Danny Home

The pool and gym rules made our four-night stay more inconvenient than expected. Access had to be booked at least two hours ahead, and the time slots were limited. Some residents and security guards also made short-term renters feel unwelcome. We’d booked a Saigon Royal apartment through Agoda, expecting a stay in a luxury complex. Just before check-in, the broker said the air conditioning in our booked apartment had a problem and moved us to Rivergate instead. We’d already paid in full, so we felt we had little choice. The replacement apartment was a lower standard, and we weren’t refunded the price difference. The broker mainly communicated in English even though we spoke Vietnamese well, which came across as a lack of concern. We were also told that short-term rentals in residential apartments had been banned since April 2025. This hadn’t been clearly explained when we booked, and it left us facing a possible legal risk. Our experience was extremely disappointing. We hope others looking at private residential apartments will check the details carefully to avoid similar hassles. We booked an apartment at Saigon Royal through Agoda, which was presented as a high-end residence. The day before arrival, the broker suddenly told us the apartment had an air conditioning breakdown and offered a replacement at Rivergate. That place was clearly a lower standard, with no compensation for the price difference. Since the booking had already been charged, it felt like our only options were to accept or lose the reservation. The broker sent messages in English despite knowing we understood Vietnamese well, which added to our suspicion that this had been arranged in advance. During the Rivergate stay, the atmosphere from permanent residents and security staff felt cold and hostile, and tourists seemed unwelcome. Pool and gym access was restricted to short time slots booked at least two hours ahead, unlike the open use suggested by the booking platforms. We were not told before booking that short-term rentals in these private residences had been prohibited since April 2025, leaving us in a potentially illegal situation without our consent. The stay was ruined, and the customer service felt nonexistent. I’d avoid this kind of private apartment rental in Ho Chi Minh City to avoid a similar experience.