CITY GUIDE

New Saigon hotels review from luxury to boutique + city guide

We take a look at new designer-stay Ho Chi Minh City hotels as well as value boutiques as the metro starts operations. Plus a fun shopping, art, eating, and bar check-box as rooftop cocktail venues open up huge river views.

written and photographed by Vijay Verghese
updated July 2026

SEE ALSO Hanoi Guide and Business Hotels | Vietnam Beach Resorts | Bangkok new business lifestyle hotels | Hong Kong business hotels | Singapore new lifestyle green hotels | Luang Prabang

Park Hyatt Saigon staff offer a cheery wave at the art-strewn reception (far left); students and tourists camp out on the Opera House steps jostling for selfies (centre); and gold motorbike outside Hotel Continental harking back to the zany old days/ photos: Vijay Verghese

JUMP TO Saigon eats, nightlife, art, shopping | Saigon new business, luxe boutique hotels | HCMC traditional hotels| Heritage hotels | Airport hotels | Value hotels and boutiques

THE FIRST time I visited Saigon in the '80s a young Vietnamese actress called Diem ("Call me Jim," she said) befriended me at a hotel opening where she was part of the show. What movies? I asked. "Saahx movies," she shyly blurted out. I didn't know what to say or where to look. And when she asked if I would like to meet her "Model" I obligingly nodded, eyeing the silken haired dancers in their demure ao-dais.

Eventually, a wizened old lady arrived and peered at me intently. She clasped my wrist with great force and enquired bluntly: "What nationality?" The answer was not to her liking and she wandered off muttering. "Your mother?" I asked. Jim nodded vigorously, blushing. Later, as our rickshaw convoy pedalled past a giant movie billboard in Cholon, the Chinese quarter, my driver pointed to it grinning broadly, "Your friend Jim, always saaahd movies... she cry a lot." Indeed, there she was weeping her heart out. Sad movies? Then the penny dropped.

The only rickshaws today are for tourists and red open-deck city tour buses pick up visitors outside El Gaucho, the Argentinian steakhouse, and drop them off outside an Hermes store, next to the Opera House. A much delayed Mandarin Oriental awaits in the faux-colonial Union Square (the former Eden building) facing the Opera House as is the large new Long Thahn International Airport 40km to the east of Tan Son Nhat International Airport (tan-son-nhat-intl-airport). Long Thahn phases in operations from late 2026 till end 2027. (Meanwhile, metered Vinasun city taxis, Grab, or the blue electric Xanh SM cars to town from Tan Son Nhat are about D120,000-D200,000 — US$4.50-$7.50 — with counter-paid airport taxis charging over D300,000.) And the bogged-down Ritz-Carlton development at the renamed One Central Saigon opposite Ben Thanh Market has picked up steam again.

The rundown Cafe Apartments (far left) is an eight-storey assault of whimsy, random stuff, coffee (including %, centre left), cake shops (centre right); and (far right) the popular Ca Phe Linh near Ben Thanh that offers a street-front mix of condensed milk coffees in a creaking two-storey wooden house/ photos: Vijay Verghese

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Saigon eats, bars, coffee, art, shopping

The whimsy and peeling heritage remains familiar. The Rex Hotel's mad elephants still cavort atop its rooftop bar with grand views of City Hall and Uncle Ho waving down tree-lined Nguyen Hue avenue. Coffee (with condensed milk) at Cà phê Linh (cafe-linh-saigon) around the corner from Ben Thanh is a treat. Aromatic beans and fruit teas are littered across the city. More coffee awaits at the dilapidated must-see The Cafe Apartments (42 Nguyen Hue) along with local cafes and treats on every floor. The gussied up old world Vietnam House (vietnamhousesaigon.com) on boutique shopping Dong Khoi street makes a nice pitstop with its Australian beef noodle 'pho' soup and more. The colourful Propaganda Vietnamese Bistro (propagandabistros.com) beckons on Han Thuyen street spoking off the renovating Notre-Dame Cathedral with the lively Book Street on the opposite side, close to the colonial Saigon Central Post Office dating back to 1891 with its high vaulted ceilings, souvenir stores, functioning stamp counters and wooden call booths.

A short drive away, the rustic doll's house Cục Gạch Quán (cucgachquan.com) on both sides of a narrow residential lane, serves up delicious non-MSG local fare from rolls to fries and soups mixing in every imaginable vegetable — and flowers — in artistically designed alcoves. And the long-running Tib — Hue Restaurant (tib.huerestaurant) tucked away in a secretive mansion at 187 Hai Ba Trung has a great many delicacies borrowed from the Nguyen dynasty's royal cuisine.

In Saigon it's always pho-o-clock and nothing is lost in translation. Street food is everywhere. Point, eat, slurp. And those in need of some tacky fun need look no further than the Elisa Floating Restaurant (elisa.vn) on the Saigon River.

After sundown old favourites, the very accessible District 1 Apocalypse Now (apocalypsenow) and the Sax n' Art (saxnartclub.com) jazz and blues bar — moved from Le Loi Street to District 2, a 20-minute drive from the Opera House — get going with live music and shows.

The high-tipping Catwalk hostess and karaoke club continues next to the New World hotel, not far from the nighttime pedestrian-only Bui Vien street with its aggressive neon bars and throbbing music, reminiscent of Bangkok.

Ms Kieu (far left mans her street art displays; (Centre left) Hermes at the upscale Union Square facing the Opera House; Bitexco Financial Centre tower (centre right) presides over District 1; and (far right) artworks by celebrated Vietnamese artist Dao Hai Phong/ photos: Vijay Verghese

This complements Ho Chi Minh City's hotel nightlife scene with rooftop or streetside bars at the Hilton (Song Bar and its 40th-floor panoramas); Sheraton (Hai Bar, the trimmed down Level 23 with most of the space now tor events and meets); Rex Hotel (the vast Rooftop Garden Bar), Hotel des Arts (the small packed poolside Social Club); Park Hyatt (the classy 2 Lam Son martini bar); Caravelle (the popular Saigon Saigon Rooftop Bar that returns soon in a new format); sky-piercing Landmark 81 Autograph Collection (The Cloud with dramatic river views); The Reverie (The Long @ Times Square); and even the bling La Vela (rooftop poolside SkyOne Bar & Lounge). With kids in tow, grand 360-degree perspective on the city and the meandering Saigon River is available from the Saigon SkyDeck (www.bitexcofinancialtower.com) on the 49th floor of the Bitexco Financial Tower (D240,000 adults and D160,000 for children and seniors).

The first of the city's seven Metro lines is in operation with an extension line for Tan Son Nhat International Airport under consideration. The main Line 1 runs 19km from Ben Thanh Market (District 1) past the Opera House, past the shipyards, across the river and on to Suoi Tien Park, the amusement zone in District 9.

The Opera to Ben Thahn Market section is much used by visitors. It is a very laid-back experience. Keep in mind if buying a cash ticket, this single section costs D7,000 with additional deposit and fees bringing the total to D22,000. You can get a cash refund at the other end. With more lines in the works, some diggings continue.

Vietnamese art is scattered all over the city, from chintzy tourist canvases in alleys off Dong Khoi and Nguyen Hue to the better known galleries like Apricot Gallery (), Ben Thanh Art Gallery (), Nguyen Art Gallery (), and Green Palm (), all close to the Opera area. Spot talented newcomers along with oldies like Dao Hai Phong and Hong Viet Dung, whose canvases retail from U$3,000-$10,000.

City Hall (far left) is fresh in the morning sun as couples stroll and pose in front of landmark; Pho beef noodle soup (centre left) at Vietnam House; Book Street (centre); Saigon Skydeck 49th floor pose at Bitexco Financial Tower (centre right); and (far right), Propaganda is a long-time favourite / photos: Vijay Verghese

Saigon shoppers usually start at the large Ben Thahn Market (on the Metro Line 1) with its vast indoor stalls stocked, alas, with over-priced clothes, t-shirts, handbags and beauty aids. Sales can get pushy. Close by, friendlier, and once known for its cheap knock-off watches, Saigon Square is an indoor market with the luxury of aircon. Spot handbags, travel bags, shoes, trousers, shirts, dresses, designer brand copies, phone covers, electronics, and accessories. For something a bit different there's the two-floor Russian Market at 125 Hai Ba Trung close by the cathedral with a profusion of winter clothes — an anachronism in tropical HCMC but popular with international travellers.

High priced Saigon brand shopping is littered around modern hotel arcades and in upscale venues like Union Square. Here, spot showrooms for Hermes, BVLGARI, Dior, Fendi, Patek Phillipe and Chopard. Louis Vuitton is just across the street. At the Rex Hotel browse Cartier, Chanel and Burberry; the Sheraton serves up Gucci and Rolex; and even the quietly affordable Hotel Continental lays claim to Breguet, Blancpain, and Gucci watches. Sadly, rising rents have forced an end to the intricately modelled sailing ships that once lined the street next to the Caravelle, but the city's creativity is on fine display everywhere. On then with our fun Saigon guide.

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Saigon new boutique, business hotels review

While Ho Chi Minh City's hotel scene has not changed a great deal when compared to cities in Thailand and Malaysia, there have been a few dramatic additions in recent years that have brought with them faster internet and an end to the old French-style deep socket plug points that baffled travellers of yore. Many hotels now even offer long extension cables for work stuff with adaptor plugs and USB ports.

Some locally run establishments still do not change foreign currency and will refer you to money changers close by. A few new Saigon business and lifestyle hotels in this 2026 review and a recap of older properties, some refreshed and many still chugging along unchanged.

