Meliá Vinpearl Hai Phong Rivera

The hotel itself is beautiful, with a great location, and our room was spacious and clean. The gym is very good and open 24 hours. The staff are generally friendly and nice. Unfortunately, our stay was a very bad experience. At check-in, we were given a room that was already occupied, which we discovered when we entered. The replacement room was set up for only two people, so we had to ask again for an extra bed and towels. Our passports weren’t scanned at check-in, and we had to send copies over WhatsApp. We got no information about the hotel, and staff seemed annoyed when we asked questions. At the weekend it was absolutely overcrowded. There wasn’t even space to leave our things by the pool, let alone relax. We were glad to find a table at breakfast, but there was no service, the coffee machine wasn’t working, and we had to wait for food. In the evening there was some kind of live music, loud enough to make watching TV in our room impossible.

The rooms were clean and comfortable, and the staff member who brought our food was absolutely lovely. But the hotel isn’t within walking distance of many attractions or conveniences. The toiletry bottles also had no tamper protection. When I tried the conditioner, it came out watery (?) and seemed clearly tampered with. We arrived at night and the gentleman at reception was cold and blunt. No issue, but then, about an hour later, I ordered room service and got hung up on after listing the items, with no response or ETA. Maybe he was having a bad day, but it set the tone for the stay. We had two rooms, and neither had a view. No issue there either. It was just an okay stay, and among the many places we stayed, this one didn’t leave a memorable impression.

The pool and gym were clean and well maintained, though I barely used them because it was cold. I nearly fell asleep during my massage at the cozy, relaxing spa. The Executive Lounge is on the small side, but quiet and comfortable. Breakfast was good, with a noodle and egg station that rotated, plus a solid range of Vietnamese dishes. Laundry and ironing worked perfectly. What made the stay especially pleasant was the staff’s warmth. The team is relatively small for a hotel this size, but they made me feel welcome and looked after. At the front desk, Hazel, Michelle, Tom and Grace (Trang) were friendly, efficient and helpful. Hazel checked me in and showed me the Presidential Suite. Tom quickly helped when I forgot my room key, and Michelle took time to explain services like turndown and other hotel features. Grace (Trang) helped adjust my booking and arranged taxis that were faster and cheaper than Grab, making things easy and smooth. Tu Anh (Tammy), the Guest Experience Manager, made the stay special. She showed me the hotel, restaurants and bars, and let my father enjoy the view from the Presidential Suite at midnight on New Year’s Eve so he could take photos. Little things mattered too, like ordering bubble tea for me and helping speed up my laundry. I had a really enjoyable stay and would happily come back. Hopefully Doraemon is still in the lobby next time 😄

Something happened in the bathroom that really shouldn’t have, and I was pretty pissed off. I kept thinking, how does a 5-star hotel make such a basic mistake? Later, though, I came back to a handwritten note and honestly felt better. I appreciated the effort from Miss Linh and her team. Thank you for the thoughtful gesture. I’d still come back next time.