poco más de una semana y estamos muy conformes. La ubicación es muy buena, sobre avenida principal, a pocos metros del Mercado Dong Xuan, y se puede recorrer todo caminando sin problema. Para los de sueño liviano quizás es un poquito ruidosa, pero todo Vietnam lo es si te alojas en el centro. La anfitriona es muy amable, llegamos tarde en la noche, no había entendido el mensaje de self check in y me contestó e indicó cómo hacerlo enseguida. Está en un tercer piso por escalera, no hay ascensor, y en planta baja hay un local de encomiendas, pero no fue un problema en absoluto. La limpieza estaba bien, pero podría mejorar. Todo estuvo bien durante nuestra estadía, volveríamos sin duda!

• 蔡 from Taiwan – 12 June 2024 (8/10)

  房間和照片長的一樣，老闆人很好，回覆很迅速，但民宿位置在大馬路旁，會有一點吵…因為越南人很愛按喇叭?

• Anh from Vietnam – 14 May 2024 (9/10)

  Phòng sạch sẽ, tiện đi lại. Chủ nhà nhiệt tình.
  
  What could be improved: Không có

• Valeria from Brazil – 2 May 2024 (9/10)

  Quarto muito limpo
  Bom ar condicionado
  O host respondia rápido pela plataforma e foi muito gentil
  Chuveiro com ótima pressão

• Ferlyn from Singapore – 31 March 2024 (8/10)

  The location is just a 2 minute to the old quarter but it's along the road so it can be quite noisy at night. The self check in was easy and the host is very responsive
  
  What could be improved: No elevator so if you're bringing heavy luggages you have to carey them all the way.

• S from Indonesia – 27 February 2024 (9/10)

  Overall, I highly recommend this place. The host was very friendly and flexible with payment time. I could put my luggages before check in, i.e. before 2 pm. The room was clean, super comfortable, and spacious! There are one bed and one sofa bunk bed, which can accommodate around 4 persons in total. Aircon, water heater, utensils, sandals, shampoo and soap gel are provided. Perfect lighting, which brightness can be adjusted with your preference.
  
  The location is really strategic, just around 10-min walk to the Hoan Kiem Lake and 30-min drive to Hanoi Noibai Airport. It's also easy to find foods nearby.
  
  What could be improved: FYI, this homestay is on the 3rd floor of the building, and the ground floor is used by other people to run a business. These people on the ground floor smoke a few times, but this is not a big issue and is not so disturbing as the smoke didn't get inside the homestay room. I still find it acceptable (even for myself who is anti-smoke). I am very sensitive to smoke and run short of breath whenever there is smoke, but I did not have any issues during my 3-night stay here. So, I would still come back to stay here again for my future visit to Hanoi 🙂

• Catrin from United Kingdom – 17 February 2024 (9/10)

  Had a great stay here, the host was super friendly and helpful! The flat has everything you need for a short stay in Hanoi! There is a little bit of noise from the road, but you'll get there pretty much anywhere in Hanoi. Would recommend!

• Radovan from Czech Republic – 2 January 2024 (9/10)

  Především super poloha v centru starého města.
  Vstřícnost ubytovatelky.
  
  What could be improved: Trochu komplikovaný vstup přes spediční kancelář. Netěsnící balkonové dveře a tedy větší hluk z ulice.

• Walter from Australia – 1 January 2024 (9/10)

  Awesome accomodation! Super convenient location. Easy self check-in (very helpful given I arrived late at night). Cool projector. Genuinely nice apartment, and would definately stay again.
  
  What could be improved: There can be a little noise (given it's close to the main road), but this didn't really bother me, I still slept soundly 🙂

• Kim from Australia – 21 November 2023 (8/10)

  Good location, near the lake. Nice view, up high. Access to gym and pool. Host was lovely and was only a phone message away.
  
  What could be improved: Seems like these appartment have lots of permanent residents, so was sometimes noisy in the corridors with kids running around. It’s a little away from tourist attractions but only a grab or bus away.

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