The new Hilton is a slim tall tower with contemporary corporate rooms (far left) and peekaboo bathtubs while its rooftop Song Bar (centre left) offers big views of the river from a wraparound balcony; (right two) the reimagined JW Marriott replaces Asiana InterCon with a smart redo and see-through glass-sided pool/ photos: Vijay Verghese

The Hilton Saigon (hilton-saigon) opened early 2024 and is easy to spot by the river near the Renaissance, its slim reflective glass tower rising high above the peeling low-rise buildings surrounding it. The 240-key Hilton has its reception check-in on the seventh floor, a narrow outdoor pool on the 11th floor and its Song Bar on the 40th floor with live jazz weekends and a wraparound balcony overlooking the river.

An entry-level 30sq m King Guest Room is minimal and corporate with straight lines, pale wood floors, a rust-navy carpet under the bed and a surprising deviation from the business norm — a see-through soaking tub. Conference-goers will be pleased to note the glass partition turns opaque at the flick of a switch so modesty is preserved for blushing twin-share suits. Expect a safe, iron and ironing board, hairdryer, coffee-maker and three-pin international eletric sockets with USB port by the bed. There is a master switch that deals with the lights but no work desk.

In a 70sq m King Deluxe Corner Suite a few curves make a welcome appearance with a plump master bed facing a 55-inch flat-screen TV and a kitchenette. There are some connected rooms for families. This is a hotel for business travellers clearly though it has leisure river-view appeal too, dimmed somewhat by the squeezed vertical construct, waiting times for the few lifts, and a lazy ground-floor arrival experience. Service elsewhere is good.

On Hai Ba Trung, not far up from the Opera House, the old InterContinental Asiana switched brands in July 2024 to become the JW Marriott Hotel & Suites (jw-marriott-hotel-and-suites-saigon). The hotel has emerged from a gradual facelift, fresher and reimagined with an intricate black-and-white marble floor at reception, a warm and inviting lobby lounge that remains a relaxed living room yet business-like, and a delightful third-floor relaxation deck that hosts the new glass-sided see-through pool, a large fitness centre, a yoga room, steam and sauna in the changing room and a spa.

Steps lead up to the large grassy (not the cheap astroturf that has invaded many luxury hotels) JW Garden for events and weddings.

Clean new-look rooms in white and navy with cherry-wood floors and cream furniture are welcoming of light. There are over 500 rooms and apartments to pick from so... In a 38sq m Deluxe King expect a coffee maker, iron and ironing board, safe, soaking tub, rain shower, and multiple three-pin international electric sockets with USB ports. Executive Lounge Access rooms offer a working desk while other lower categories offer small round coffee tables. Service is attentive and quick but charging for WiFi at a fast paced business and conference hotel — it is free for Bonvoy members — loses points for Marriott.

Hotel Indigo Saigon (left two) is a slim smart all-black construct that has some catching up to do with Indigos in Bangkok and KL but its pool is excellent; Meander Saigon boutique hotel has a steel slide for people in the mezzanine work space to hit the ground floor (centre right); and (right) cool Northern Charm pool deck/ photos: Vijay Verghese

A few blocks east of the Opera House is the lively Japan Town with its cafes, spas, and ramen. This broader area of Ba Son is now home to the Hotel Indigo Saigon the City (hotelindigo) since early 2025. The 150-key modern hotel rises up to a breezy 17th-floor rooftop pool with grand views over the neighbourhood including the university. A 30sq m Standard room runs in varying colour patterns (drawing from the neighbourhood, as in the black-and-white headwall art) from plain to bright with blue and mustard splashes and comes with open closet, coffee maker, iron, safe, rain shower, and multiple three-pin international standard electric sockets with USB ports.

A 70sq m One bedroom Suite ups the ante considerably with attractive washrooms — think city-view soaking tubs, walk-in showers, twin vanities, and patterned ceramic tile floors and walls. Dark green doors and tasteful black piping complete the picture. Breakfast is at the long breezy Shipyard Upper Deck on the mezzanine floor. This is a clean and neat Saigon boutique hotel that rates well on our review with good service and one of the nicer rooftop pools in town. The hotel's colour palette is a tad more toned down than at other Indigos (like Bangkok and Hong Kong). It is a short drive from the Opera House or about a 12 minute walk.

Right next door are the large comicbook porthole windows of the minimalist boutique hostelry, the Meander Saigon (meandersaigon) that arrived in 2019 with 70 small rooms ranging from an 11sq m Studio Twin (with bunk bed) and 16sq m Superior Double, to the comparatively roomy 22sq m Meander Suite. Beds are set low tatami style against pale wood head walls, toilets are compact, flat-screen TVs are provided, a mini-fridge is on hand, and the suite offers an open plan bathtub by the window. This is a simple, neat concrete block with sparse interiors and bright smiles. The rooms are sandwiched on middle floors between co-working and office spaces on the mezzanine level and basement, and a 9th floor burger cafe called Bunz. A fun design feature at Meander Saigon is the silver curved metal slide that helps people in a hurry whoosh down from the mezzanine level to the ground floor. You might see a bespectacled young gent rocketing by, feet in the air, as you enter the place.

Just across the road from Indigo is a surprise dark horse, the all black 125-key 18-storey Northern Charm Hotel (northerncharmhotel.com), which arrived in 2020. This is a boutique-style place with luxury aspirations and just enough bling to be palatable. Bright rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows and polished wood underfoot range from 25sqm to 50sq m, They are pleasingly designed with green views — often of the university grounds. A 32sq m Executive Park View offers a peekaboo glass toilet partition with the tub facing the bed. Expect a 40-inch LCD TV, safe, hairdryer, and complimentary WiFi. There is a hand shower with toiletries but no rain shower or iron. A big plus here is the delightful rooftop pool with timbered deck and lounge seats.

Also here is the woody and contemporary rooftop Jacuzzi Amaya Saigon Boutique Hotel (www.amayasaigon.com) that opened late 2025. Expect fitness equipment along with sauna, steam and cold plunges. Rooms are modern, minimalist and very Japanese in feel, compact and bright with a Deluxe Room weighing in at 21sq ft to 23sq ft with a twin or queen bed arrangement. The all white and pale wood ensemble works well to create space and there's even a long work desk below a large flat-screen TV. Expect a safe and toiletries including shampoo, conditioner and body wash. Its Signature Room Window City View stretches space to 30sq m. The name explains a bit about the room plans — a few cheaper room types lack windows, so do check. Close to Japan Town, its design format and approach works well for the area.

The stately 53-key all white MIA Saigon )centre and left) across the river with a ferry service to District 1 is a top Saigon boutique hotels pick on our review and compares well even vs the far bigger Park Hyatt that is all efficiency and business; (right) room with a view at the soaring Landmark 81 Autograph Collection/ photos: Vijay Verghese

About 20-30 minutes across the river depending on traffic, in former District 2 the refined 53-key MIA Saigon (www.miasaigon.com) is a finely crafted boutique gem with a splendid riverside location offering grand views and an unhurried ambience. A large blue sun dappled pool framed by manicured gardens and palm trees (with a children's pool to one side) lies between the river and a virginal white colonial building. The pool deck fronts the river and links with the hotel's ferry pier. Three 15-minute shuttles run daily (both ways) to Bach Dang Wharf in District 1 close by the Hilton and Renaissance. The service is free for guests and D400,000 (US$15) for others.

Open corridors lined by tall French windows run down the length of the elegant building with blue swing divans and intricate ceramic floor tiling. This is very much a place for a romantic unwind or even a private CEO chinwag. The residential area with its tiny lanes is quiet and the disconnect from the city a boon for those who have done their frantic city tours.

Perfect for a retreat is a 90sq m Grand Suite on the 8th floor with living room, balcony, two large flat-screen televisions, a tasteful bedroom redolent of a vanished colonial era, safe, iron and ironing board, and neatly packed hairdryer in a red box.

Think burnished wooden floors, lush carpets, pastel wall panels with white frames, recessed ceiling lighting, work desk, lamps, rosewood sofas and chairs, large tactile light switches, and several three-pin international electric sockets with USB ports. The stylish marbled bathroom features twin vanities, hanging lamps, gold-framed mirrors, soaking tub and rainshower. Service is on rails here, attentive, and always with a smile.

The white vintage Citroen parked outside is the de rigueur prop for any self-respecting colonial address, and it fits perfectly into a camera frame. Mia does however value guest privacy and has a detailed photo policy to regulate professional shoots and influencer invasions. Hurrah! High marks for Mia Saigon then in our Saigon lifestyle hotels review. It demonstrates exactly how marble and elegant trim works in a luxury boutique design that falls together gracefully unlike the hysterical cake-gone-wrong opulence of The Reverie Saigon. Mark this one down.

Just across the river, is the soaring spire of the Vinpearl Landmark 81, Autograph Collection (vinpearl-landmark-81) touted as the tallest building in Vietnam. This a little distance from the city centre, marooned in a traffic prone area within a bland developing residential condominium compound that offers little by way of distraction. Fortunately it is a short walk from the Metro line that will whisk you to the Opera House and Ben Thanh Market. This means the hotel is best suited for business travellers and conventioneers though its panoramic river views are certainly a selling point as is its 48th-floor The Cloud bar and lounge. Unsurprisingly, Landmark 81 hosts a 1,300-person grand ballroom with LED screens and 10 meeting spaces. The building's height makes for a little waiting time getting in and out of and changing lifts. The original hotel (locally managed) opened in 2019 and later rebranded under Marriott's Autograph Collection in September 2022.

