Ruby Saigon Hotel - Ben Thanh

The bathroom floor stayed wet because the shower wasn't sealed properly and leaked badly. The elevator was tiny, with room for only two people at a time. They also refused to check us in until we canceled our booking.com reservation, apparently to avoid the commission. The cafe on the corner was good, though.

The doorman was the one good part of our family stay, very nice, always smiling, and genuinely helpful. The receptionist was rude and unprofessional, with no interest in doing the job. There was no hospitality. We stayed September 24-27, and it was a letdown from beginning to end. The room looked nothing like the Agoda photos. It was tiny, the beds were small and uncomfortable, and the bathroom was a disaster. The lights were so dim we could barely see. The bathtub was wobbly and unstable, and felt dangerous, especially for older people. The location is the only saving grace. Everything else felt like a joke, and it wasn't worth the money.

The hotel was clean, nice, affordable, and conveniently located near tourist attractions. The butler was especially friendly and helpful, which made the stay more comfortable. A warning about the massage shop downstairs, Diamond Spa. They overcharged us, then insisted on a $10 tip per person. There were three of us, so that came to $30 in tips, on top of the service fee. It was a very unpleasant and dishonest practice. We also found that most massage shops around here, and even many in Vietnam, seemed like scams. What they call a “foot massage” is often just light rubbing rather than a real massage, and many try to add charges or force tips.

I stayed with my family from September 12 to September 16, 2025, in rooms 101 and 401. The rooms were great, but some staff members really marred our experience. I think management should address how they treat guests, since this kind of behavior could hurt Ruby Hotel's reputation and business. When my son dropped the key to room 101 in the lobby without noticing, my family asked the front desk for help because they couldn't find it. A uniformed man in a white long-sleeved polo and black pants used the hotel's spare key to let them into the room. Once inside, he said he'd found the missing key and asked for money to return it, saying the front desk would charge more for a replacement. He asked for 200,000 dong and settled for 100,000 dong. After being paid, he took the key out of his wallet, where he'd apparently kept it the whole time. My daughter-in-law asked another male staff member in the same uniform where she could buy a vape. He said he sold them for 350,000 dong. When she asked if he would take 300,000 dong, he agreed on the condition that she give him a kiss. That was disrespectful and way too forward toward a hotel guest. At checkout, they inspected room 404 and found a tiny blood spot on a bedsheet, about the size of a fingertip. They charged us 250,000 dong even though I said it could easily be removed in the wash. I don't know whether that's hotel policy, but the hotels I've stayed in don't all do this. I don't want anyone to lose their job in these difficult times, but staff need to focus on giving guests good service. Please remind them. Word of mouth is powerful and can make or damage the hotel's reputation. I hope other guests don't have the same experiences, because they might not be as nice as I am and could share their stories with other people who want to visit Ho Chi Minh.