Velar Hotel

I've never given anyone one star before. The building is renovated, better than other hotels I've stayed in in Vietnam, and the room I booked was clearly listed as having no windows, so I should have read more carefully. Still, I booked two nights and checked out after one because of the window situation, after paying the full amount for that first night. The checkout was what really upset me. The receptionist kept answering calls while I was there, and she didn't seem to know I'd paid, which made me wonder how they track bookings. She then counted the water bottles; I said I'd used just one and had even paid for it. The calls seemed more important, and a one-minute checkout stretched to five. The staff are very nice, but being service-minded is another matter.

A very good experience at this clean, pleasant hotel near the beach. The staff were kind and supportive, and it's a place I'd recommend.

We stayed four nights and found the hotel fantastic, with clean rooms near the beach and nice restaurants. The staff were probably the best I've experienced in hospitality. After checkout I realized I'd left my headphones in the roll. Linh at reception went out of her way to send them on a flight from Con Dao to Ho Chi Minh and arranged for a friend to meet us there and return them. Couldn't have asked for better service. 10/10!

Room cleanliness and its modern feel stood out compared with nearby hotels that often smell damp and musty. At 1 million VND a night for a double, it may be one of the island's best value stays. But service needs a lot of work. Over six days and five nights, we got hot shower water only twice. Since we showered twice a day, that meant cold showers about 80% of the time, frustrating even in a tropical place. We raised it with reception twice, but they offered no fix. Communicating with staff was difficult apart from one receptionist. The internet was very unstable, including on the smart TV, and breakfast was basic and never replenished. Get up early if you want yogurt or jam. The pool felt more decorative than useful. On the positive side, rooms were cleaned well each day, after staff asked whether we wanted service. At checkout I asked for a goodwill gesture because of the hot water problem, and they offered only a free airport shuttle worth €2 per person. They refused my request to waive the €1.50 minibar charge and €29 scooter rental. I found the customer service weak and regret they didn't deal with the problems more professionally.