Do you agree that your hotel location can make or break your entire trip? I do! Hence, when we were planning for the trip to Hanoi, I contemplated long and hard before I made a decision. Vietnam's capital is compact, yet it is divided into areas which are quite far from being alike. 

There are several districts in Hanoi, but I was particularly torn between staying in the Old Quarter or in the French Quarter. I always love to be where the action is, so Old Quarter was an initial choice. But then I hate crowded and chaotic areas! And that's why French Quarter came into the picture!

It was a petty travel dilemma that lasted for a week and was only solved by booking a one night stay in both quarters! Crazy as it may sound, but it seemed doable to me. So the final decision was to spend the first night in Old Quarter, the second night in Halong Bay, and the third night in French Quarter. 

With this, we got to experience the best (and the worst) of both worlds in Hanoi. And I am happy to share it here just in case you got caught in the same situation.