Premier Pearl Hotel Vung Tau

The beach was gorgeous, and the location was convenient. That’s why, after arriving in Vung Tau for the first time with three friends, we booked two more nights at Premier Pearl Hotel, in addition to our two adjacent rooms. But the checkout experience changed our plans. On the first night, the shower gel was empty and the dryer didn’t work, so we told the housekeeper. We also found a large crack in the bathroom window, taped over, which felt scary on the 12th floor with such a big window. The problems were fixed, but the glass still had a crack. We accepted that for one night. The towel and bathroom were dirty too, but we put up with it for a day. We did report the hair dryer as broken. At checkout, staff charged us for an ironing board pad, saying it had a burn mark. We said we hadn’t made it, but the housekeeper said it appeared after check-in. We didn’t argue because we were on vacation and didn’t want to spoil it. It wasn’t about the small amount of money, it was the principle. After reading other reviews, I saw many guests describing similar issues, where the hotel made what seemed to us unreasonable claims and made guests pay. Premier Pearl Hotel’s replies to complaints all seemed alike, as if copied and pasted. It seems to resort to deceptive practices to find reasons for extra charges. Take photos as proof so you don’t get ripped off at checkout. It’s awful to have to justify that you did nothing wrong on holiday. We paid the small charge, but the experience made us feel terrible. I cancelled the two extra nights and lost money because the policy said there were no refunds after booking and payment. That’s okay, it was a sign to leave after a horrible experience. We won’t give them another chance to scam us. This hotel doesn’t seem concerned about guests and doesn’t read or respond to complaints. There are plenty of other tempting hotels around, and I hope they aren’t scammers like Premier Pearl Hotel.

I booked the presidential suite for the wrong date, 1/21 instead of 1/25, at 15:45. Within a minute I called to ask them to reopen the room so another guest could book it. Top management, probably the owner, refused, and I wanted to speak directly with management about a date change fee or partial penalty since I didn’t plan to stay. I wasn’t connected. Jully, who I think was front desk staff, wouldn’t put me through and kept saying OMG as though I were crazy to ask, while I heard other staff laughing in the background. Mira is the manager. Please train staff not to belittle customers, and make yourself available to people booking the presidential suite. This was the worst experience I’ve had, though I admit I made the booking mistake. I eventually drove from 90 min away and gave up my Villa at Melia Ho Tram, where I’d been for four nights and would highly recommend for peace and quiet. I arrived at 21:00. The night staff, Jade and the others, were professional and nice, and the hotel was what I expected from a luxury stay. At checkout the next day, I asked to speak with management. The front desk manager came in on her day off to address it personally, which meant a lot. Middle management seemed professional and caring, while the owner or higher management, who decided against any adjustment, seemed less agreeable and focused on money over customers. The room had an awesome beach and nearby attractions view and looked much like the photos. I was welcomed with a bottle of Chardonnay, welcome drinks, and desserts. The master bedroom has a great view, and being the only unit on the floor meant more privacy at night. During the day, the spa and gym are on the same floor, so there’s foot traffic. One part of the wall was held together with duct tape, and there were a few ants. In a more comical moment, the cleaning robot got stuck outside my room for an hour, then came in to clean the living room when I opened the door.

The staff were gentle and enthusiastic, the service was amazing, and the meals were pretty good. The hotel is right by the beach, but a few things need work. Internet was really slow because all the guests share one network instead of having a private one in each room. I also found it disappointing to pay extra for meals, especially supper. After spending about 2 million VND for the room, around 100 CAD, I felt meals should have been included. The hotel left me with lower expectations.

The rooms have everything you need for a very comfortable stay, and every room has a sea view. There are lots of facilities, from karaoke and disco to an infinity pool, and the breakfast and dinner buffets are fantastic. The staff are very helpful. Go for this hotel if you visit Vung Tau. And please let the robots get some rest too ;)