Somerset Grand Hanoi

BACKGROUND

Last renovated in 2012, this property is one of four Somerset serviced apartments in the Vietnamese capital. The other three are Somerset Hoa Binh, Somerset West Lake and Somerset West Point. Somerset is a subsidiary of The Ascott, which itself is a subsidiary of Singaporebased real-estate company Capitaland.

WHERE IS IT?

Ten minutes’ walk from Hanoi Railway Station and 45 minutes’ drive from Noi Bai International Airport. The property is within walking distance of the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake. The central location is great; you can reach most of the main areas either on foot or with a short taxi or motorcycle taxi ride.

WHAT’S IT LIKE?

Somerset Grand Hanoi has 185 serviced apartment units, from one- to three-bedroom layouts. The property is housed in a skyscraper and thus many of the rooms, especially those on the higher floors, have great city views.

The 24-hour ground-floor reception is manned by a doorman and staff who assist you with your bags upon arrival, and can help when you want to take a taxi. The residences are located on floors five to 25, while all the major facilities are located on the fourth floor. (The second and third floors are home to the management office, car park and clinic.)

The property is connected to a shopping arcade, where you can find a selection of restaurants, as well as a supermarket.

ROOMS

There are three apartment categories – Deluxe, Executive and Premier – spread across one-bedroom to penthouse apartment types. I was staying in a 78 sqm 1-Bedroom Executive apartment.

The main door opens onto a large living area with a circular table, a large and comfortable sofa, a TV with satellite and cable channels, and a home entertainment system. The large kitchen is well stocked with appliances and utensils, though I didn’t actually use them since I was only staying for two nights. This apartment also has a washing machine and dryer for doing laundry.

Leading off the living area is a corridor that ends at the bathroom and bedroom. In the latter, I found the bed to be soft and comfortable, while the thick curtains blocked out most of the light and the room was well soundproofed. A pillow menu allows you to choose from four types of pillow.

The bedroom is also equipped with a wardrobe, iron and ironing board, safe, power outlets, second TV, etc. The bathroom is of a decent size, though the shower and bath are not separated. The usual toiletries are provided, including a disposable toothbrush, razor, etc. The shower gel, shampoo and conditioner are from Spa Pure.

The location would make an excellent choice for anyone new to Hanoi as it places you in the heart of the city

FOOD AND DRINK

The residence’s food and beverage outlet is Jaspas Restaurant & Bar on the fourth floor. The bar area is a smoking area; I made the mistake of sitting here to eat breakfast on the first day because it was quiet, but then another guest sparked up nearby and I had to move to the non-smoking area, which was full of families and quite noisy.

The breakfast was a decent spread. There is a hot station where the chef can whip up some eggs for you. You’ll also find self-serve tea and coffee, though one of the waitresses did offer to refill my coffee at my table when she saw I had finished my cup.

LEISURE

Also on the fourth floor is the hotel pool and gym, which is of a good size with a nice range of equipment. Guests also have access to tennis courts on this floor, as well as a Residents’ Lounge.

VERDICT

A well-placed serviced apartment with good-sized residences and excellent facilities. The location would make this an excellent choice for anyone new to Hanoi as it places you right in the heart of things, within walking distance of many key points in the city. Michael Allen