Merci Hotel

For two nights, this was an absolute steal at £4. It had all the facilities we needed and was in a decent location. We mostly used it to relax halfway through our three-week trip. I did catch sight of a big rat near reception out of the corner of my eye, which was a bit shocking. Apart from that, it was good.

The location was really good, close to lots of bars and restaurants and about a 15-minute walk from the riverfront. After a long journey with a heavy backpack, the working elevator to every floor was a godsend. We’d been meant to stay at another guesthouse, but they sent us here at the same rate, saying the aircon in our room wasn’t working. We were suspicious but agreed after seeing the room. It was modern and nicely decorated, with decent aircon. The Wi-Fi was weak in our room, though it worked perfectly when we left the door open. We had some trouble speaking English with one receptionist. He seemed more interested in playing games on his phone than helping us book a taxi to the airport for the next day.

The staff were lovely and very helpful, and when our room wasn’t ready they let us use another one until it was. That helped after a 13-hour sleeper bus with no sleep. They said our room was being cleaned after 8am, and we eventually got into the apartment after midday. We’d booked an apartment hoping to make a light lunch, but there was nothing to cook with. The couple of bowls provided were in a filthy drawer. There was a kettle but no mugs, tea, or coffee. The floors needed a good sweep and mop, and the place wasn’t very clean, as the pictures show. There were random mattresses in the hallways on most floors, and we weren’t sure what that was about. It did the job for one night while we stopped in nha trang.

The location was really good, and the price was cheap, so I can’t complain too much. It wasn’t the cleanest hotel and the service wasn’t the best. They canceled our Booking.com reservation to avoid the booking fees. One thing I appreciated was their donation box for people without money, and they leave a meal outside the front door for anyone who can’t afford one.