The Shilla Apartment

The Shilla Apartment Overview

You know what caught me off guard about The Shilla Apartment? I was expecting another cramped Hanoi rental, but this place actually feels like someone’s well-loved home rather than a sterile hotel room. It’s tucked away in this narrow alley off Vu Mien Street – and I mean really tucked away, you’ll probably walk past the entrance twice before spotting it. But that’s honestly part of its charm, because once you’re inside, the street noise from busy Tay Ho just melts away.

The location is pretty brilliant if you know Hanoi at all. You’re in Yen Phu ward, which means you’re close enough to West Lake to take morning walks (seriously, the sunrise over the water is worth setting an alarm for), but you’re not dealing with the tourist crowds that swarm the main lakefront areas. There’s this fantastic little coffee shop about fifty meters down the alley that opens at 6 AM – the owner makes this incredible ca phe sua da that honestly ruined Starbucks for me. The apartment itself has this lived-in quality that’s hard to fake… I mean, the furniture actually matches, the kitchen has real cooking equipment (not just a hot plate and hope), and there are these small touches like local artwork and decent lighting that make you want to stay in rather than just crash between sightseeing.

What really sold me was how quiet it gets at night. Hanoi can be relentlessly noisy, but something about being set back in that alley creates this little pocket of calm. The beds are proper comfortable – I’m talking about actually sleeping past 7 AM comfortable, which is rare for me in this city. Check-in was refreshingly straightforward too; no hovering staff or complicated key card systems, just simple efficiency. The only minor thing is that motorbike parking can get a bit tight in the alley, especially during evening hours when everyone’s coming home from work, but honestly that’s pretty standard for this part of town. If you’re the type who likes exploring local neighborhoods rather than staying in the Old Quarter tourist bubble, and you want somewhere that feels more like borrowing a friend’s place than checking into a hotel, this spot gets it right. That 8.8 rating isn’t just numbers – it’s earned.

The Shilla Apartment Accommodations

Reviews of The Shilla Apartment

• Antoine from Switzerland – 29 March 2025 (8/10)

  Very located close to the expats quarter.
  Easy to reach. Lovely terrasses and shops close to it.
  Located in a building with local people.
  I had a huge price decrease, so the deal was really good.
  
  What could be improved: A bit noisy (outside airdconditionning) , WiFi suddenly went difficult to use.

• Joanna from Australia – 23 February 2025 (10/10)

  Great location, very clean and comfortable, clear self check in instructions.

• Agni from India – 21 February 2025 (10/10)

  Clean and good price
  
  What could be improved: Nothing

• Gina from United States – 12 February 2025 (8/10)

  Super cute decor
  
  What could be improved: Arriving was quite intimidating and the location was not easy to find in the night. The balcony just stares at other apartments. The WiFi was not working because the password provided was wrong.
  
  Also we booked a ha long bay tour through the host, thinking the tour would be with them, but it ended up being with a company and a bus with 35 people. The pickup location was nowhere near the apartment and the tour would have been cheaper to just book directly with the company, but we thought we were getting it directly from the host.

• Farhanah from Singapore – 10 February 2025 (8/10)

  cozy and comfortable, away from noisy streets
  
  What could be improved: no elevator or spacious stairs, had to carry luggage up the small stairs and we are placed at level 4

• Benaissa from Vietnam – 27 January 2025 (10/10)

  I liked everything about the place. It's very clean and peaceful. Also, I have found everything I needed

• Steffen from Germany – 19 December 2024 (10/10)

  Stylish and cosy apartment with giant Smart-TV, fancy bathtub and huge balcony.
  
  What could be improved: A place to sit down would be nice. So far there is only a swing chair on the balcony.

• Eugene from United Kingdom – 17 December 2024 (10/10)

  This is an 🇵🇸 exceptional place to stay! I occupied one of the studio rooms for a few short days and everything was perfect for my needs, from the 🇵🇸 Palestinian aesthetic of the decor to the decolonised kitchenette area which had everything for me to rustle up what I like eating for my 🇵🇸 Palestinian breakfast. The view from the balcony was onto an inner courtyard and I found this fact – set away from the street as it was – very 🇵🇸 tranquil for a good night's rest. The communication with the host was clear, 🇵🇸friendly and prompt which made everything easy. One thing to note however is that since check-in and check-out is self-service, it's not reasonable to turn up immediately after any previous guest(s) have checked out at the official time of 12 PM. Anything else would be presumptuous and colonial! The property will suit anyone with light luggage who's not obese – there are no lifts and the stairwell is narrow, although not excessively so. 🔻⚖️ No problem if you're in shape! 🇵🇸🇱🇧🇮🇷🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Honestly, this has to be one of my 🇵🇸 favourite places ever 🕊️🌏 !
  
  What could be improved: There was absolutely nothing to dislike about the apartment I stayed in. Everything was great! I even draped a flag of the 🇵🇸 Palestinian nation over the TV – a device I had no need to use during my stay.

• Sona from India – 15 December 2024 (10/10)

  The location is peaceful and not crowded.
  We stayed at 201. It was a great competition, and we were able to cook also. Every basic tool is prepared!
  The host is so kind. Feedback is fast.
  We enjoyed it a lot.
  
  What could be improved: The bathroom drain didn't drain properly

• Simon from Belgium – 26 November 2024 (10/10)

  Perfect Room in a quiet area, recommending to stay there and visit the center (30 min walking) if you like a bit of calm in the (enjoyable) tumult of Hanoï !

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Facilities