The hotel runs from the 48th to 63rd floor. In a 36sq m Sky view King expect pale goldy walls and pale wood, pastel rose blush carpets with blue patterns, plump bed, large TV, writing desk by the window, see-through tub looking into the bedroom, rain shower, and several three pin international electric sockets with double USB ports. Coffee machines are available only on floors 60 to 63, which seems a bit stingy for a hotel of this level. All in, it is a neat functional space and a Panoramic Club access room comes with curved glass walls ofering great river frontage, with dual voltage plug points, satellite TV with CNN, safe, hairdryer and, yes, that coffee maker.

Mai House Saigon (maihouse.com.vn) dating to 2019 and not to be confused with Mia is an elegant Indochine address about 1km from Notre Dame Cathedral. With traveller's palms fringing the porte cochère of this 224-key 24-storey hotel (with apartments). The elegant high ceiling lobby is all white marble with black marble inlay. A grand staircase corkscrews down to a grand piano facing the main entrance below a long dangling chandelier.

The piano ivories get plinked every evening. Reception staff is brisk and efficient. A nice pool with sun loungers catches the rays on the 5th floor accompanied by a children's pool, spa, fitness centre and dry sauna. It is an attractive deck with modest tree cover too.

Mai House's attractive Indochine syle and cream tones with slender black piping appeals to many )left two); and the smart vibe of the new and very intimate Rêve Ho Chi Minh City, Vignette Collection, that squeezes in a huge design punch into a tiny space with balconies in Grand Corner rooms (right) / photos: Vijay Verghese

A 75sq m one bedroom apartment is elegantly simple with a plump white bed set on a black bedframe, pale gold carpeting, small lampshades either side of the bed, large flat-screen TV, safe (iron on request), a nice marble toilet with rainshower, and living/dining with kitchenette. A 38sq m Premium Club room is in similar attire, with see-through tub set in a curved glass alcove with a gauze curtain. Expect a hairdryer, rainshower, black-and-white tile bathroom, slim black working desk (with cream chair), several three-pin international plug sockets with USB ports and recessed ceiling with hidden lighting.

A 55sq ft Junior Suite is much the same but with a herringbone wood floor, curved divan and twin vanities in the toilet. This is a hotel much favoured by Chinese guests from the Mainland, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. It will suit most travellers regardless of background. The elegant 500sq m Grand Saigon Ballroom is on hand as well with plenty of natural light and a treescape outside lending it well to romantic events.

La Siesta Premium Saigon (lasiestahotels.com/saigon) is another modern 2023 arrival to this area not far from Mai House that has made its mark with warm quality service, restained elegance, and functional rooms that are more woody than marbled, with opera-style window drapes. Deluxe Rooms start at a pinching but well designed 22sq m to 25sq m with wooden floors, electric adaptors, complimentary WiFi, 43-inch LCD TV, iron and ironing board, hair dryer, electric safe, and IDD phone. An Executive Room is the same size with a few extra frills but you'll need a Grand Suite to rustle up 50sq m of elbow room. Also expect an outdoor rooftop pool, a spa, and gym. Higher floor rooms offer open views and the hotel is located walking distance to several interesting city sights like Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Opera House.

A bit farther along towards the airport is the 2021 La Vela Saigon Hotel (lavelasaigon.com) with a lot more Midas bling, gold, and marble and a combination of rooms and residences. A Premier Deluxe King is a compact 28sq m with balcony and city view. A Luxury King weighs in at a more decent 40sq m in pastels with a tufted sofa, quilted head wall, peekaboo bathtub, and LED TV. Its Jupiter Ballroom has space for up to 650 guests.

Expect a gym and spa but its real claim to fame is its huge rooftop infinity pool and bar with amazing views. Be warned, it tends to get a bit packed at times. If not blinded by the bling, La Vela is a functional business address, slightly out of town, and with patchy service.

Closer to Ben Thanh, a December 2025 arrival, the 52-key 'matchbox' Rêve Ho Chi Minh City, a Vignette Collection hotel by IHG (vignettecollection), is described as a "luxury boutique sanctuary". For once, the hotel description is no idle boast. This smart narrow seven-floor construct — a Vietnamese Flatiron Building without the curves — in rust stone at a tapering road intersection has a classy feminine appeal to the design with rooms opening onto slim balconies. And somehow a slim pool has been fitted onto the roof for breezy unwinds. Compact Queen Deluxe rooms starting at 20sq m and marginally larger 31sq m King Grand Corner rooms are tastefully designed to maximise light and visual space. In the Grand Corner, pale gold floral paintings run across the entire head wall and a plump white bed looks onto a full length balcony (with folding glass doors) that brings the city right in and makes up for the lack of space. In the Grand Corner room think rich wood flooring, cream carpet, black border trim right around the room (Dior style), black work desk, and cosy bedside lamps.

Every inch of space has been skilfully utilised. In all rooms expect flat screen TV, complimentary WiFi, electric adaptors, soundproofing, rainshower, hairdryer, and marble and wood flooring with carpets. This little boutique hotel rates high in our new Saigon lifestyle and business hotels review.

Another quietly different HCMC boutique hotel in District 1 is the 7-storey 30-key ANIMA (animasg.vn) that arrived late 2025 a little off Nguyen Hue looking up at the Bitexco Financial Tower. It believes art must be lived in an emotional journey. Resultantly all its rooms feature works by an emerging artist and the 64sq m penthouse Artist Escape hosts guests within a 'private art gallery' with wooden floors, vintage hand-worked cabinets, work desk, large flat-screen TV, large bed, street views through floor-to-ceiling windows and a black stone tub gazing out. Expect an in-room safe, bathroom toiletries, fast WiFi, and access to wellness facilities and fitness workouts, sauna and Jacuzzi. Art motifs run through all the interior design and the small restaurant and bar. A lot of thought has gone into the creation of this quaint welcoming hideaway and it is a sensory experience rather than just a stay. Staff is attentive and cheerful.

And not too far from Ben Thanh Market on a tamarind-tree-lined street is the 2024 boutique arrival, the Me Saigon Boutique Hotel (meboutiquehotel.com), which makes for an affordable friendly service Saigon hotel choice with colourful light-filled rooms from 32sq m (Luxury Deluxe Balcony) and quirky decor that includes tree branches for coat hangers. A Premier Deluxe Corner comes with olive walls and stylish bathrooms with green tiles (and yes, natural light) and a small tub with a window view. Expect a bright rooftop pool (with views) that can get tight at peak times, a spa and fitness area.

The clean, bright spa offers a broad wellness menu and is not one of the dim-lit massage parlours common in HCMC. It is a hard to miss ensemble, especially at night when the red lights and exterior displays come on. The spacious rooms are nicely designed and suitable for families with connecting rooms and Family Suite Triple rooms too. This address is not as tight as some other Ho Chi Minh City boutiques on this review.

The regal Park Hyatt Saigon (left two) is right by the Opera House in a faux colonial building covered in art, polished wood, and cream tones — third floor rooms step right into the pool garden; and (far right) the renovated Caravelle sports newish rooms and marble lobby that have aged well since the 2014 upgrade/ photos: Vijay Verghese

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Ho Chi Minh City older luxe, business hotels

The swish Park Hyatt Saigon (park-hyatt-saigon), right across the road from the splendid Opera House, completed its last major overhaul June, 2015, after a three-month shutdown for a top-to-toe revamp. In 2017 Opera restaurant was refreshed and continues to serve zesty Italian — with a newer Chocolaterie niche — while the Opera Bar offers cosy accompaniment. The light-filled lobby Park Lounge has smartened up afternoon teas with crystal chandeliers and more Instagram appeal — snapped up by elegantly attired Chinese ladies and assorted international visitors who never tire of the place. Dom Pérignon tasting anyone? The distinctive local art on the walls remains unchanged and will offer reassurance to old timers that all's well. It certainly is. Revisited in mid-2026, Park Hyatt Saigon remains at the top of the HCMC rooming chart vs worthy competitors like Caravelle, Sheraton and, now, Hilton.

Dining is suitably stylish with menus to match. Square One continues with innovative Vietnamese and a dash of French and the splendidly chic split-level 2 Lam Son has managed to cram in extraordinary detail and texture while still remaining understated, dark, and packed with snuggeries. Check out the martini bar.

The décor at the Park Hyatt Saigon is quiet and subtle, classical with a contemporary feel. It is an East meets West palette where most people will feel at home. There is plenty of natural light. Service is brisk, intuitive (not always easy in Vietnam) and friendly.

The Park Hyatt offers 245 bright and spacious rooms with marble-tiled bathrooms and rain showers. Expect rich wood floors with deep tan carpets featuring woven ferns and birds, virginal white louvred windows, bamboo trellises, slim ivory bamboo chairs, cream chest-of-drawers with gracefully curved cabriole legs supporting a large flat-screen television, coffee and tea making equipment, a laptop-friendly safe, iron, and embroidered silk cushions. Perhaps the best feature for frequent travellers are the easy-to-use tactile room control switches.

The small bedside clock with a classical dial remains along with a lazy ceiling fan and a nice wooden biedermeier work desk for that hint of colonial nostalgia. There are three-pin multi-plug sockets by the desk and one socket on either side of the bed so there's ample charging USB ports for gadgets. The bathrooms are well lit so there's no make-up or shaving fumbles in the morning. The glass shower cubicle offers a marble bench for those who prefer to shower civilly, small touches that set this hotel apart as a classy address and one of the best Saigon business hotels on our review. You may find a compact tub too for leisure trippers seeking a languorous unwind.

