The Nikko Hotel

We’ve been spending a lot of time at the Nikko Hotel. Not because we’re staying there, but because they have an awesome outdoor swimming pool.

Bina’s been using it as therapy to help her with her back and I’ve just been coming along to enjoy the water and relaxation. We usually go in the evening, around 8:00pm, and are lucky enough to be alone most of the time. It’s so peaceful and quiet. It’s a shallow pool made for doing laps mostly, but there’s a hot tub next to it and beautiful palm trees lining one side. We’ve been to several hotel pools around Hanoi but Nikko is by far our favorite. It’s a Japanese hotel so it’s run very efficiently, cleanly, and with great attention to design and detail. There are Jacuzzis in both locker rooms and they always give us a bunch of towels and robes. There’s even a collection of disposable razors, shampoo, and combs available! It’s like a Metrosexual’s dream locker room!

Here are some pictures of the pool. They’re very dark but then, like I said, we only go there at night. The shadowy figure you see is Bina.




There are also a couple of restaurants in the hotel and one night we decided to try one. This is a picture of my (New England) Clam Chowder and Curry battered calamari! It was really delicious at first, but the more we ate the calamari the more suspicious we became of its freshness. Bina was sick the next day.


But regardless, we love our regular visits to the Nikko. The people at the hotel are really friendly. Of course, sometimes they’re a little too friendly. One time after we went swimming I was in the locker room changing and this Vietnamese guy was standing next to me getting dressed as well. All of the sudden he starts singing “Hello” by Lionel Ritchie! It was a little creepy but the thing is “Hello” is like a modern hit here in Hanoi. (For some strange reason. Other western pop hits include Simon and Garfunkel’s “Sound of Silence” and anything by Celine Dion.) Anyway, so I didn’t really know what to say or do while I was standing there naked next to this guy crooning “Hello” so I just curled up into a ball and started weeping. No, just kidding. I got dressed and left after the second chorus. Despite my discomfort he did have quite a melodious voice. He’s probably a karaoke champion or something.



So if you come to Hanoi and you want to go swimming, the Hotel Nikko is your best bet.