B Homestay Ben Thanh

They gave us an old, smelly room without a bathroom, and while we were trying to check in, we saw a group of people get the same treatment. The fancy rooms shown on Agoda apparently aren't available when you arrive; they say there's no room or that the one you booked isn't there, and don't refund you. The Agoda bookings are non-refundable, so it seems they make money this way. Avoid this place.

There was no electricity, so I couldn't stay.

After I made a reservation, I got a confirmation, but the room could apparently be given to someone else unless I called to pay in advance. If prepayment was required, they should have contacted me and explained it. Instead, when I called them myself, they rudely asked, “Have you paid yet?” I was shocked and asked whether my room would have been given away without notice if I hadn't called. They said, “This is just to give customers some basic knowledge.” They even circled their phone number and sent it to me, as if it were my job to call after booking and ask whether I needed to prepay. That's ridiculous and unprofessional. I've never had to chase a hotel like this after booking through Agoda. Don't book here. There's a reason it has so many 1-star reviews.

The place was filthy and neglected, nothing like the photos. There were mouse droppings on the counter, dried-out fries behind the furniture, and a blackened carpet that even a dog wouldn't touch. It looked as if it hadn't been cleaned for days. The bathroom was moldy, with a crumbling wall, and there was mold in the refrigerator too. A window was broken. I can't understand how Booking.com still lists this homestay. A horrible, unacceptable experience. Avoid it.