A pillar-less ballroom of 550sq m will set event-planners' hearts throbbing — this is a good pick for small corporate meetings in HCMC — while after hours, business travellers may wish to unwind with a spa treatment, a fitness workout, or some quick laps in the 20m outdoor pool with cabanas.

The third-floor pool area is green with tropical foliage, sunning spots, and meandering paths. The space has been reworked substantially over time and in 2026 presented a well manicured escape. With a location smack in the middle of business and shopping – and entertainment by the block – guests only have to step out to get their city trawl started.

From here, just across the garden (that miraculously replaced an unsightly parking lot) is the once undisputed top address in town, the opera gazing art nouveau Caravelle Saigon (www.caravellehotel.com) that looks over the Opera House with grand views. This address turned a gracious 50 in 2009 and completed its first phase of enhancements December 2014 with a splendid new lobby featuring cream marble and charcoal inlay. The feel is cool, uncluttered, and contemporary, with a flash of crystal chandeliers overhead and the brisk attentive service that is the hallmark of any stay here. The fast WiFi is a godsend for business travellers. The earlier branded shops and outlets have been muscled out by an elegant, enlarged lobby offering generous elbow room for quick-stepping guests to mingle without mangle as they head to Café de l’Opera or the Martini Bar.

The long planned room renovations were finally unveiled after a lengthy closure and what a change it has made. The 335 new-look rooms following the 2019 upgrades are bright and airy in a modern yet classical mould that will appeal to many.

Expect white-wooden wall panels, floral beige carpets, and a creamy feel with plenty of natural light. Our pick is the 43sq m Signature Studio with its big bay windows, Opera view perhaps, gauzy curtains and drapes. Expect a cream settee, easy chair, abstract photos and paintings, a good sized slim wooden desk (with two three-pin multi-plug sockets and USB ports) accompanied by a cream puckered-button chair to make any CEO feel at home. An invitingly plump white bed takes centre stage with velvety cushions in pale rose with a light gold runner, flanked by white side cabinets and a black touch-sensitive light controls panel. There's a large flat-screen TV, Nespresso for your morning cup of Joe, an electric kettle to rustle up tea, and a mini-bar.

Also find smart white French doors opening into your wardrobe, a flat laptop safe, iron and ironing board, a cream pouffe for weary bottoms, and a white marble bathroom with large vanity, hairdryer, large rainshower cubicle and upscale toiletry.

The Kara Spa at Caravelle offers wellness treatments along with a fitness centre and a terrace pool with swim-up bar. Don't miss the signature must-see rooftop Saigon Saigon Bar, which has been operating since 1959 when it held the distinction of being the 'highest' perch in the city. The place would get bopping of an evening with Latino music (until late), dancing, and breezy views in all directions.

It returns after a complete redo in September 2026. In all, Caravelle is a brisk business — or leisure — address, though it is very executive in its style. Expect smiling can-do staff that help the hotel rank high on our Ho Chi Minh City business hotels review.

Sheraton Saigon's Hai Bar (left) is a quietly elegant retreat (adjoining meeting spaces) with great sunset views while the hotel's blue exterior (right) is unmistakeable viewed from approaching side lanes; Hotel des Arts Saigon's rooftop Social Club (centre) is by the pool, noisier, and can get cramped/ photos: Vijay Verghese

Right behind the Caravelle, at 88 Dong Khoi, the renamed 500-key Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel (sheraton-saigon-grand-opera-hotel) formerly Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers, is a big, city hotel in every sense of the word. The modestly gussied up lobby is still old-style and dark with space to swing a horse by the tail and with low ceilings over much of the lounge bar area. It is a busy space, constantly in motion.

The new wing of the hotel completed renovations in December 2019. Rooms are light and airy with arresting splashes of crimson on the walls and smart modern touches.

The Grand Opera Tower at the Sheraton has a mix of studios and suites and this is the premium focus of this address. These reimagined rooms are kitted out in light pastel and earth tones with unfussy, contemporary, decor and large wall paintings reflecting Vietnamese heritage in spacious Signature Rooms.

These 42sq m rooms with sweeping views of the city and river go up to 68sq m Premier Suites. For tired limbs there’s the Evolve Wellness Centre on Level 5 with all manner of pummelling and unguents available. Other recreation and relaxation options include tennis, squash, and swimming. This Saigon business hotel is well equipped to handle meetings and conventions.

For large banquets and conferences, the spacious 739sq m grand ballroom can hold 700 guests (sit-down) or 1,000 (cocktail). It's old Level 23 bar has been sadly squeezed into the smaller open sided Hai Bar — an attractive quiet space nevertheless — with most of the floor farmed out to meeting and event venues.

The Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers offers over 2,500sq m of space for small corporate meetings, MICE events, or product launch events. This is among the top Saigon conference hotels. Don't pick it for its pink exterior; pick it for service and location at the heart of town.

From zesty hotel group Fusion that has made a name already for its chic lodgings peppered across Vietnam, a whole new brand concept and a fresh beginning in Ho Chi Minh City. Here's the Fusion Original Saigon Centre (saigoncentre.fusionoriginals.com) perched atop the Takashimaya store in the multi-use Saigon Centre Tower. The hotel, which occupies 10 floors, has an energetic youthful vibe with its creative use of colour, geometric shapes and bursts of whimsy. Expect an alfresco sun-dappled sixth-floor pool with grand views all around. Need to get your bearings? This is where you need to perch. Then lose your bearings swiftly over a tipple or unwind at the secluded lounge. The restaurant, Miss Thu, serves local food with an immersive feel as women in ao-dais swish past.

Also in the city centre just a block or so from the historic Notre-Dame Cathedral, is a jaunty design hotel contender, the Hotel des Arts Saigon — MGallery Collection (www.hoteldesartssaigon.com) that arrived August 2015. The name is quite a mouthful but the place is a breath of fresh air with a distinct new style. The slim cream building serves up 168 keys including 16 suites in a chic modern Indochina take on things. Curved corners in bedrooms are the first sign that this design is rather different, with its minimalism and panoramic TV-set windows (also with curved corners), all creating a soft and welcoming environment sans sharp corners.

Expect gleaming rosewood floors, pale furniture largely in cream and an oversized plain white bed that is inviting in its simplicity. The test of the pudding... dive in. A 30sq m Deluxe has a dark-wood herringbone floor, a generous flat-screen TV wrapped in a large and playfully baroque frame, a small work desk, easy chair, hanging lamps, cream tones and one three-pin multi-plug electric socket on either side of the bed. The plaster scalloped ceiling is a nice touch. The open plan layout leads from the bathing area (at the entrance) to the bedroom with its plump bed. There is a gauze curtain partition. Great for romance, less so for business suits travelling in tandem. Some may find space a tad tight but the design worls for many.

There is a notebook-size safe, iron and hairdryer, and WiFi is, of course, free. With photo shoot lights the scene is quietly inviting. But step in and the first impression is of a rather plain space. It grows on you though and as you discover it you'll understand why less is more - not that you are shortchanged on any amenity.

If you can, opt for a 60sq m Executive Studio Suite. In general, think neat black trim echoing a fashionable Dior dress, tall windows with dreamy gauze curtains (as in the lobby) and you get a sense of this Parisian style hideaway that should be top of anyone's pick of Saigon boutique hotels. A plaster scalloped ceiling creates texture while occasional flashes of colour offset the pastel mood.

Also check out a rooftop pool, spa, two meeting rooms, a boardroom and a ballroom that can host 110 banquet-style. Gastronomes will enjoy the Saigon Kitchen with all-day dining, Vietnamese and international fare, and the 23rd-floor Social Club designed by Super Potato with European menus and all-you-can-take-in views. Social Club is on the rooftop with the pool to one side. It is popular and small space and can get rather packed, which is convivial for some, a nuisance for others. The glassed skirting wall allows for more lattitude on views but compared to other roof bars closer to the river, and higher, this is a less dramatic and a developing site just across the road could crimp things later.

Touted as uber-luxe, The Reverie Saigon (left and centre) is a muddle of marble and gold with some fine work in places but ultimately like too much ice-cream with the same nauseating result; in contrast, Park Hyatt's Saigon luxury stays are understated; (right) the New World remains an efficient business address/ photos: Vijay Verghese

The Reverie Saigon (www.thereveriesaigon.com) arrived early 2015 as a major assault on the city's existing stockpile of marble bling. The 286-room hotel (with additional residences) is housed in the high floors of Times Square on bustling Nguyen Hue Boulevard (with an entrance on Dong Khoi). You'll need to turn off your pacemaker and pop a Valium to take in all in the gilt, and crystal and marble and more marble slathered from floor to ceiling like a luxe tiramisu. There is wall to wall texture so do it slowly. In parts the marble work is exquisite and in others just nauseating — like ice-cream with too many sprinkles. Yet this confection appeals greatly to a China and Southeast Asian clientele that lines up for selfies on the purple gold edged lobby sofas and for poses at the lift lobby.

Yet, this is no slapdash construct. The work is fine and the textured marbles, melding blushing lavender with grey and even blue, is no trick of the imagination. Walk in through the golden Nguyen Hue porte cochère or via Dong Khoi, passing through inner chambers that get more ornate with each step. Expect high ceilings, soaring pillars and sudden bursts of whimsy as with the green jade Italian Baldi clock at the seventh-floor lobby and the oversize velvet chairs. The shades of Burj al Arab continue as you proceed down a grand staircase or up glowing amber lifts.

