Cherry Hotel Central

On our ten-day tour of five Asian countries with Trinity, this was the best room we had. It was very comfortable and clean, and the room service was very good. The one drawback was the complimentary breakfast. Since guests come from different cultures and backgrounds, the hotel should offer a buffet.

I've had lunch on Cherry Hotel's upper deck many times before, but this visit has put me off going back. The Banh Xeo was fine, and the young woman who showed me to a table was bright and smiling. Things went wrong behind the bar: one staff member in glasses washed dishes while coughing toward my meal without covering his mouth. He then made throat-clearing sounds and blew his nose toward the glass-washing area without a tissue or handkerchief. His colleague piled used ashtrays on the bar close enough to my lunch that I could smell them after customers left. I wondered whether this was poor training, lack of awareness, or simply not caring. I'd just left when I posted this, and hope management can check the security footage soon. No wonder they don't want people taking photos or videos.

It can be hard to find this hidden gem without using maps. Once there, my family had a comfortable stay in a very clean hotel. Am Nguyen was a huge help with finding tours and things to do in Ho Chi Minh, and we were grateful to have her support on our first trip to Vietnam. Breakfast was buffet-style, with a modest selection, and the cook made exceptional noodle soup every morning.

I had a stop between flights and went into downtown. From the hotel, it's a few steps to the Opera House and about 20 minutes from the airport, in the Japanese area. There are lots of bars and restaurants nearby, so the area gets a bit noisy. The rooms are standard and good value for the money.