Pink Boutique Ben Thanh Hotel

The gel manicure was already peeling and felt cheap. There were also several hairs trapped in the coating, and the cloth they used was so dirty. I paid 600k for the services, and then they made us tip another 200k without warning. The spa looked super dodgy, so trust your instincts. The head-spa was rough enough that I had to ask her to be gentle three times, and my hair came out badly knotted. It was a horrible experience, especially considering the service was pricey and I'd had a much better, cheaper treatment elsewhere. An absolute mess.

The shower leaked too. When we called reception again, someone came up, laughed about it and didn't know what to do. They said there was nothing they could do and told us to talk at reception. Earlier, after our tiring overnight trip from India, we arrived at 6:00 AM hoping for an economy room for one night at around VND 700. They first said the hotel was full and early check-in wasn't possible, but when we asked about paying extra, they had a room and wanted to overcharge us. We waited and got a room around 2:00 PM. They asked us for a review because this was an hour before the stated 3:00 PM check-in, and we were okay with that until we saw the room. It looked shady, but we went to sleep. Within an hour, we heard running water from the roof or somewhere, and woke to find the air conditioner draining water all over the room. Reception took it calmly and said they'd call a mechanic, but they didn't clean it properly and the floor was sticky. The room pictures are misleading. We were extremely upset and don't recommend staying here.

Chris at reception was the best part of our stay. He helped us work out onward travel and find local spots that suited our vibe before we headed to Cat Tien. The accommodation was decent and clean, and the shower was the best I've had in Vietnam. We stayed two nights, and I'm sad to leave in the morning.

The hotel itself is decent, but the spa wasn't. They offer a discount and then ask for a tip that makes you pay more than the original price. They won't let you leave without tipping, and the massage wasn't good. Don't come here.