Firstly
---- all hotels except Hoi An & Hue were booked via the Net. This gives
a range of pictures & reviews of likely places & the prices seem very
competitive, however, note that many agents book the same hotel so you have
to read the fine print to see which is really the best value. As there are 2
of us, I also prefer to be collected by the hotel from the airport/ train/ bus
because the prices charged are usually correct and you avoid the tout hassles.
Secondly,
when on a tight sort of schedule, we don’t want to wander around from hotel
to hotel finding a place to stay. Guidebooks seem to direct everyone to the
same places yet there are excellent hotels and bargains found via the net. Do
a Google on hotels in <<insert place>> and see what comes up.
Some web sites have customer reviews that are worth reading.
Try http://www.google.com
UPDATE General INFO(For Vietnam Only)---- Seemingly
due to the SARS crisis in Asia last year, tourist numbers were way down & hotel prices were much cheaper. It seemed they were returning to normal but
we will see what the BirdFlu does to tourist numbers. In addition, a lot of
investors built hotels at the wrong time
so competition was rife. For example, the hotel in Hoi An can accomodate at
least 70 people --- however in the 4 nites we were there the most customers
on any night was 13 people !!!!
So … here are the hotels we stayed at with brief reviews.
NOTE:
the links next to the hotel are not necessarily the ones used for booking, they
are there for pics/amenities etc:
The hotel at the airport was
too expensive and this was the best price found, also they collect and deliver
you to the hotel/ airport. Nice clean spacious rooms, swimming pool and good
breakfast. Collection and delivery to hotel/ airport was punctual. Recommended
for an overnighter only as its too far from town.Recommended
Lovely
gardens and new swimming pool with a delightful open-air elevated restaurant
makes La Noria a restful place to recover from Templemania. Great juices,
nice food (and a haven for French seeking “home” food) and popular dance performances
in the evenings. Another bonus for the weary was the 'Blind People' massage
by the pool. Four rooms to a bungalow all with semi-private balconies with
fan, the rooms have fan & air-con but NO TV or mini-bar/fridge, therefore
tasteful but spartan. The staff were excellent and professional. 10 minutes
walk to the old market area so location is fine. Airport transfers were great.
Quite expensive (but so seems Cambodia)
but lovely place to stay overall. Recommended
Intending
a relaxed time in Bangkok, we wanted a river location & this was the best priced one. Get
a river-front room, it comes attached with a big balcony overlooking the river
and the rooms are HUGE. Do not trust the TV guide, ˝ the cable TV wasn’t available.
Staff mostly OK cept they tout the local tailor. Breakfast is good, great
choice and good coffee. Two good riverfront restaurants 3 mins walk away to
the left as you exit the hotel. Also to the left, walk till you hit the main
street then turn left again and walk till you hit the river, this is the express
ferry station for up/down the river. This is much more frequent than the hotels
shuttle boat/bus!!! It seems a fair way to the “action” but a cab to Chatuchak
Market was about 4$US and the city a little less. We found it to be a restful
place to enjoy the river traffic and escape the bustle of downtown.Recommended.
This was easy as we stayed here before and
it was still the same good hotel, part of a chain of 6 the Camellia group
now run. We book the ‘deluxe’ room because of the balcony and the included
daily laundry service (great if you are side-tripping to have your laundry
replenished when you return). The balcony
overlooks the street and is perfect for observing daily life & great for
photo opportunities. Breakfast is included but it isn’t brilliant and could
do with improvement. Rooms are air-con but the whole building could do with
it, also the towels are due for replacement (manager take note!!!!). Ideally
situated at the West Lake end of the Old Quarter it is easily accessible to all places of interest.
The staff are fantastic (again !!!) and make life easy for
travelers. For us it is the staff, the “atmosphere”, location & balcony
that make this a favorite hotel in Hanoi. Adviseable to book in advance esp in busy periods. Recommended.
UPDATE: We
stayed here again & the place is slowly getting better. The staff are
the same (though the boss is still a bastid), the breakfast is more comprehensive
(timing is important). towels still threadbare, 3 Internet terminals available,
good travellers facilities. Again the location is what draws us here.
New
--- Hanoi – Eden
Hotel 3
Phan Dinh Phung Streettel:84.88.275839
This hotel was part of our airfare
and there is nothing i would recommend about this joint. They didn't have
our booking, and even though it was 'pre-paid' by the travel agent & then
wanted us to pay ourselves & claim it back when we got home This was close to midnight all this fracas, so we said 'you have our passports,
we are tired, see you in the morning' & the next day they found it was
booked after all. The room was cramped, staff were invisible & it is badly
located for visitors -- DONT BOTHER
New
--- Dong Hoi – Mau
Hong Hoteltel:84.52.821804
This hotel we got talked into
checking by a cabbie as the hotel we first aimed for was booked. a great family
run place (we were 1 of 2 customers :-P staying) with a 1st floor dual fan
huge room (tv, minibar etc) at 10$ per nite. The big front window looked out
over the fishermans landing wharf and down-river to the sea. The big side
windows looked up-river to the town so the views are awesome. Highly recommend
it !!! Just looked at the latest LP I bought in Saigon and see that the Mau
Hong is the recommended place 2 stay :-> The owner will hire you his new
motorbike as of last week (Jan 04).
