Bonnie Homestay

I really enjoyed my time at this homestay. The owners are so friendly and kind, and it's a good place to stay 😚

We paid for two nights but left after one, something we'd never had to do before. We travel as a couple and know what to expect from budget rooms around SEA, so I don't think our expectations were too high or unfair. I hate leaving bad reviews, especially for a small family business, and hope this was a one-off that can be fixed. There were plenty of good reviews when we booked. I didn't take photos, so I can't prove what we experienced. The place is just off the main road and easy enough to find, with restaurants and bars looking out over the sea. There isn't a beach within walking distance, though you can get a Grab to one about ten minutes down the road. The woman checking us in seemed annoyed even though she was expecting us, and was quite rude. We'd encountered that kind of hospitality before in Asia, but it still made for a poor start. The pool was one of our main reasons for booking, but it was completely unusable. It was filthy, full of bugs, and murky green. I didn't expect an outdoor pool to be free of every bug and leaf, but this was beyond ridiculous, and we couldn't see the bottom at all. Maybe there had been a bad storm the night before, which I could understand, but nobody mentioned that when we arrived. The room was small, as expected, but seemed fine at first and had air conditioning, so it was adequate for the price. The bathroom was very small. Shuttered windows let in a lot of bugs and heat. There was a very large cockroach in the bathroom, plenty of mosquitoes and flies, and we woke up with ants on our arms, feet, and bags. The area beside the bed was dirty. I saw old false nails and, more concerning, small animal droppings. I'm not sure what animal, but I did see rats and more cockroaches around the hostel. That isn't completely unexpected in Vietnam, but finding signs of them in the room was disconcerting.

The bungalow was well built, comfortable, private, and peaceful, with everything laid out in a practical way. We had an absolute BEST two weeks at Bonnie Homestay, even though I'm writing this review very late. The pool was heavenly, clean, and just the right size for swimming, jumping in, and messing around. We used it almost every day to cool off. There's a relaxing spot beside it for cards, drinks, reading, or sunbathing, and looking up at the stars under the coconut trees is pure bliss. You can use the kitchen and laundry machine whenever you like, and the whole place has a laid-back feel. Lulei and Jesse were so kind and made us feel completely welcome. We had a great time chatting and sharing drinks with them. Little Luca, the toddler, is hilarious, clever, and lots of fun to play with. It really was a little slice of heaven. We're so grateful for the warm welcome and all the fun. Thank you for everything, big love to you all! ❤️

I felt safe and comfortable here as a solo female traveler, and really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere, especially the garden and pool. The room was a great deal, and the high-speed internet made working easy. The hosts were lovely and always ready to help during my two-week stay. I'd definitely recommend it.