On the Golden Halong website, it states the hotel has a spa, gym, tour desk, room service and bar. It has none of these.
The staff speak minimal english, making it difficult to ask for advice on local attractions, restaurants or shopping.
The location is terrible, no where near the marina that all the tour boats operate out of.
Breakfast is geared towards Chinese and if you want hot food you need to get there at 0630 hours when it opens, however, you then need to contend with all the tour bus passengers.
The rooms are nice and spacious, beds firm and A/C hit and miss.
If coming from Hanoi, book day tours from there, no need to stay in Ha Long, not worth the 3.5 hour car/bus ride.