Vinh Hung Old Town

The location is right in the lively, beautiful ancient city, but our stay felt uncomfortable from the start. We arrived to a completely dark lobby, which felt unsettling for two women traveling together. Each evening when we came back, the lobby and area around it were dark again, giving the place an unwelcoming, unsafe feel. The front office staff were repeatedly rude, while housekeeping were more polite and professional. Bin was the one person who was genuinely kind and helpful. When we asked for a fork in our room, we were told to go downstairs and get one from the restaurant ourselves. The service overall was shocking. Our first room had a leaking AC, and staff promptly moved us. In the second room, the TV remote didn’t work and the telephone was out of service. We were told it would be fixed the next day, but we were out, so nothing really came of it. That was still fine since we spent most of our time outside. There was no iron in the room, and using one cost extra. Maybe that’s a thing in Vietnam, but we stayed in several hotels and Airbnbs and hadn’t run into that before. The bathroom sink was oddly outside the bathroom, and water splashed onto the bed when we used it. Breakfast was disappointing and below average. We only tried it once. I don’t usually review hotels, especially with my hospitality background and understanding that customer service is a tough industry, but I felt others should know about our experience before booking. I can’t recommend this property. Even when other things go wrong, a warm smile and basic courtesy matter, and we didn’t get that here.

We found it peaceful here even though it’s right by all the bustle, just beyond the ancient old quarter and a few blocks from the night market. The staff were very friendly and helpful, and the rooms were spacious. The beds were on the firm side but comfortable. There’s a large, lovely pool and an attractive open entrance downstairs. Breakfast was good quality, and laundry is available for 40,000 dong/kg. I’d strongly recommend it.

The male supervisor was very rude to us over the phone on our third day, and the staff didn’t speak English. It’s close to the tourist streets, but roads flood easily, and getting a Grab cab after 7pm is hard. The shower head could use a fix to get a pressurized spray, though that wasn’t a major issue. I wouldn’t recommend staying here unless you have no other choices.

The best thing here is the location. It’s near the center but outside the busiest part. The rooms were fairly spacious, nicely furnished, and pleasant, but the layout of the toilet, sink, and shower bothered me. Translucent glass separated them from the room, so there wasn’t much privacy while showering or using the toilet. Our street-facing room was noisy, and the soundproofing wasn’t great. A nearby rooster woke us at 4:00 A.M. both nights, which was really annoying. The staff weren’t especially kind, and the breakfast buffet was average.