Ho Chi Minh City - Hotels

[David51]

I am traveling to Ho Chi Minh City in a few weeks and need to book a hotel. Can someone PM me with some suggestions? My boss is at the Renaissance. But I am looking for something more GF. But would like clean, safe, air conditioned, with free internet.

I have never been there before. And only speak English. But will be with an associate who is originally from Vietnam but he will be staying with relatives, and I don't want to specifically ask him about GF hotels.

Thanks in advance. I did RTFF but since people generally post where NOT to stay rather than where to stay (to keep these places out of trouble) I still could use some help.

Thanks in advance!

D51

[OzzieSuds]

As El Frances says these mini hotels are not suitable for business meetings but many are adjacent to big hotels such as New World and Renaissance. I use small hotels in Mac Thi Boui and meet people at Renaissance - they don't know the difference.

[El Frances]

For those who haven't yet understood, no big international hotel or state-owned hotel is GF in Saigon! (For me GF means a girl can spend the night in my room). It's no use trying Rex, Majestic, Grand, Bong Sen, Novotel and all the hotels you can book through travel agents or Internet booking services. They are for shure not GF.
The only GF hotels are small hotels, called "minihotels", who are privately owned and bribe the police. They don't meet international standards (room for 20/30 $) and are not suitable if you do business and need to meet customers, officials, etc.... Many of them are in the backpacker district (Pham Ngu Lao). Girls in mongering places such as Apocalypse or taxi drivers should be able to advise you.

[Austin Power]

The First Hotel is miles away from most of the action (it is quite near the airport) but it does have a number of bars and massage joints nearby.

Tokyo Hotel in not in airport area, it actualy on of the side street close to Tran Hung Dao A in Dist. 5 ( not Dist. 1 my typo). Many BBS within walking distance and less than 10 minutes by #1 bus from downtown. You can also find good looking KTV girls on hotel's top floor or massage on 5th floor. The only problem The hotel rule do not allow KTV and Massage girls go to the same hotel they work. That is one reason I move out to Mario next night.

[Co Van My]

.I would suggest that you stay first night in a hotel near the centre and then take a walk around to find a suitable venue for the rest of your stay.

Excellent advice. I might add that if you take a girl from a bar or other p4p venue, she will take you to a guest friendly hotel. You would always have the option of moving there the next day.

[OzzieSuds]

i do know few smaller hotel in chinatown (cholon) will let you bring gf. try tokyo (106-108 tran tuan khai st., dist. 1, ho chi minh city) , mario (close to dong khang hote in tran hung dao a) or phu luc tho (across from windsor plaza hotel) the average price is $20 to $30 a night.

austin's comments about the smaller hotels are quite correct and there are a number of the them rep001tered around the place with concentrations near benh than market and near hai bai trung and mac thi boui.

however you need to be aware that even these small places are officially breaking the law in letting you bring back your guest and for that reason it is not wise to publicise their actual names.

the first hotel is miles away from most of the action (it is quite near the airport) but it does have a number of bars and massage joints nearby.

i would suggest that you stay first night in a hotel near the centre and then take a walk around to find a suitable venue for the rest of your stay.

[Austin Power]

I did a search in the general reports for the word hotel. I came up with 10 responses. Some talked about how unfriendly the hotels were to guests, but no names of GF hotels came up. I think this is the forum to start listing the names of hotels we can enter with a girl friend for the evening. I started with REX, not GF. I don't have the experience in VN to have anything else to contribute, so I am off to Saigon next week and probably staying in the first hotel, which I know is also not GF. Wow, 2 reports from me, Rex and First not GF!

Most hotels (3 stars and Up) will not allow you to bring girls in after 9 or 10pm. What you need to do is book a 2nd room for you gf (ask teh front desk, sometine they offer 1/2 price for 2nd room). This is the only way you can bring girls to hotel in Saigon.

I do know few smaller hotel in Chinatown (cholon) will let you bring gf. Try Tokyo (106-108 Tran Tuan Khai St., Dist. 1, Ho Chi Minh City) , Mario (close to Dong Khang Hote in Tran Hung Dao A) or Phu Luc Tho (across from Windsor plaza hotel) The average price is $20 to $30 a night.

If you happen to travel with another friend, don't book two rooms. When you ready to bring the girl in. book the 2nd rooms. It works everywhere in Vietnam.

[Gaolei]

I did a search in the general reports for the word hotel. I came up with 10 responses. Some talked about how unfriendly the hotels were to guests, but no names of GF hotels came up. I think this is the forum to start listing the names of hotels we can enter with a girl friend for the evening. I started with REX, not GF. I don't have the experience in VN to have anything else to contribute, so I am off to Saigon next week and probably staying in the first hotel, which I know is also not GF. Wow, 2 reports from me, Rex and First not GF!

[OzzieSuds]

The Rex hotel is very unfriendly to girls. I had an older girlfriend get stopped at the elevator and read the riot act by someone 3/4 her age. The way around the problem was to go to the restaurant on the roof and go down to the room from there. Unfortunately the girl was so shaken, she could not take her eyes off the door and left early, before the fun began.

So the question remains, where to stay in Saigon and also Vung Tau.

There is a lot of advice on Hotels but it remains in the General Info thread. There is also advice on Vung Tau in the Other Places thread.

[Gaolei]

The Rex hotel is very unfriendly to girls. I had an older girlfriend get stopped at the elevator and read the riot act by someone 3/4 her age. The way around the problem was to go to the restaurant on the roof and go down to the room from there. Unfortunately the girl was so shaken, she could not take her eyes off the door and left early, before the fun began.

So the question remains, where to stay in Saigon and also Vung Tau.

[OzzieSuds]

Change of plan. Majestic appears to have renovations going on next week in the lobby, so my assistant had me rebooked to the Duxton hotel.

I'm assuming this hotel is also not GF?

Haven't ready much on the Duxton in this thread. Does anybody have any info for me?

Thanks in advance!

Duxton has part Guvmint ownership and not GF at all. For mid range suggest you look at Grand (has good massage), Palace or even Ho Sen. Ho Sen was reported to be GF.

[BBBJ]

Change of plan. Majestic appears to have renovations going on next week in the lobby, so my assistant had me rebooked to the Duxton hotel.

I'm assuming this hotel is also not GF?

Haven't ready much on the Duxton in this thread. Does anybody have any info for me?

Thanks in advance!

[Warriorxxx]

This is a great start so here is my contribution to the list.

A&EM near by Ben thanh market is a friendly location to stay and you can bring any friends there.

This hotel cater to both locals and international guest. I stayed there few times and have no problems to bring any one back.

[OzzieSuds]

I am looking for a list of hotels that are GF and maybe have a star or 3. This is the kind of hotel you can bring your local freebie girl friend and make an impression, not a short time hotel.

The big hotels (Sheraton, Renaissance etc) will let you bring your local friend but if she is to stay beyond 9 pm they will want you to reserve and pay for an extra room. If you really want to impress that would be the way.

I would expect that the mid-range hotels (Majestic, Grand etc) might also be more flexible during the day.

A possibility if you stay at Renaissance is to take your gal to dinner at the (very good) Chinese Restaurant on the first floor. From their you are able to go straight to the guest elevators on the same level. Similar exercise at Carravelle from the roof top bar.

But you should think about how much slinking around like an intruder is going to impress your gal.

[Gaolei]

I am looking for a list of hotels that are GF and maybe have a star or 3. This is the kind of hotel you can bring your local freebie girl friend and make an impression, not a short time hotel.