Minh Ha from Hanoi called about 10 two- and three-star hotels around Nguyen Thai Hoc and Kim Ma streets on the morning of 11/8, hoping to book rooms for her family for the night of 1/9. They wanted to watch the National Day parade celebrating 80 years of independence on the morning of 2/9. However, she couldn't find any vacancies.

"My family lives in My Dinh, about 15 km from the city center. We wanted to stay closer to easily watch the parade and explore the Old Quarter in the evening, but there are no rooms available in good locations, or the prices are too high," Ha said.

Kim Chi, an administrative staff member in Hanoi, also experienced similar difficulties. She has been trying to book hotels for her colleagues traveling from Ho Chi Minh City for work and the 2/9 holiday. "There are no rooms left, even though I tried booking in mid-July," she explained. Chi’s team of 7 needed three rooms for the week leading up to 2/9, but now only rooms for the first few days are available. There are no vacancies for the nights of 31/8 and 1/9, or only non-consecutive days are free.

Streets around Ba Dinh Square are fully booked. Photo: Giang Huy

Streets around Ba Dinh Square are fully booked. Photo: Giang Huy

A survey by VnExpress found that two- and three-star hotels like Memory, Madelise, Hoang Cuong, and 3T Hotel on Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, which usually charge under 1 million VND per night, are fully booked for the 2/9 holiday. Some hotels have increased their prices, ranging from 1.5 million to over 2 million VND per night, with some even charging 5 million VND for rooms with balconies overlooking the street.

Nguyen Thai Hoc and Kim Ma streets are expected to be part of the parade route after it leaves Ba Dinh Square. These wide streets offer easy access to the Old Quarter, are located just over 1 km from the square, and are close to tourist attractions like the Temple of Literature, the Fine Arts Museum, and the Imperial Citadel.

Other accommodation options, like homestays and high-end hotels, are similarly booked. Bich Viet, who owns a homestay system in Ngoc Ha ward, said all 10 of her rooms, typically priced at 500,000 VND per night, were booked in July. "Two guests canceled their reservations last week, but new guests immediately inquired and paid in full. Everyone is booking to watch the parade on 2/9," Viet said.

The Pan Pacific Hanoi, a 5-star hotel on Thanh Nien Road by West Lake, within walking distance of Ba Dinh Square, currently has an occupancy rate of around 80% for 1/9 and 2/9, and expects this to increase further. The Hanoi Daewoo Hotel, a 5-star hotel on Kim Ma Street, part of the parade’s third route, is also over 90% booked. Some rooms are reserved for international delegations visiting Vietnam for the celebrations.

"We have received many booking requests from domestic tourists, especially from Ho Chi Minh City and southern provinces. This number has almost doubled compared to last year's 2/9 holiday. We expect to reach 90-95% occupancy, the highest for any holiday period we’ve seen," said Nguyen Thanh Thuy, Pan Pacific Hotel's Marketing and Communications Manager.

Many tourists visiting Hanoi during this period choose to stay in the Old Quarter. While less convenient for viewing the parade, it offers easy access to food, culture, and other attractions. Hotels on Luong Ngoc Quyen, Ma May, Hang Hanh, Ly Quoc Su, Dinh Liet, and Luong Van Can streets mostly have only one or two high-end rooms left, averaging 2-3 million VND per night, according to Agoda and Booking.

Expected parade routes. Graphics: Hoang Khanh - Vo Hai

Expected parade routes. Graphics: Hoang Khanh - Vo Hai

A representative of a travel company in Hanoi said that most visitors to Hanoi during this period are families, groups of veterans, and friends. Not many people are booking package tours. They are independently booking flights and hotels, so the remaining rooms in central Hanoi are expected to be filled quickly in the coming week.

The celebration and parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day will take place at 6:30 am on 2/9 at Ba Dinh Square and several central Hanoi streets. Fireworks will be displayed that evening at five locations: Hoan Kiem Lake, West Lake, My Dinh Stadium, Van Quan Lake, and Thong Nhat Park. Various cultural and entertainment activities are also taking place in the lead-up to 2/9 to celebrate this important national event.

Tam Anh