Mai Mai Hostel Homestay

I had a confirmed room booking, but a few days before my stay the host told me they’d rented it to someone else and offered a different room at a higher rate. They gave no explanation or details about the new room. The price itself would still have been okay, but the situation felt shady. When I said I wasn’t willing to pay more, they insulted me by email, vented their frustration about other guests, and then cancelled my room entirely. It felt unprofessional and very shady. Their message said they might mark me as a no-show even if I arrived, because they were tired of bad reviews from guests seeking cheap prices who didn’t know what they were getting into. They said the argument was over saving $11.42 and that, in their experience, that level of cheapness only brought trouble. They compared me with guests from Serbia, the Netherlands, and Poland who had paid 500 per night for stays ranging from 3 months to 13 nights. They said they were calm, that it was their place and their rules, and listed rent, taxes, electricity, cleaning, and the 15% paid to booking. They also described the place as old, dirty, loud, noisy, and chaotic, said I was welcome to stay, and offered to discuss the physics of consciousness if I arrived. The owner replied again later, but that still wasn’t the full conversation. The way they avoid taking responsibility and write to customers speaks for itself. I’ve nothing more to add. I hope they use a better tone with other guests.

Don’t go to this awful place. The owners aren’t friendly. Music from the road bars is very loud from 5 p.m., so you can’t sleep. The hostel is tiny, and I cancelled my booking after seeing it.

The owners made my stay. They’re friendly, supportive, funny, and fluent in both English and Vietnamese. I met some great roommates in the shared room, and the price was very reasonable for a budget traveler. I lost my flip-flops, and the owners did their best to track them down. One even offered me the pair he was wearing or offered to pay me back, though I told him it was okay. Luckily, they found mine. That kindness felt like a warm hug in the middle of a big city like Saigon. I really enjoyed staying here and would happily come back. P/S: I wrote this after getting my flip-flops back, so I’m happy.

I stayed for two weeks and really liked it. The room was cleaned almost every day, and sheets were changed when I asked. There are lockers with keys, and in low season I was lucky to have the room mostly to myself. The beds are comfortable, with curtains for privacy, outlets right by the bed, and strong A/C that keeps the room from feeling stuffy. The shower has good pressure, and both hot and cold water work well. The balcony is tiny. I joked with the owner that it was more like a door in the wall. He’s a really nice guy and a musician. The walls have cool art and quirky decorations. It’s next to Bui Vien, the noisiest street in Saigon, so it may not suit early sleepers. I go to bed at 3-4 a.m., so it was fine for me. There’s a bar downstairs with the cheapest beer I’ve seen around, and the owner’s wife cooks tasty food at a good price. At the end of the alley there’s an amazing, cheap banh mi spot. Locals come to the bar in the evening to chat and drink, but I could still work upstairs. Great value, I definitely recommend it.