A standard Deluxe weighs in at 42sq m with a marble entrance foyer and dark wood parquet within. Expect 500 thread count Frette linen (going up in suites to 600). You may baulk at the marble but cannot fault them for the linen. The design is lavish but at times tasteful and there are views to help you forget the lobby shine.

The satin drapes are offset by the floral purple carpet. Toiletries in the bath may include Hermes in Suites. There's a soaking tub, rain shower, twin vanities, and an electronic Japanese potty that will keep the bottom briskly pampered. Three pin crow's feet sockets are the norm. Rooms vary in design themes but are equally plush. Given the marble finery at the entrance, the in-room feel is comparatively understated and quiet.

The hotel's unique look is the result of a collaboration by four leading Italian furniture designers and there is no dearth of imagination when it comes to beds, fabric, texture and colours. Some rooms are in pastel textures redolent of Louis XVI with strong Parisian echoes, others are muscular with puckered brown leather headboards and timber floors. Every room is different. Too many cooks perhaps?

There are function rooms for small corporate meetings too. For larger splashy events opt for the grand ballroom. If this is not glitzy enough, try out the hotel's Rolls-Royce Phantoms or fly off from the hotel's helipad. Alternatively, it is a quick calming stroll to the river.

Situated on the busy riverside boulevard with splendid open views of the snaking waterway is New World’s sister hotel, the 5-star Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon (renaissance-riverside-hotel-saigon), also under the Marriott group. The hotel has 336 rooms, including suites, a rooftop pool, a fitness centre with sauna and massage, and conference facilities. A soaring atrium leading up 21 floors to a skylight is an architectural signature.

On the Renaissance Club Floor guests get a stack of complimentary nibbles, cocktails and breakfast as well as free local calls and some complimentary use of a boardroom. The Renaissance Club Lounge is on hand for evening tipples. Executive rooms serve up bright blond-wood features, padded headboards, pastel checked carpets, and teal-green bed runners. Expect a flat-screen TV, and a small flat safe.

A more contemporary seeming Deluxe River View room offers 34sq m stretch space with complimentary WiFi, coffee maker, tub with shower in a compact bathroom, hairdryer, iron and ironing board and a work desk. This is slightly different to standard rooms that feature large brass knobs for the radio and music console next to the bed — a throwback to the good old days. Expect coffee and tea-making equipment, an iron, and weighing scales. The feel of the hotel is laid back and in some parts it is seriously dated. Still, all in, this is a cheerful spot with smiles aplenty and functional bright rooms.

Conference and meeting facilities can take up to about 200 guests in a cocktail setting. The Renaissance is well positioned on the river with open views that will appeal to holidaymakers with gaming facilities too. It is a family friendly Saigon hotel within a minute's walk to Dong Khoi and all that shopping. And if you're feeling hungry and adventurous, you can stroll up the riverbank to dine alfresco - or indoors.

A skip and a hop from the Renaissance is 283-room river-facing Lotte Hotel Saigon (www.lottehotel.com/saigon) formerly the Legend Hotel. This is a simple and elegant pale pink building with neat square windows. Inside is hushed with marbled floors and cream tones. Two enormous metal horses look onto the lobby lounge (a carryover from the previous incarnation) and a fountain under a bright yellow-and-blue skylight surrounded by Roman bathhouse pillars. Outside in a garden setting is a circular pool that catches the sun. Old world and square-cut, it is a professionally run place with bright staff and will appeal to unfussy corporate travellers.

The rooms — with an old fashioned aesthetic but brighter after a 2022 workup — offer cable television, free WiFi, free local calls and tea and coffee-making facilities. Rooms start at a decent 37sq with the Executive Junior Suite weighing in at 72sq m. Think cream carpets, uncluttered pastel decor, wooden tables, bedside lamps, and Japanese style toilet seat. There are several restaurants and banquet space that accommodates 500 guests.

Almost next door up the river promenade is the more contemporary steel-and-glass 350-key Le Meridien Saigon (le-meridien-saigon) that arrived mid-2015. Walk into a cavernous and minimalist pale grey lobby with red and cream chairs clustered at either end and a central reception backed by a gold mural. the space is devoid of fuss save for a 'cloud' chandelier and soaring silver pillars.

Overall, the hotel's appearance will soothe some, or prove too stark or cold for others craving some old fashioned Vietnamese whimsy. Hints of Paris-chic are evident in the in-room modernist cube art (a representation of Saigon with a red dot to mark the hotel's location). Expect innovative dining and food twists.

Take the lift up to the rooms arrayed around a sunlit atrium with mood lights pulsing in changing colours outside every door, and the feel is suddenly hip and mod with a hint of that W DNA lurking underfoot. Purple-charcoal carpets with playful red ribbons provide a motif seen throughout the hotel, and this continues inside the rooms too. A 42sq m Grand Deluxe serves up an efficient work and play space with a see-through black marble glass walled bathroom with soaking tub. There are twin vanities and an overhead shower. The bedroom features a plump mattress, an L-shaped cream sofa, gold-hue lacquer wall murals, a long work desk with data-port and two three-pin multi-plug sockets (there's one by the bed too), flat-screen TV, flat laptop safe and iron. Windows are not floor to ceiling but are high enough to afford plenty of light. A 38sq m Premier Classic River View is a compact space, again with a see-through bathroom wall and a tub facing the bed.

Later pop down to the 9th Floor for a splash in the narrow blue-mosaic pool set along a balcony (with a roof overhang alas) to work off any calories and stress. Breezy but not sunny though there is a bright spot under the skylight with water features set apart for a splash and dash. Suits in search of function space will find five meeting rooms and a ballroom fronting the river that can handle 250 persons. There's a nice meeting foyer with river views.

A little away close to the huge Ben Thanh Market, the 533-key New World Hotel Saigon Hotel (saigon.newworldhotels.com), was the city’s first five-star address and made a splash when it arrived. It is a sprawling, cheerful, building, its former bright mustard exterior replaced by creamy off-white while a renovated contemporary lobby, ballroom and about 200 rooms (in white and pale wood) added some fresh lustre March 2020. The spacious new-look lobby tends to be abustle with quick-stepping executive suits and people headed for the lobby Parkview restaurant serving seafood buffets and, living up to its name, looking onto a verdant park through floor-to-ceiling glass walls. Expect a pool, a kids’ area, a revamped spa for an aromatic rubdown, and a fitness centre.

Refurbished rooms at the New World Saigon Hotel are tasteful with muted pastel tones interspersed with pale goldy hues, light greys, and pale wood parquet flooring. Also expect a 42-inch flat-screen LCD television, iron and ironing board, a modest safe, and free WiFi. The toilets offer a bathtub with shower and hairdryer. Also find complimentary tea and coffee-making equipment and a minibar.

This bustling hotel offers 2,000sq m of function space and business facilities. Across the road is a pleasant park should you dare to stroll. Sporty types can swim at the open-air pool, play tennis, steam up at the sauna, get a massage, or spa out. The New World is a good pick among Saigon business hotels that doubles easily as a leisure address or a conference hotel. It's location close to the huge Ben Thanh Market offers a lively alternative to the sedate Opera environs (and a Metro entrance is walking distance).

The colourful run down Cafe Apartments on Nguyen Hue (left) is a big draw for people chilling at coffeeshops and little design boutiques; (centre) the river from the Saigon Skydeck at the Bitexco Financial Centre; and (right) the laid back vibe of the new Metro Line 1 that stops at Opera and Ben Thanh/ photos: Vijay Verghese

Around the corner from here set amidst rows of tall and statuesque black-trunk dipterocarpus trees at 3 Suong Nguyet Anh Street is the avant-garde Fusion Suites Saigon (fusion-suites.com) that manages to meld woody Swiss Alpine cottage decor — complete with an A-frame ceiling — with minimalist Swedish chic. A woody sofa lounge waltzes out streetside, alfresco, from the high-ceiling lobby where artistic odds and ends jut from the walls. Spot the Vespa - the headlights on one side and the tail lights on the other along with other vintage bric-a-brac. The white pine walls and floors make a simple, elegant, statement with plump white beds offsetting the woody tones. Staff is friendly and attentive, in Vietnamese fashion, and the receptionist here saved me the 1.5m dong that I had accidentally forked out to my taxi! That's the common muddle with too many zeroes. She called the taxi company and minutes later, my money was back. Quite astonishing!

Rooms are spacious and well lit especially on higher floors where the views over the city open out. A pale grey carpet runs under the bed, which is set on a plinth with rim lights that create the sensation of floating or an awkward acid trip. A diwan is attached to the bed facing the city and in front of it is a lopped off tree trunk. Rustic and fun but don't bump into it at night en route to the toilet. A stylishly arty wooden chair sits before a small wooden work desk that offers the sole three-pin multi-plug socket in the room. The numerous other two pin sockets will need adapters for international plugs.

Expect a flat-screen LCD TV on a swivel, Bluetooth speaker for your iPhone, polished cement floors underfoot for a rustic feel, two pipe reading lights, a semi-firm bed (that may prove too soft for some) and four fluffy pillows. The bathroom is in plain grey cement with patterned tiles and plenty of elbowroom, a tub, rain shower, toiletries, and a well-lit mirror with a hairdryer. A full length mirror leans against a wall in the foyer that also hosts a large glass water bottle (this is a no-plastic hotel), and a projecting rod to hang clothes. There is no concealed wardrobe. Walls are in grey tones as is a full wall photo-painting.

