Au Lac Charner Hotel

We stayed at Au Lac Charnay Hotel twice, and had an excellent experience both times. It’s comfortable, charming, and a very nice hotel. The rooftop view over the city is amazing, especially toward the end of the day. Afternoon tea was a lovely extra. We hadn’t experienced that at a hotel in Vietnam before, and it seems quite rare here. The staff were kind, caring, and always ready to help, so we felt welcome and well looked after. Restaurants, shops, bars, and massage salons are all nearby in the city center. We highly recommend it and would stay again.

The rooms are large and the beds are extremely comfortable. Staff were friendly and helpful, and the free afternoon tea was a nice bonus, though I’d have liked more variety. Breakfast was okay, but some bacon and hash browns or potatoes would improve it. We chose the hotel for its location and rooftop pool, so we were upset to learn at check-in that the pool would be under repair for our entire four-night stay. We were also disappointed that nobody told us before we arrived. Somehow the work finished very quickly, and we got to use the pool for the second half of the stay. After that hiccup, the hotel exceeded our expectations. We’d definitely stay again.

The staff were always kind and helpful, especially when we raised the noise problem. The location is the biggest strength: you step outside into the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, with everything walkable, quick Grab rides, and the most central district right there. The building is elegant, the lobby welcoming, and the rooftop pool has a lovely city view and was a relaxing spot in the historic centre. But for three of our four weekend nights, the noise in the room was awful, like a nightclub right nearby. We showed reception a video. The windows did nothing to block the city sounds, and loud pop music from a nearby club went on until around 4 a.m. Our standard room was small, and the bathroom was disappointing. The hot water was unreliable, sometimes too cool, slow to arrive, or absent altogether. When we turned on the sink to brush our teeth, there was an unpleasant sewage smell. Breakfast was also very basic compared with places we tried elsewhere in Vietnam. The hotel has real strengths in its design and location, but several things need work. For the fairly high price, we expected a great stay, and it didn’t quite deliver.

Au Lac Charner is in a great spot for the visitor attractions, and the hotel arranged a brilliant airport pickup for our rush-hour arrival. Our patient driver got us there safely. The staff were very friendly, and the lady who serviced our room was lovely. The place was exceptionally clean, and breakfast was fantastic. I can’t recommend it enough.