StarLight Nha Trang

Breakfast was poor and repetitive, mostly pork and the same dishes every day. Housekeeping also fell short: towels were changed every 2-3 days, the bed was only made, and the floors stayed dirty. The room and service felt far below what you’d expect from a 4-star hotel, more like 2-star. The whole situation ruined our mood, and there was basically no service at all. We paid for a Superior room but got one without a window, and the problem was never fixed. We spent all 7 days of our vacation in that room, which wasn’t what we’d paid for. At first, reception said no other rooms were available. Then they blamed our “small children,” even though they’re 17 and 19, and later said it was the tour operator’s responsibility. The staff were rude and unhelpful, unwilling to talk or assist, as if they just wanted us to leave them alone. They kept passing responsibility to the tour operator, though room allocation at check-in is clearly the hotel’s job. Their English was very poor too, which made it even harder to communicate. We’d expected a completely different stay.

The rooms were very good, 5/5, and the women who cleaned them were also 5/5. The young man at reception was OK, but the women there gave terrible service. The pool water was filthy because the circulation and filter pumps were off. The “gym” was just a few weights in a ridiculously small spa area, and the security guard in the lower parking area was rude and ignorant toward customers. Reception also tried to put me in a tiny single room with no window, even though I’d prepaid for a much larger two-bed room with a window. I had to show screenshots of the room I’d booked and paid for before the receptionist agreed to give me the right one. I take screenshots because I’ve had repeated scams and problems with hotels in Vietnam. Reception seemed prepared to drastically downgrade my room and ignore my paid reservation simply because I was travelling alone. After I changed rooms two nights later, I had to repeat the entire check-in process, including showing my passport again, as if I’d just arrived. Ridiculous. Management should replace the foolish paper and clear plastic folder system at reception with a computerized booking system. For a hotel this size, the current setup is inefficient and cumbersome. One evening at about 9 PM, I went to reception to buy a cold beer from the lobby cooler and sit outside. There was only one woman working, no one else around, and I was the only customer in the lobby. She saw me waiting but kept working and ignored me. After about 10 minutes I said I wanted to buy a beer. She half-nodded and went back to her desk, leaving me there. After another five minutes, about 15 minutes in total, I gave up and headed to my room. As I walked away she finally said, “OK, OK.” I told her to forget it and left. I’m not fussy, but that kind of service is unacceptable. The reception staff need to change or be replaced with better-trained people. A customer standing in front of you should come before paperwork.

The rooftop pool was a good spot, about 5 feet deep, never too busy, and with great views. At the other end of the floor there’s a swing chair and a closed bar, which could be a nice place to read. The room was good and bigger than I needed, with a comfortable bed, good A/C, and a shower with three different nozzles. For the price, I enjoyed my stay. The huge breakfast area can get crowded on certain days, though it clears out around 7.30 am. The food was good and had enough variety. The hallway carpet is disgusting and should be ripped up, and the area around the lifts can get slippery because they mop there regularly. Cleaning and reception staff were friendly and attentive when I had questions. It’s a 5 min walk to the beach, there’s a laundry across the road, and a great, super clean convenience store just a few paces away that I used every day. I recommend the place.

The balcony room was my favorite, and I’ll definitely come back. The hotel is right in the city center, close to entertainment spots. The receptionist was very friendly, the room was clean with new-looking interiors, and the food was delicious.