Vietnam Chronicles: Your Dream Hotel

After a fulfilling overseas getaway, it bores me once again slog in the office. Every minute during the trip, my mind was on the wing, struggling to put into words everything I experienced from day one in Vietnam. Such was really an amazing holiday!

Des, Geah and I on board the car off to Hong Han Hotel at Bui Vien, Ho Chi Minh City

Arriving there at wee hour, I barely could identify the person to pick us up from Tan Son Nhat Internat’l Airport. My eyes were busy searching for my name at the well wishers booth when someone came near carrying a signage with my name written in big font, DAI NING LI. My sleepiness flew away at once and I smiled after telling the group to follow him and take a ride off to our hotel. Past 2am, we headed to the reference point of our 4D/3N stay at Ho Chi Minh City, our hotel rooms – so homey abode away from home.

I shared the cozy place with my sister, Geah at Room 202

Since we were a big number of guests ─ we were nine pax─ and our chosen hotel could only accommodate a few people, the group was distributed to two hotel affiliates in the area ─ Bich Duyen, where the two girls stayed and Hong Han were the rest of us lodged. Past one year after our Hong Kong trip, the trauma I had for staying in an unpleasant-but-nicely-advertised-hotel hasn’t healed yet. Although I had read a whole bunch of good reviews about these two hotels, my confidence that both would give us best accommodation at fair price was honestly not that high. I had fears but for everybody’s peace of mind, since I was the only one willing and patient to do the admin side of traveling – booking of tickets, planning the itineraries and choosing hotels ─ I needed to play cool and strong. The good thing was both Bich Duyen and Hong Han didn’t fail us a bit! Each brought us the safety, clean and comfortable “night life” in our bedrooms.

I couldn’t thank them enough for a worthwhile stay so just let me share with you the pros in choosing Bich Duyen and Hong Han when you are at Ho Chi Minh City.
Affordable rates. Charging 22USD for twin sharing and 27USD for triple sharing per room per night (as of February 2012), rates are more than reasonable; not to mention the free breakfast prepared personally by the hotel keeper.

Clean building. Well, Saigon is really not different from the environment we have here in Manila. Only that these hotels seriously maintain cleanliness. In fact, they have prepared unnumbered pairs of slippers for the guests to use while inside the premises. House rules include putting off the shoes before going up stairs. A pullout cabinet under the stairs is where the shoes are kept.

Perfect accessibility. For four days, we have familiarized the nearby establishments coming from the hotel. Each is situated at the center of the city and so left and right, anyone could explore the place without the fear of getting lost.

Safety. Although I didn’t see any security officer in the building, the place is well guarded all night long by the hotel keeper. The main entrance is covered by an electronic roll up gate and is remotely locked, just like the ones we are using for cars.

Friendly desk officers. In this area I stand to testify on a hundred percent satisfaction. The hotel managers, Chanh of Bich Duyen and Anh of Hong Han are undoubtedly wonderful people. You can never go wrong in negotiating to them your city tours and other trips in Vietnam.

Taken at the hotel lobby hours before we bid farewell to Vietnam

You can contact Chanh and Anh through the following:

Bich Duyen Hotel
283/4 Pham Ngu Lao Street, 1st District, Ho Chi Minh City
+84.8.3 8 374 588 | BichDuyenhotel@yahoo.com

Hong Han Hotel
238 Bui Vien Street, 1st District, Ho Chi Minh City
+84.8.3 8 361 927 | HotelHongHan@yahoo.com

I have been to other Asian countries but only this time I could attest to have stayed in a hotel that satisfied my basic requirement and even went beyond the level of contentment I expected. Should you plan to visit Saigon, trust me that these hotels are amazing!

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