Chill Home Beach Da Nang

The owner's family lives right across from the hostel, and with the neighbours' homes open, the place felt very safe. It was my first trip to Vietnam, and staying here was a nice introduction to local life, away from crowds of foreigners and fancy tourist spots. There's a beautiful beach two minutes away that fills with locals in the afternoons, plenty of nearby restaurants, including vegan ones, and cheap meals for 25k-50k. I even found vegetarian food on the street with all the fish and seafood restaurants. Fresh sugar cane juice and coffee are easy to find too. It's walkable to the centre, or a Moto grab costs 20k. Come on. The hostel was clean when I arrived, and my room was very clean, with soap and shampoo in the bathroom. The bathroom drain clogged almost right away, though, and I think the owner needs to clear the pipes of sand. I was lucky to have the dorm to myself. The beds are big and comfy, with curtains. There's a button on the wall to switch off the air con when it gets too cold, but the remote didn't work. I slept really well. The woman who owns the place was super nice and let me check out late without charging extra, since I had an appointment to move into a long-term apartment later that afternoon. The boy who checked me in was on the phone and didn't seem interested in chatting, but he did carry my heavy suitcase upstairs. Don't expect much socialising. I did notice there's no small locker for valuables. Maybe people wouldn't take anything here, but you never know if other travellers can be trusted. The family being right across the way made it feel safe, though. I'm very glad I chose this hostel. I got a good rest and a chance to see local Da Nang. The local places to eat are cheap, 25k-50k a meal, and there's delicious vegan food too.

The beds are comfortable, there's air con and a window in the shared room, and the area is quiet and local, so you'll see residents more than tourists. It's a new hostel, which means things look clean and new for now, though I don't know how long that will last given the lack of care. Towels are provided, although sometimes they forget, so you need to ask. There are serious problems with how it's run. There's no staff presence much of the time, and when someone is around they're often on the phone or busy with something else. They don't speak English, so even using a translator it's hard to communicate. They need to treat this as a hostel business and improve their service. Security is a concern: there are no lockers, you can't lock the room door, and there's no main entrance door either. They have cameras, but if something happens to guests' belongings, no one will pay. Anyone can go into the rooms, and they don't record guest names or passport details. I saw one woman enter a room and then leave because she didn't like the hostel. There's no control at all. There aren't individual lights by the beds either. It's far from restaurants and tourist sights, more than a 30-minute walk to the centre, though the beach is three minutes away. I knew it was in a local area, so the distance was okay for me, but be aware you'll need to walk or use a bike or scooter. The beach there is dirtier, and sometimes being among locals can be annoying. The kitchen is good but closed. It would be great if they opened it, offered a simple breakfast and sold some basic food, since it's hard to find food in this area. They have a good space and don't use it. The management really needs work. The price is not cheap compared with other hostels, 130.00 with no breakfast, shampoo or toilet paper, and it's far from places. The service should be much better. There was no shampoo or toilet paper in the rooms, the drain was clogged, and there was no cleaning unless I requested it. I asked for room cleaning and it wasn't done. The bin stayed full for more than two days. They also left used sheets on beds after guests checked out, even while another guest was there. The place has potential, but if they don't look after it as a business instead of treating it like their home, I think they'll close soon. Honestly, I don't think they mind.

The rooms are spacious, with attached bathrooms, and the hostel serves really good food. I loved the Vietnamese coffee, maybe the best I've had, and breakfast was delicious too. It costs a small amount extra, since it wasn't included in my stay. It's a peaceful spot for a longer stop in Da Nang, though some attractions are a bit far away. The beach is about a kilometre, or a ten-minute walk. I did find the room price a little high, especially since basic toiletries like hand wash weren't available. There were only two other problems: the air con temperature was hard to manage because the remote was missing, and there were no lockers, which matter to backpackers. Maybe they're planning to add them before high season, but they aren't there yet.

The owners are so lovely and welcoming, the best I've met. I could order food and drinks there, or make my favourite dishes myself. There are lots of local people around, along with good coffee shops and vegetarian restaurants nearby.