Hue – Huong
Giang Hotel tel:84.54.826827
Sister
hotel to the Anh Dao hotel in Hanoi. Opposite side of the river from the market & Citadel but otherwise
convienient location. We stayed only 1 night so cant be too critical, however,
it needs some improvements in a few areas to make the grade. It is relatively
new ownership so changes are being made. The room was fine, higher floors
are cheaper. Probably there are much better places
New
--- Hue – Binh
Minh 2at 45 (19) Ben Nghe St tel:84 54 849007
This Binh Minh hotel was suggested
but was being renovated when we rang so the hotel told us about this newer
place ... it was really nice -- the staff were welcoming; the room was 16$US
with a street balcony, air-con; sat TV, fridge --- and wonder of wonders --
in room breakfast delivery on the balcony. Opposite side of the river to the
Citadel but in the backpacker area. Recommended.
We had booked another hotel and looked at this
while on the bus --- when we saw the other room we came back to this hotel.
Probably the closest of the “town” hotels to the beach, it is about 800meters
to the town centre. The room was pleasant and air-con, the “included” restaurant
breakfast was so-so, but apparently the meals were good. Big plus is the swimming
pool and pool area --- cheap cocktails by the pool was a treat and a great
place to unwind. It was my birthday and the staff made me a card and cake
!!!! The staff were FANTASTIC and made our stay a treat to remember. We loved
it !!!!!!!!!!Recommended.
UPDATE: We
stayed here again & the place hasn't changed too much. The staff are mostly
the same, the breakfast is more the same (extra coffee costs more unless you
apply the charm), towels still threadbare, 5 Internet terminals available,
good service mostly. A good place to hire a bike / Moto as you know it is
guarded at nite. The cocktails in the pool are still yummy. This place will
need to drop it's prices or upgrade rooms to compete with the 2 new place
opened since August 2003 as swimming pools seem to be essential now. Still
... I like it cos it is nostalgic for me.
New
--- Saigon - Kim
Do 123 Le Loi Ave. Dist. 1
Tel: 84 88 225914 mailto:kimdohotel@fmail.vnn.vn
This hotel was part of our airfare
and was much better than the Hanoi hotel we got. Excellent location near the
Rex & Caravelle hotels, great breakfast, nice room & prolly the classiest
place we stayed in Vietnam. The price would be less than 1/2 the Rex and it
is sort of next door so use the price difference to eat/ drink @ the Rooftop
Bar of the Rex. At the shopping centre opposite the Rex is a rooftop restaurant
that, while lacking the ambience & style, is a cheaper alternative whilst
being a good place to photograph the Rex. Stil, I recommend at least a visit
to the Rex Rooftop.
Lastly,
and importantly ----- to the Managers of Hotels. In too many observed instances & with staff comments made to us, the attitude, conditions and behaviour
by management to their staff is reprehensible and in some cases, criminally
exploitative. It amazed us how the staff
kept their sense of duty considering some of the conditions and dummy spitting
by management. It should be noted that staff attitude is what colors a guests
views towards any service business and that many of these valuable representatives
should be treated better. Take note in particular the Managers of the Anh Dao
and Green Field Hotel (expect a personal email!!)
As guests
as well, even though you are paying, it is not a lot to ask to be courteous
and cheerful to staff members. It makes for a better stay and enables a nicer
atmosphere. Generally I find Asian hotel personnel to be charming if treated
with respect. Most of us would find their work schedules onerous in the extreme
so behave well to them.
Hotel Info
so competition was rife. For example, the hotel in Hoi An can accomodate at
least 70 people --- however in the 4 nites we were there the most customers
on any night was 13 people !!!! 
when you return). The balcony
overlooks the street and is perfect for observing daily life & great for
photo opportunities. Breakfast is included but it isn’t brilliant and could
do with improvement. Rooms are air-con but the whole building could do with
it, also the towels are due for replacement (manager take note!!!!). Ideally
situated at the 
!!!) and make life easy for
travelers. For us it is the staff, the “atmosphere”, location & balcony
that make this a favorite hotel in 
This was close to midnight all this fracas, so we said 'you have our passports,
we are tired, see you in the morning' & the next day they found it was
booked after all. The room was cramped, staff were invisible & it is badly
located for visitors -- 
was a treat and a great
place to unwind. It was my birthday and the staff made me a card and cake
!!!! The staff were FANTASTIC and made our stay a treat to remember. We loved
it !!!!!!!!!! 
