Hoang Trang Hotel

Breakfast was great and the price was pretty good. Our room at the back was wonderfully quiet, so we slept well after long days exploring, even though the rooms are a little dated and could use some care. At check-in they asked us to hand over our passports, which made us uncomfortable and apparently isn't very common in Vietnam. We suggested they photocopy them instead, so just be warned.

The young man working at the door was kind and cheerful. That was the only good thing I can say about the hotel. There are much better places in HCMC, so don't waste your time or money here. We arrived late at night and were told there was no reservation and the hotel was full, even though our agency had booked it and we had the receipt. After negotiating, an available room suddenly appeared, but it was awful: water leaked from the bathroom ceiling, the bathroom was covered in mold, and small insects were all over the room. We could feel them in the bed, and outside noise kept us awake all night. After we complained and our agency intervened, they moved us to a decent suite. Checkout brought more problems. They charged us for four bottles of water, two from each room, though water had been included where we'd stayed before. The woman at reception was also really rude. She agreed we could pay in euros but didn't mention the 10% commission. When we said that was unacceptable, she threw the money at us and told us to exchange it somewhere else.

The hotel has a new owner and is now called LHarmonie Hotel, not Hoang Ngan Hotel. I thought we'd come to the wrong place when we arrived. With Agoda's rating above 8, they may keep using the old name for bookings. The Agoda reviews seem fake or out of date. I made a mistake relying on Agoda without checking Google reviews first. The one bright spot was the bellboy service on arrival, though the man was actually hotel security. He was nice. We booked Deluxe View at a higher rate but got a second-floor room facing the opposite building instead of the advertised city view. When I asked for a higher floor, I was told the hotel was full. But Agoda showed rooms available at lower rates and with extra discounts for same-day bookings. Booking one or two days ahead actually cost more. At check-in, the unfriendly receptionist insisted we pay in cash or pay an extra 3% by card, despite our having prepaid by credit card through Agoda. After we paid cash, staff insisted on keeping our passports. That's unusual and legally questionable, and the hotel's infraction should be reported. The room was noisy and had no soundproofing. Street traffic was extremely loud, and we could hear the next-door guest talking, showering, closing the door, and walking. The air felt stale on arrival, and my wife and I were disgusted by the dusty air from the neglected AC, which seemed to need maintenance and wasn't central air conditioning. The room was listed as 28 square meters (301 square feet), but was nowhere near that size. It was even smaller than the 261-square-foot room we'd just left, thinking we were getting more space. The bathroom wasn't suitable for a three-star hotel. The bathtub was filthy and outdated, and both it and the towel rack were rusty. The cotton towels were peeling and left fibers or dust on them. They still had the old Hoang Ngan name on them. There are more reviews, but these are enough to keep the images from being condemned.

The room was a good size, and the hotel was great for a 3*. We had a small hot water problem, but the manager was lovely and fixed it quickly. The staff were friendly, especially the woman at the desk during the day. A great guy even ran across the road with an umbrella to fetch us from another bar when it was raining. It's close to places to eat and within walking distance of the shops in town. I'd recommend it.