Vietnam Backpacker Hostels - The Original
48 Ngo Huyen Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi 10000 Vietnam
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About
#46 of 1,225 Specialty lodging in Hanoi
Location
Cleanliness
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Value
Situated down a small, quiet lane opposite the famous St. Joseph's Cathedral, the Original Hostel is where the VBH story all began! The hostel is a short walk to Hoan Kiem Lake in the center of town, and is perfectly located to explore and get lost in Hanoi's historic Old Quarter. The chilled out atmosphere on both the rooftop bar and in the downstairs hangout area is perfect for planning travel and mingling with other fellow travellers.
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Property amenities
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Wifi
Free breakfast
Evening entertainment
Rooftop terrace
Baggage storage
24-hour front desk
Laundry service
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Rooftop bar
Non-smoking hotel
Shared lounge / TV area
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Room features
Air conditioning
Housekeeping
Safe
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Budget
Centrally Located
Languages Spoken
English, Vietnamese
Location
100Great for walkers
Grade: 100 out of 100
537Restaurantswithin 0.5 km
177Attractionswithin 0.5 km
Contact
48 Ngo Huyen Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi 10000 Vietnam
Name/address in local language
Getting there
Car HireSee all Hanoi car hire
900Reviews3Q+A100Room tips
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We perform checks on reviews
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
Traveller rating
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My wife, daughters (9 and 7, not teens), did the VBH Mai Chau tour and had an incredible experience. Our home stay family was warm, kind, and generous, and the meals they cooked were extraordinary. Truly a one of a kind trip.
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Date of stay: October 2022
Value
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Myself and a couple of friends booked with this hostel (including Castaways package) in February 2020 - spending over £320. Due to the Covid situation, we realised we weren't going to be able to make the Castaways, and consequently we cancelled all our travel bookings. Towards the end of May, the hostel seemed happy to help and said in WRITING the refund would be no problem and we would receive a full refund. 6 months and 5 chase emails later, the company has decided to give us the silent treatment instead of a refund. We've heard nothing off them for months, and now no one is answering their work phone. They don't even have the decency to reply to our emails, leaving us completely in the dark and robbing us of our money. An absolute joke of a company. I don't understand why people praised about them so much. If you want complete uncertainty and a company who doesn't care for their customers, then go ahead and book with them.…
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Date of stay: November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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We had come here a couple of years ago to say it was bad would be an understatement mostly full of staff members extremely unfriendly and I felt very dirty Bedding smelt Bathrooms and kitchens had not been cleaned properly to make matters worse they mucked up all our tours that we arranged so we missed out I think the owners are more concerned with the lack of money as I believe by what one of the staff told us they have a few hostels owned by the same person There are better hostels than this one don’t waste your money and time as the owners don’t seem to care any more
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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Fantastic place with great staff. Must do Castaways! Food was also great. Plenty of activities to do and a cool rooftop bar. The beds were also very comfortable. The bar crawl was a highlight as well.
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Date of stay: February 2019
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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I have been coming to the original vietnam backpack yearly for the last 5 years, in last 6 month twice, I still like staying here in Old Town, quieter than down town party area, but here now very quiet & no activity all done at there downtown location. Besides mostly staff living here only few guest stay or overflow if downtown over booked. no longer any hostel vibe here very little staff. Not the place of story of the past . Still very pleaent my go to place in town for a more quiet stay in Hanoi.! PS no curtains on dorm beds, but right now no problem as only few people in room lol 😂,
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Date of stay: December 2019Trip type: Travelled solo
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Matthew-Jac wrote a review Oct 2019
Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa6 contributions3 helpful votes
+1
Decided to go on tour as I'm in Hanoi and this tour was recommended to me. Met our Australian guide Jack at 6.30pm at the Flipside Hostel, who was very friendly and gave us our briefing. Very competent and gave off a relaxed first impression. Left at 7pm on Tues 15th Oct for the bus station. Took a night bus to out first homestay (the bus was more comfortable than I was expecting for someone who is 6ft4 like me). Arrived the next morning at 6am. The weather was a bit overcast the first 2 days but dispite this the views were amazing. Our drivers were experienced and I never felt they were taking unnecessary risks. The two guys who chose to drive themselves seemed happy with their bikes. Some roads were quite bumpy but we going off the main tourist routes and it was definitely worth it. On the main part of the drive we barely saw other tours. Food was great! Stopped at local food shops that Jack had a solid relationship with. Discovered some food I didn't know existed and am keen to try again. Was a really fun tour with a great group. Felt like I could have done another day or two easily. If your interested in a relaxed tour with some of the best mountainous view of North Vietnam (plus ample amounts of rice wine), don't forget your GoPro and Camera for some fantastic landscapes.…
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Date of stay: October 2019Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
I came to Hanoi and stayed at both Downtown and Original. Loved it so much I extended my stay in Hanoi!! Downtown’s a great place to meet fellow travellers and have an awesome bar crawl led by the fantastic staff. The Original has a very sociable atmosphere and a rooftop bar where you can enjoy the good vibes. It also gives you the opportunity to chill and relax which made it the perfect place to go after doing their Castaways tour! I highly recommend checking out both hostels! Thanks VBH for the great memories and fantastic tours!
