The Oriental Jade Hotel

Framed by large windows, many of the 120 rooms and suites look straight onto Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi Cathedral, or the rooftops of the Old Quarter. Rooms run from 25 to 150 square metres, each with a king or twin beds, a minibar, a private safe, and a flat-screen satellite TV. The Sapphire Old Quarter View Room takes in the district's rooftops through a wide window; the Diamond Church View Room looks directly onto Hanoi Cathedral. Higher up, the Gem Suite and Oriental Jade Suite add a separate living room, with the suite's terrace opening onto the city. It is a compact stay, built for walking rather than driving. Hang Trong Street puts the Old Quarter a short walk from the door, and guests can cross to the lake before the city's heat sets in. On the 12th floor, an outdoor pool and gym look out over the rooftops, a quieter register above the street below. Thang Long Signature Restaurant serves Vietnamese and Western dishes, while O'Sky Rooftop Bar keeps its tables trained on the lake at night. O'Signature Spa rounds out the top floors with treatments drawn from local practice. Room service runs into the evening, and every room carries individually controlled air-conditioning, a fixture more practical than glamorous but constant through Hanoi's humidity.