New York Thien Phuc Hotel

For me, a clean place, a good shower and a bed are what matter on vacation. I'm here to get out and have adventures, not to pay for a four- or five-star hotel, and this place covered what I needed. The rooms are fresh, the A/C works well, and the staff are accommodating and quick to help with directions or referrals. It's in District 1, if that matters, and my Grab rides so far have cost about 139000k to 180000k for roughly 20 minutes, which is doable. Having an elevator is a plus too. I think I'll keep coming back.

I booked Prague hotel in advance on booking.com, but they put me in a very bad room at hotel Ney York. They said it was because they had customers paying more without booking.com. The room looked clean, but the bathroom and toilet were in bad shape. Loud street music went on until 3am every day. On my last day I noticed bites on my legs. Maybe bed bugs, maybe just mosquitoes. I'm very disappointed with Prague and New York hotel and won't try them again.

For the price, I still think this stay was worth four stars, maybe 4.5 if that were an option. The best part was easily the mattress, soft and comfortable enough to compare with some five-star hotels. I also liked the jacket stand, sunny balcony for drying laundry, working internet at an acceptable speed, clean toilet with an unusual but practical layout, well-placed air con, and the nice key card system. We stayed 3D2N with my wife in a front-facing sixth-floor room with a balcony. Since the lift only goes to the fifth floor, you have to take the stairs the rest of the way. The place felt a little old and homely, which some people might like, but I didn't. A Buddhist temple is directly across the way, and the monks' enthusiastic chanting at night wasn't for me. There's no latch or lock on the toilet door, so you'll have to "McGuyver" a way to keep it shut. The air con is ancient and takes forever to cool the room, and all the furniture makes the room feel cramped. The receptionist could smile a bit more, though she was otherwise nice.

If you're after a budget option near Bui Vien, this could work. The room is adequate, the bathroom was clean, and there's an elevator. Just be aware it's close to bars and cafes, so it may not suit you if you want a quiet night's sleep.