Vinh Hoang Hotel

The staff were attentive and really kind, and the breakfast buffet had plenty of food and variety. Our room was great too, with lots of plugs, good lighting and air conditioning, and a shower with strong pressure and plenty of hot water. We had a lovely stay.

There are plenty of seafood restaurants nearby, and taxis wait by the hotel entrance when a bus isn’t blocking it. The nearest supermarket is about a ten-minute walk away. Even so, I wouldn’t recommend staying here. If you’re visiting the caves in Dong Hoi, Phong Nha may be a better base, especially since more tours start there. The room was just okay and didn’t really look like the photos. The hotel needs serious renovation and didn’t seem clean, though the staff did try to keep things tidy. We found smoke smell and ashes by the window. The air conditioning only worked when someone was in the room to turn on the electricity, and our fan was broken. On the positive side, the room was cleaned daily, beds made, towels supplied, and there were several TV channels, including a couple in English. We had hot water, but the shower screen needs replacing because water went everywhere. The staff weren’t welcoming or particularly nice, though they did let us leave our luggage in a room when we arrived early. The breakfast was decent, but offered little for European guests. The dining area was crowded even early in the morning, despite breakfast starting at 6:00. The hotel was mostly full of Vietnamese tourists arriving by bus. Some guests were very noisy, shouting or banging on corridor doors, and we could hear chairs scraping overhead. Pool users left water everywhere, since no towels were provided and people didn’t dry off. I also saw men spitting in the pool, which needs repairs, especially the tiles. The lifts and stairs were left wet and felt dangerous to walk on. There were cigarette ends around too, even though ashtrays were near the very long elevator area.

The location was good, and we could see the sea from our room. The buffet was disappointing for a hotel claiming four stars, especially for the price. At first, bread was the only vegetarian choice, and shower gel and shampoo came in single-use packets that we had to ask to have replenished. When I asked again, they prepared an extra vegetarian dish, so I’ve added a star for that. The next day had a lot more meat options, while the vegetarian choices stayed the same.

I was really angry about what happened when I went for a massage. The service and attitude were bad. I hope people don’t go there.