Pick a 42sq m Corner Suite for more light - not that you need more - and views, or a two-bedroom Family Suite with a queen bed in the master room and a bunk bed for the ankle-biters. The feel here is resorty, Europe-meets-Hokkaido and will put guests in a holiday mood. For businessmen on the go there's two meeting rooms (one can host up to 30 persons), a sauna and gym and simple spa services for an evening unwind. There is no pool but there is a breezy rooftop bar and lounge with open views. Fusion Suites is one of the nicest HCMC boutique hotels and well worth the hgiher price tag despite its simple rustic demeanour.

Also in the Ben Thanh Market area is the 306-room Pullman Saigon Centre (www.pullman-saigon-centre.com) with modern pastel rooms in grey-green hues with purple flashes. The set-up is somewhat plain but the rooms are entirely functional with free WiFi, 40-inch LCD flat-screen TVs, safe, coffee maker and comfy beds.

Picking your own pillow style is a small but thoughtful luxury. Savour the Mad Cow Wine & Grill steakhouse with its stunning 30th-floor rooftop views, a swimming pool and workout area. There are small meeting spaces for up to 500 persons. Pullman is a versatile address that will suit many pockets without scrimping on amenities.

On Nguyen Hue Boulevard is the modestly stylish, if ageing, Duxton Hotel Saigon that morphed into the Saigon Prince Hotel (saigonprincehotel.com) mid 2016. Much of the feel remains unchanged. Staff seem to know what’s going on and are anxious to please. The pace is brisk and the lifts are a decent size - unlike the mini cabin trunks that grind up and down the boutique riverfront buildings — with marble floors to boot. The pastel-beige rooms are surprisingly airy and come with cable flat-screen TV, mini-bar, ironing board and laptop-size safes. Expect a reasonable work desk and complimentary WiFi. The hotel also manages to squeeze in a small outdoor pool on the third floor set in a timber deck, a gym, and well-equipped spa. There are 16 function rooms and meeting spaces for seminars and corporate get-togethers for ten to 300 guests.

Walking distance from the new JW Marriott, is the suave and frequently upgraded Sofitel Saigon Plaza (sofitel-saigon-plaza.com) on Le Duan Boulevard, also in District 1 but set a little apart from the thrumming centre, just minutes away by taxi. The lobby is chic, bright and roomy, featuring two enormous spiralling stacked-wood columns. Another makeover is due late 2026 to challenge the JW Marriott, which in turn replaced the Asiana InterContinental.

Opt for a roomy 30sq m Luxury Room (floors 14 to 15) with flatscreen TV, free WiFi and the heady aroma of top-drawer toiletries in the bath. The views won't disappoint either. Enjoy elegant timber floors, patterned headboards, and modular minimalist design with an interesting mix of French and Oriental design. Superior Rooms on lower floors from two to 13, offer eye-popping purple carpeting, black leather headboards and, of course the Sofitel My Bed with pillow menu. This is all a huge jump up from the bland powder greens of yore. The square purple fabric lampshades are a stylish touch.

Head to the rooftop pool (and poolside bar) for fine views and undiluted sun. Have a workout or steam bath before heading to the spa where organic treatments and assorted massages await. For small corporate meetings or mid-size events, the hotel has a few smart function rooms with 30sq m to 400sq m. The Sofitel Saigon Plaza is a smart address and compares well vs New World, Sheraton, Hilton, and other Saigon business hotel choices on this review.

A 15-minute drive to Nguyen Van Chu Street still in District 1 is the Hotel Nikko Saigon (hotelnikkosaigon.com.vn). This building, close by a new fashion mall, is a modern high-rise with cubist intent visible in its square window frames.

While the Opera House may not be next door, Chinatown is not far from here and new office blocks sprout up by the month. Walk in to a large ultra-modern space-age lobby that is straight out of a science fiction set. All that's missing is Dr Spock. The grey-brown colour scheme runs uninterrupted past the cream marble floors, and up the soaring lobby with its metallic grey-ridge pillars.

The place is cavernous and devoid of furniture and designer detritus, minimalism carried to its conclusion, save for a white grand piano in the lounge cafe. Above, suspended light arrays are set in giant discs adding to the moon mission feel. Staff is quick and on the ball.

The 335-room hotel serves up rooms that are spacious but equally restrained. In Junior Suites, expect to be enveloped in pastel powder green textures. The colour extends from the walls to the smooth round seats and the cabinets, flush with the walls and barely visible with all the camouflage. This smart but bland serving is enlivened by large white beds and a large flat-screen TV. Expect a round leather-top table, grey this time, a second TV in the living space, free Wi-Fi, and two two-pin plug points.

The flat top-loading safe is big enough for a laptop and the nice white marble toilet offers twin vanities, a separate tub and hand shower (no rain shower), if you can find it. The bathroom door blends into the wall completely. The overall appearance is a cross between solitary confinement and splendid other-worldly escape, depending on your point of view. On the fifth floor is the Ren Spa, gym, and large outdoor pool with sundeck.

Out in the neon razzle and clamour of Chinatown's Cholon district is the high-rise Windsor Plaza Hotel (windsorplazahotel.com). It is a large establishment with good city views, reasonable service, ample facilities including a kids' corner and a rooftop pool, a great deal of gratuitous glitz and more than a few quirks. The lobby is on the fourth floor and the hotel actually sits atop the huge and popular An Dong Plaza shopping mall. Consequently, the atmosphere is busy and the place can feel crowded at times.

There are 405 rooms and suites. Functional, neat and simple 28sq m Deluxe rooms with powder blue walls (going up to 32sq m) come with basic amenities, free WiFi, USB ports, work desk, safe, bathtub with shower, hairdryer and tea maker. A 38sq m darker, corporate feel, wooden floor Junior Suite offers a larger TV screen. A spa is on hand for tired backs in need of a massage.

On central Le Loi boulevard, housed in the Saigon Center, you'll find the attractive and bright Sedona Suites Ho Chi Minh City (www.sedonavietnam.com) with suites as well as one-to-three-bedroom apartments (with kitchen, furniture, king-size bed, satellite TV, open views), alfresco swimming pool, sauna, fitness centre and children's play room. This is a popular spot for long stays in Ho Chi Minh City. Another excellent Saigon long stay service apartment is the Ascott-run Somerset Ho Chi Minh City (somerset-ho-chi-minh-city) with 42sq m to 142sq m contemporary spaces a little distance away towards the river but not too far from downtown.

At the 333-room Hotel Equatorial Ho Chi Minh City (https://hochiminhcity.equatorial.com/) opt for an Executive Suite that is a cut above the more Plain Jane lower categories with 70sq m of elbow room.

The beautiful Hotel Continental next to the Opera House dates back to 1880 offering space, nostalgia and musty corners. It's Courtyard is where breezy breakfasts are served and the large creaking wood-floor rooms are simple and comfortable. Expect good service. The functioning Saigon Post Office (far left) is another colonial relic./ photos: Vijay Verghese

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Heritage hotels, colonial stays on the river

One of Ho Chi Minh City’s enduring charms is its smaller characterful hotels, often still housed in peeling historic buildings. On Lam Son Square, opposite the Opera House and next to the Park Hyatt, the 80-room Hotel Continental Saigon (www.continentalsaigon.com) has been around since 1880, a similar vintage to the delightful Notre Dame Cathedral two blocks away. Like the Rex, it is owned by the ubiquitous Saigon Tourist group. A popular haunt for spooks and journalists during the Vietnam War, the place was graciously fading for a while but a renovation late 2015 revived the place, especially its atmospheric Courtyard where breakfasts are served.

The Continental offers a splendid downtown location right at the head of Dong Khoi Street. The building is an old world low-rise set around a courtyard flanked by assorted branded shops including the likes of Blancpain, Breguet and Gucci. Rooms (accessed with electronic tap cards) are in a classical mould with dark blue carpets, lots of gleaming wood, somewhat fiddly flat-screen TVs (with CNN), free WiFi, and coffee-making facilities. Expect a work desk with Edwardian chair, old fashioned furniture, creaking cupboards and plenty of space. Suites may offer walled-in verandah alcoves (with access through wooden arches) to read the morning paper.

Compact bathrooms offer a tub and shower with hairdryer. Try to book a third-floor room overlooking the Opera House. These rooms are large enough to double as skating rinks — with all the attendant musty decor. Find a dimmer light, and a few two-pin sockets. International travellers can use the extension cord thoughtfully provided with several international three-pin plug points. If you part the large heavy drapes you can peek across to the Opera House. Step out to the small balcony. The room is an unadorned classic that will appeal to many. The hotel has no swimming pool but it does have a somewhat whimsical business centre and the Jasmine Massage service that may help your visit take a colourful turn. Service is warm and friendly and people go out of their way to help.

An enduring landmark, the much revamped Rex Hotel (www.rexhotelsaigon.com) serves up an utterly mad fifth-floor Roof Garden with cavorting plaster elephants that remain an entertaining draw on pleasant, breezy evenings atop the old wing.

The hotel, on Nguyen Hue Boulevard is centrally located, close to the Opera House and overlooking the magnificent City Hall and the newer Union Square with its branded stores. Of course the hotel itself is no slouch when it comes to flashy designer brand shopping with outlets for Chanel, Burberry and Cartier. It has been supplemented by a younger East Wing with 70 or so smart rooms and a sleek white-marble lobby with a black grand piano holding court centre.

The original hotel was constructed around a large open courtyard called the Rose Garden, now a welcoming outdoor dining area with tables, chairs and sun umbrellas. Its origins were as a French garage early 1900s before becoming a trading centre in 1959 and, later, a hotel. Long dark corridors that radiated out from the lobby have finally been lit up properly. The dim and musty Rex old West Wing charmed in its heyday. All it needed was some 100-watt bulbs, SWITCHED ON. Now modernity beckons brightly along with displays of Vertu phones.

