Mixed experience in GRAND HOTEL, Saigon
My first experience of 'massage Vietnam style' was very disappointing. It was at the FURAMA BEACH resort in Da Nang, and cost $25 for 45 minutes (official rate including tax). The lady was very short, middle aged, rather rough and there was no hint of a rapprochement of either the physical or emotional variety. I then spent a few days in the GRAND in the centre of Saigon, where when checking in I was handed a voucher for a 10% discount off the in-house massage service. So decided to explore. One hour massage was priced at 160,000 dong, thus just about $8 with the discount. Seemed too good to resist. And wow, the masseuse was stunning. Very pretty, extremely short skirt, looked 'up for it' in every way. Said her name was Tao (but see below before booking her).
Well this was an entirely different type of massage, very sensual, and soon she was rubbing her long bare arms against my waist and ... asking if I would like something special (her English was better than average, too). She offered to go topless, let me touch her anywhere and - it would end in hand relief. There was a small window in the door and nothing more would be possible. Then she wanted to know how much I would tip her. I offered $20, to which she responded with the odd look the Vietnamese often put on: a quaint mixture of an amused smirk with a dash of pity or disdain. Said she normally took $70 or $80. I wasn't going to pay London prices and cooled off at that point. But she backed down and eventually we agreed on $35, but all this haggling had put me off my stroke and although she kept going for the full hour and did what she promised it wasn't quite the uplifting experience I had hoped for.
Still, next day I was more relaxed & thought I knew what to expect now, and armed with $35 bucks I booked another massage with 'Tao', fully expecting to get to know her properly and do things in a more relaxed atmosphere. It was not to be. Told she was busy and to come back in half an hour. So waited in small room with window until Tao walked in and began her operations, and it dawned on me that this was a different girl. Shorter, less sexy, poor English. But by now she had started a massage (which was ok, nothing special) and after struggling to make myself understood she told me the awful truth: there were two girls called 'Tao' working in the same establishment!!!! To make things worse, she then kept muttering something like 'sorry I am not the girl you wanted' etc., etc.
Of course Tao Nr. 2 also began tickling my jewels, but made no attempt to undress or let me explore her assets. She gave unexceptional hand relief while pretending to do a straight massage - and here's the other odd bit to the story: there was no talk of a tip!!! Kept going for the full hour, and then left the room. I caught up with her in the corridor and gave her $20 and she seemed quite surprised and very pleased! Curious place, this Vietnam.