Halong Boutique Hotel

The location is in a calm area, with no bars or nightlife nearby. The place has a lot of potential, but it's badly managed. Cleaning was the biggest problem: the sink and showers were dirty, and even the towels weren't clean. At 8am the cleaning crews yelled to each other across the hall like they were at a fish market, even when the do not disturb sign was up. If it wasn't up, they'd knock and come right in, so latch the chain. There was no respect for guests' sleep. I never made it to breakfast, which ends at 9am. It didn't seem a huge loss, since they don't even offer a basic English breakfast. The minibar had two bottles of water. Where's the business sense? This could be a four star place with better staffing, a deep clean, and some training. I've stayed in worse places that were managed better. Management seems to have missed the point. I hope this review makes a difference.

The room was okay and the location wasn't bad, and the breakfast was at least acceptable for the price. Though it was called a buffet, there were only two food choices, pho or fried egg with bread, which seemed odd. My main concern was privacy. A room service woman knocked, but by the time I went to answer, she'd already opened the door herself. Hotel management should train staff to respect guests' privacy and not do that.

For the lowest price, this was the best hotel we stayed at in Vietnam. The staff spoke English and helped us with a few different problems. We had a great stay and it felt like a five star experience.

We got a VIP room for two at a great price. It had a modern design, though the bathroom and wooden furniture were showing wear. Breakfast was limited to just two options, bread or pho.