The new East Wing rooms are bright and decked out in pastels with Vietnamese silk runners. Expect electronic room cards, parquet flooring, double-glazed windows to keep out traffic noise, a work desk, flat-screen TV, iron and ironing board, a fire sprinkler (a new addition), separate shower and bathtub (plus bidet), a hair drier and laptop-size safe. WiFi is free.

The Rex has lost some of its old world appeal (and the 'taxi ladies' of yore who danced with foreigners for an hourly fee) but has gained fresh contemporary clout. It still has a spa and fitness area with two swimming pools, gym, tennis courts and a raft of activities from yoga and aerobics to modern dance. The hotel has gaming options too.

Among Saigon heritage hotels our pick of the oldies might be the 250-key Hotel Grand Saigon (www.hotelgrandsaigon.com), a beautiful whitewashed corner property half a block from the river, right behind the Renaissance. The building came up in 1930. This three-star property moved up to four stars and hopes for a full five. In 1998 a new Luxury Wing was added to the colonial Ancient Wing. And in November 2011 the entire shebang was hugely upgraded with a high-rise New Wing (with a rooftop river-view cafe) all slathered in white marble so painstakingly polished you may skate across the lobby if you pause your brisk walk too abruptly. From marble inlay lobby three tiny lifts chug up to the rooms.

Deep blue carpets lead through the corridors to rooms with wooden floors, flat-screen TVs, work desk with free WiFi, light dimmers, and an air-conditioning switch that needs to be found and turned on. The bathroom offers a hairdryer, a brightly-lit mirror, bathtub and separate rain shower glass cubicle and a few toiletries including shampoo and conditioner. There is an electric kettle for coffee or tea and shoeshine wax for scuffed shoes.

Expect a reasonably sumptuous breakfast in the spacious Saigon Palace restaurant. For slot machines and roulette there is a gaming area and for the fitness inclined, a gym and spa. Staff is friendly and quick to assist and electronic proximity card keys are an excellent new addition.

Ancient Wing rooms in the low-rise heritage section are more expensive and offer dark-wood furniture, gleaming wooden floors and a terrific bathroom with separate shower, bathtub and hairdryer. Expect tall windows with brocade satin curtains, golden bed runners, flat-screen TVs, spacious living area and old style classic dial phones (albeit with buttons). They also have a GIANT safe that could hold an elephant — or your mother-in-law. There’s a small and pleasant courtyard pool and all rooms have internet access. A splendid experience is provided by the tiny lift, rivalled only by the Majestic, which has a cupboard-size contraption in which drawing in a deep breath is a major accomplishment.

The historic Rex Hotel (pictured) has been through several changes with a new wing adding contemporary sparkle to its musty allure. Expect grand city views over City Hall and down Nguyen Hue Ave from its rooftop garden bar with its prancing elephants, plenty of dining choices, brand shops, and modern rooms/ photos: Vijay Verghese

The colonial camp Hotel Majestic (www.majesticsaigon.com), like its sister, the Grand, is run by Saigon Tourist and leans a bit heavily on the gold and bling. It offers a new wing as well. The hotel was built in 1925. The rooms feature wooden parquet floors, flat-screen TVs, dim lighting — which seems very de rigueur in Saigon — and a small safe. Internet is available in-room. On executive floors, avail of club breakfasts, afternoon tea, shoeshine service and late checkout until 3pm. The Majestic also offers an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness centre and spa, and a 461sq m ballroom. There is a casino too. There are several options for wining and dining, including a breezy rooftop bar. Hotel Majestic is riding the green wave with water and energy conservation programmes in place. And, of an evening, an acoustic band will strike up in the old world lobby with its stained glass panels and Victorian chairs.

Between the Renaissance and Majestic, is the 3-star Riverside Hotel (www.riversidehotelsg.com) which, as the name suggests, faces the river. It is a characterful low-rise with enough peeling personality to lure a relaxed leisure tripper. There are 51 rooms, including suites, with satellite LCD TV, data-port, free WiFi, large in-room safe, mini-bar, and hairdryer. Deluxe rooms start at 32sq m. Breakfast is usually on the house. Also expect sauna and massage facilities. The room of choice here is top floor suite (a large single wood-floor room) overlooking the river.

Upping the ante across the river in District 2 is the laundered riverside colonial Villa Song Saigon (www.villasong.com) with 23 stately rooms. Prices that started at a stratospheric US$380 (winter high season) in 2016 were at around US$120 (summer low season 2026). But first your taxi driver will have to find it tucked away in a developing residential area, right on the river. In fact the hotel prefers guests use river access to arrive in style and a boat can shuttle you to a pier back downtown. Arif Gunawan the affable general manager pads about his lair like a genial tiger checking on guests. "This is a river hotel experience," he says. "We do tours in season upriver to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap."

This is a stylish bolthole with a huge sun-drenched saline pool (to rival the Park Hyatt's blue spread), fitness centre and spa (with a good range of wraps, scrubs, facials, and detox remedies). A wood-floored Sanctuary Room has virginal white interiors relieved by cream blinds, pastel ochre chairs, old fashioned writing desk, gold bedside table, light-tone paintings, and elegant reading chair by the window in cream with black-piping. Expect lots of dark timber underfoot in rooms - each one is different in shape, size and decor, with a wooden ceiling fan, black-wood desk, LCD LG television, white wardrobe, and possibly a balcony overlooking the pool or river. Find three three-pin multi-plug sockets for your many handy gadgets.

Toilets are compact with rain shower cubicles, a chic squeeze more than offset by the complimentary mini-bar. Running since around 2014, Villa Song is among the top Saigon luxury boutique hotels with an intimate scale to match. The location can be a plus or minus depending on your travel needs. It is broadly in the area where MIA Saigon is located but more compact than the latter. Pick this for leisure or small corporate meetings or a riverside wedding on the small grassy frontage.

Cheek-by-jowl, just across a side street also in the former District 2 broadly in the Villa Song and MIA Saigon area is the explosively verdant riverside Thao Dien Village (thaodienvillage) that pitches strongly for events, small meetings, dining soirees, weddings, and spa escapes with minimalist rooms in classic white and charcoal. Rooms are nice, if simple with woody tones. The location is a plus despite the distance from town. You will need to brave some seriously lackadaisical service at this hit-and-miss gem on the 'wrong side' of the river (though it remains a very relaxed area for HCMC residents and leisure trippers in the know).

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Quick airport access hotels

Stirring up things is the Holiday Inn & Suites Saigon Airport (holidayinn/ho-chi-minh-city) that offers a 350-key clean and green option with the additional bonus of 2,000sq m of meeting and event space. If you need to shimmy in and out of town this could be a spot for business travellers in a hurry and conferences. The ballroom can host up to 800 people and an LED wall adds a touch of tech. Rooms are contemporary, bright and airy, in pastel grey and pale green touches. The hotel is 10 minutes from Tan Son Nhat International Airport and boasts an outdoor swimming pool with a separate kids' pool.

Heading towards the airport from town, a 15-minute taxi-ride will bring you to the Eastin Grand Hotel Saigon (eastingrandsaigon), formerly Movenpick, which took over from Omni. This five-star hotel has an interesting history. It was a secretive US government building until 1975 when its occupants departed, presumably not all on the last helicopter out. Omni took over in 1994, adding a grand lobby, sweeping staircase and rooftop pool, to convert the lowrise apartment into a quality hotel with ample conference facilities. This means that unlike standardised modern hotels, every room here is slightly different in shape and orientation.

In mid 2008, the hotel was taken over by Moevenpick Hotels and Resorts. After extensive renovations the hotel reopened in August 2010 with a jaunty new stride, its 278 rooms graduating from "stately to chic". It is now a thoroughly contemporary address under the Eastin brand. Walk into a high ceiling minimalist white marble lobby with four square pillars at the centre with cutouts and pale blue lighting emanating from within.

A staircase rises up grandly to one side. It is all pleasantly minimalist. Spacious rooms serve up mustard patterned carpeted floors, slim black cabriole leg beds, bright bed runners, flat-screen LCD TVs, silk curtains and large desks with data-port and all manner of connectivity. The rooms are vast (34sq m to 70sq m - the top floor Executive Suites with large bathtubs). The toilets, with rainshower, are bright but rather compact. Also expect a gym, a spa and a circular outdoor pool. There are several F&B options including Chinese. Eastin Grand Saigon is among the better Saigon business hotels though its location a little way out makes it more of an airport hotel good for dashes to manufacturing plants and outlying offices and with good meetings facilities.

Just up the road from here is the pink Garden Plaza Saigon (gardenplazahotel.vn), formerly a PARKROYAL and Novotel), a modern, four-star atrium-style hotel with pool set in a courtyard, club floors for executive travellers, and small meeting facilities. It is a five minute drive from Tan Son Nhat International Airport and the Tan Binh convention centre.

The in-room safe is smallish (use it for jewellery and small cameras) as is the very compact toilet with the bathtub and shower combined of necessity. But it is clean and functional.

The Orchid Deluxe rooms go up to 37sq m with a larger TV, a lavender wall framing the bed, blond-wood desk and sideboard, a glass partition separating a more spacious bathroom with a separate shower cubicle. The shower is handheld though. Business suits can easily fit their laptops into the safe here.

