Homestead Parkview

Breakfast was a highlight for me, with a decent range of vegetarian choices. The restaurant staff and receptionist were pleasant, as were the other staff. The hotel was nice and clean, though there's a school right next door. If you like sleeping late, the noise from the schoolchildren in the morning may disturb you.

They let people book even though the hotel was closed, with its power and phone bills unpaid. My husband, our two young sons, and I were left stranded while we spent two hours on the phone trying to arrange somewhere else to stay during a busy period. We ended up in the city, away from the tourist area we had wanted, stuck from 9 to 11 p.m. in a dodgy area where people approached us and we felt unsafe. Don't come here.

I've stayed here for years, and the prices keep going up without things getting better. The internet is so slow it's nearly useless. Even basic items are missing: staff have to fetch a dining table from an empty room, and the same goes for a privacy curtain or a second lamp for the other bedside table. The owner seems unwilling to spend money on these simple fixes. Somehow this place is rated four stars?

The staff at reception and in the restaurant were generally polite, responsive, and helpful. A few could manage simple English, including Johnny, the front office helper, and the slim young man working in the restaurant on level one. Johnny changed my room after the first night to one that was brighter and cleaner, and he recognized me when I came in. This was my third stay at the hotel. The location is handy, with small boutiques and eateries nearby and Ben Thanh Market within walking distance. The rooms could use an upgrade, since some facilities are old and there were ants. The restaurant on level one seems newly renovated; breakfast used to be served on the hugest floor.