We stayed at Mai Hotel for a total 5 days during our trip to Hanoi in late Sep 2015. The hotel has just been taken over by a new management team (a few months old) and they're currently undergoing a re-branding exercise, along with physical renovations, to update their rooms and facilities. With the current set-up, the rooms might feel a bit dated but interestingly, we also felt that the hotel has an undeniable old-world charm. This is especially fitting when visiting a country like Vietnam that's obviously growing at a tremendous pace, creating a collage of old cultural identity and new economic prosperity.
Each room in the hotel has a special "theme". We originally booked a standard double room, only to be upgraded to a deluxe suite during check-in. We stayed in 2 different rooms over the whole period and our favourite was definitely the "Silver Room" (it's anything but a room). It was massive, with a huge bedroom and separate lounge area. For the price we paid, I doubt we could find it anywhere else. Both rooms we stayed in were nicely furnished, beds were comfortable, and the wifi worked perfectly! Breakfast is served from 6:30 to 9:30 AM daily, with a good selection of local and western cuisine (available as a buffet as well as made-to-order).
The highlight of our stay was an invitation from the hotel staff for us to join their "Mid-Autumn Festival" staff party. We were treated to a delicious dinner, followed by a karaoke session (very popular in Vietnam)! Everyone made us feel really welcome and we had a great time. We've traveled extensively and stayed in lots of different places but getting invited to a staff party at the hotel we're staying at was definitely a first for us. We simply loved the experience!
All in all, Mai Hotel is a great option for those visiting Hanoi. The rooms are decently priced, hotel staff are incredibly friendly and helpful, and tourist attractions are easily walkable from the hotel. Highly recommended.