When is it cheapest to visit Hanoi?

Hanoi is cheapest to visit in May, June, July, August, and September.

Peak season is January, February, November, and December, when rooms cost the most.

Hanoi seasons and room prices

Hanoi has real seasons, and the pleasant months of October to November and March to April are the peak for hotels. The week around Tet, the lunar new year in late January or February, is awkward less for price than for closures, since many restaurants and shops shut for days. From May to September the heat and afternoon storms push the same room noticeably lower, and the grey chilly winter from December to February is cheap too, though Ha Long Bay views suffer in the haze. Hanoi carries more business travel than Da Nang, so some central hotels are dearer on weekdays than on weekends.

Hanoi local costs and payment

The currency is the Vietnamese dong. Hotels, malls and tourist restaurants take cards, but the pho shops and cafes of the Old Quarter, the markets and motorbike taxis are cash, and Grab is easiest with a card registered in the app. Gold shops on Ha Trung street give better rates than the airport, so change only a little on arrival. Pay the hotel in dong rather than in your home currency or US dollars. Vietnamese hotels often list rooms before VAT and a 5 percent service charge, and small Old Quarter hotels sometimes quote in dollars and convert at their own rate, so check the total including tax.