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Date of stay: August 2019Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
I arrived into Hanoi at 2am. My first time backpacking, first time in Asia & alone. As soon as I arrived and spoke to the VBH staff I felt safe & at home. It was the beginning of an incredible trip, travelling from the North to the South of Vietnam; always making sure to check out the local VBH hostel for recommendations and to see new and old friends. I couldn’t recommend the staff, advice they give and general familial atmosphere enough. The Original itself is a quiet and relaxed environment to explore Hanoi from. Later in the evening the rooftop bar is open for drinks and for travellers to meet and make new friends. Then it’s off to the Downtown hostel for more drinking, dancing and laughing. I am definitely coming back, sooner rather than later.
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Date of stay: July 2019Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
I stayed in VBH The Original with 3 of my friends. All of the staff could not have been kinder or more welcoming. It is a lovely chilled out hostel. Rosie the manager was incredibly friendly and made us feel so welcome. She was also great at asking what we fancied doing in the evenings and making it happen, even if it was watching Pitch Perfect 3! All of the staff are a credit to this company and I’d have no problem recommending this hostel to anybody. Thanks again 😀
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Date of stay: August 2019Trip type: Travelled with friends
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Completely to renew!! Anything is old and in bad maintenance conditions! Their high priority are travel agency business and hotel side is out of management . Little rooms , bathrooms in poor conditions and staff absent fr any travelers needs!
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Date of stay: February 2019Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: All the same history!
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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ALSO KNOWN AS
hanoi backpackers hotel hanoi, backpackers hostel hotel hanoi, backpackers hostel hanoi
LOCATION
VietnamHanoi
NUMBER OF ROOMS
4
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Claim Your ListingVIETNAM BACKPACKER HOSTELS - THE ORIGINAL - UPDATED 2022 Hostel Reviews (Hanoi) - Tripadvisor
Frequently Asked Questions about Vietnam Backpacker Hostels - The Original
Which popular attractions are close to Vietnam Backpacker Hostels - The Original?
Nearby attractions include Lake of the Restored Sword (Hoan Kiem Lake) (0.4 km), MasterTan (0.09 km), and Tailor Đức Nhân (0.3 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Vietnam Backpacker Hostels - The Original?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include a rooftop bar, free wifi, and free breakfast.
What food & drink options are available at Vietnam Backpacker Hostels - The Original?
Guests can enjoy a rooftop bar, free breakfast, and an on-site restaurant during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to Vietnam Backpacker Hostels - The Original?
Conveniently located restaurants include Tung's Kitchen, Cloud Sky Bar Hanoi, and Viet Restaurant Hanoi.
Is Vietnam Backpacker Hostels - The Original located near the city centre?
Yes, it is 0.4 km away from the centre of Hanoi.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Vietnam Backpacker Hostels - The Original?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English and Vietnamese.
Are there any historical sites close to Vietnam Backpacker Hostels - The Original?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Temple of Literature & National University (1.4 km), Hoa Lo Prison (0.5 km), and Imperial Citadel of Thang Long (1.0 km).