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Value beds and Saigon boutique hotels guide

Ho Chi Minh City budget hotel and value stay options are vast though prices are climbing rapidly. Service and facilities can fluctuate dramatically. Just off busy Nguyen van Troi, the bustling road linking the city to Tan Son Nhat International Airport, is the demure and charming The Alcove Library Hotel (alcovehotel.vn) which, true to its word, offers a colourful array of books around the lobby check-in complemented by classic tiling on the floor. This small neat and unfussy boutique hotel is about 15-20 minutes from both the airport and town depending on traffic. Expect faux parquet flooring 18sq m rooms with a queen-size bed and a rooftop restaurant that also serves breakfast.

A neat king-bed wooden-floor Alcove Grand with 30sq m of space and rain shower, WiFi, hairdryer, 35-inch LCD TV and breakfast is a good choice if location is not a prime factor.

In the heart of central Ho Chi Minh City shopping and cafes not far from the Sheraton is the trendy The Myst Dong Khoi (www.themystdongkhoihotel.com). It rises above the road with its playful Gaudi facade peppered with neat square window cut-outs, plants, and the glow of room lights. The lobby is whimsical but homey and this spot is much loved by expats. Next door the Hilton has come up and the pounding and dust has subsided. In rooms think darkwood flooring, carved wooden cabinets, wardrobes, and rustic walls with arches leading to the washrooms and flashes of cobalt or red wall.

A Saigon Room At Myst is pricey but bang in town. Expect a king-size bed set on a plinth, grey cement walls hung with paintings, low wooden diwan with cushions, tea set, coffee maker, low wicker chair, a darkwood table with a standard local two-pin plug with a third earthing pin. The random furniture is straight out of grandma's attic. The 108 rooms have small angular balconies with a Jacuzzi. Also expect a flat laptop-friendly safe, a Japanese electric potty, a rain shower, complimentary mini-bar, and a hairdryer. An electric plug adapter is parked in a drawer.

Leisure trippers will be pleased to find a rooftop pool, fitness centre and spa at this creatively-stylled boutique address. This is a quirky look at old Saigon with a modern twist. Myst is not cheap so check your wallet. Expect to shell out upwards of US$170 (low season).

Icon Saigon (iconsaigonhotel.com), a four-star design boutique well located on Hai Ba Trung in District 1 a short walk from the Opera House, has nicely crafted rooms in pale grey stone and powder blue with a Deluxe starting at a compact 24sq m. Expect an open closet, flat-screen TV, hairdryer, work desk, ceiling fan, small sofa, free WiFi and safe. The Icon Signature room stretches to 35sq m with private balcony (overlooking the busy road).

The three-star Bong Sen Hotel Saigon (www.bongsenhotel.com) on Dong Khoi is a decent downtown HCMC value hotel with simple but nice rooms, clean bathrooms, TV, minibar, free high speed internet and WiFi, and a big safe for laptops. Standard rooms start at a compact 25sq m while Superiors are 28sq m with en suite bathrooms, with a tub and hand-held shower plus useful toiletries, a hairdryer, and bathrobes. As with several local hotels, "couples wishing to share a room must provide proof of marriage". This quirky Vietnamese law holds particularly true of foreigners with Vietnamese partners. There is no pool, but guests are able to use the pool at Palace Hotel Saigon, its sister property about two minutes away.

Next to Bong Sen on Dong Khoi is the easy-to-miss Hotel Catina Saigon (since 2009) in a slim building that belies the inner marble and tasteful contemporary design. Unusually, it positions itself as a 3.5 star hotel! Walk in through the narrow air-conditioned corridor lined with gemstone and jewellery displays. Rooms are in pale pastel with large flat-screen TVs, free WiFi, a smart long gleaming wood work desk, cream carpets, notebook-size safes, hairdryers, and compact toilets with tub and shower. Keep in mind the cheapest Deluxe rooms start at 26sq m (with no windows).

On Dong Khoi too is the largish Huong Sen Hotel (huongsenhotel.com.vn) where a traditional dark-wood lobby awaits with ornate chairs featuring inlay work and intricate carving. Expect a pool and sauna. WiFi is free. Good rooms with parquet flooring and a great location smack in the middle of all that Saigon shopping madness.

The 18-room lowrise Little Saigon Boutique Hotel (www.littlesaigon.com.vn) on Le Loi is close to the Opera House and Ben Thanh Market areas. The 18sq m to 28sq m rooms are cheerfully kitted out with colourful cushions and bed runners plus flatscreen TVs and DVDs and WiFi. Also find a mini-bar, hairdryer, and safe. A 25sq m Deluxe on a higher floor will serve up city views from a small breezy balcony.

Also popul;ar is the small and friendly The Spring Hotel (www.springhotelvietnam.com) at 44-46 Le Thahn Ton Street, close to the Opera. The 54-room Spring Hotel offers basic but clean and traditional accommodation on a quiet side street just a few minutes’ walk from the shops and hustle of Dong Khoi, a few blocks from Notre Dame Cathedral. The tiny lobby crams in more ersatz Rome and Florence – complete with plaster busts, marble pillars, and sweeping staircase – than a nouveau riche Hong Kong home. Higher floors afford nice views of the city. The rooms are bright with rattan furniture, air-conditioning, satellite TV (that includes Japanese channels) and a mini-bar. This is a well regarded Saigon budget hotels choice with friendly English-speaking staff.

The French accented and simple Ma Maison Boutique Hotel Saigon (www.mamaison.vn) is in an alley off Cach Mang Thang Tam Street about 15 minutes from the central Opera House and Dong Khoi Street headed in the general direction of the airport (which is a further 20 minutes from here). It is a bustling area and sounds will carry into your room. Put it down to atmosphere and dive in.

This address offers 12 homey rooms with white French windows, smart minimalist furniture, faux Euro vintage motifs, a bistro, and modest prices that won't pinch the wallet. Small wonder it is an immersive longstay favourite with French expats and Asian travellers in the know.

Not far from Fusion Suites, a short walk from New World and Ben Thanh Market is the cheerful and unpretentious slim old-world Cinnamon Hotel Saigon. This is an older crowded area with a busy street ambience and a few local cafes.

A short walk from Notre Dame Cathedral heading away from downtown is the neat and clean three-star Victory Hotel, popular with European groups. There is a small but pleasant pool on the sixth-floor roof, a spa, and a fitness centre. There are 160 rooms, some served straight up with traditional wooden furniture and modern amenities like LCD TVs. Deluxe rooms start at 30sq m while Luxury rooms start at 45sq m with blue carpets, city views, welcome fruit baskets, air-conditioning, and showily carved wooden beds with ornate headboards and Baroque gilt-edge flourishes. A bit campy, if you like that sort of thing and wish to pretend you're Louis XVI (of course, before the execution). There are also conference facilities for up to 300 persons. Expect free Wi-Fi.

The 3-star 86-key Saigon Hotel (saigonhotel.com.vn) opposite the Sheraton is a showily smart option in the heart of things. It has complimentary WiFi and while the exterior is unprepossessing, the rooms are none too shabby, spacious(36sq m to 40sq m) and with wood parquet or stone flooring. On the 10th floor are meeting and banquet rooms.

Moving upscale a bit, the 144-room Palace Hotel Saigon (www.palacesaigon.com) is four stars and looks the part with a crisp minimalist white-marble lobby and contemporary decor. The hotel is well located on Nguyen Hue avenue around the corner from the atmospheric tourist favourite Cafe Apartment and its quirky coffeeshops. Rooms are smart and come with flat-screen TV, minibar, small camera-size safe, hairdryer, and tea and coffee-making facilities. Internet is available and Wi-Fi is free. Breakfast is included in the room rate. The hotel has meeting facilities, there is a business centre, a small pool, three restaurants, a gym, and a spa that is open until 2am. The Palace Ballroom handles MICE (meetings, incentives and exhibitions) business with conference and small meetings facilities for up to 280. A good value hotel with some marble thrown in.

A close neighbour on Nguyen Hue, is the Oscar Saigon Hotel (oscar-saigonhotel.com), which has spruced up with a marble lobby, clean rooms, beds with bright silk runners, parquet flooring and free WiFi. Its four-star status is proudly emblazoned in bronze at the entrance below the narrow building. The Oscar also manages to rustle up a fitness room and sauna, and its penthouse Starlight Restaurant doubles as a wedding and banquet location with wraparound views of the city and City Hall. Starlight is no longer a disco and the taxi ladies (dancing companions) are gone. In-room expect large metal safes with large combination spin locks (that don't work) straight out of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. These safes have been reconditioned to work with a key that has to be obtained from reception at no charge.

Right across the road, the breezily unabashed uplit Kimdo — Royal Hotel Saigon (royalhotelsaigon.com) greets you at the entrance with Roman busts and intriguing white plaster statues. Inside it flaunts its health club offering massage, sauna, steam bath, fitness centre and Jacuzzi. The four-star Kimdo (a little pricier than Palace Saigon) offers conference space as well as a business centre. It has smart rooms with gleaming wooden parquet flooring, comfy beds and bright cushions. Expect a big safe, spacious rooms, a work table (with free WiFi) and flat-screen TV.

The bathroom is compact with a combination tub-and-shower arrangement. Kimdo has helpful staff and is a reliable address downtown if you don't mind something a tad cheesy. Kimdo is popular with Southeast Asian and Chinese businessmen. With demand growing on Nguyen Hue Avenue expect low season rates from US$90-$100.

The Norfolk Mansion (norfolkmansion.com/) on Le Thanh Ton Street in District 1 not far from Ben Thanh market is a cheerful businesslike place and Australian-run. There is complimentary internet (broadband in rooms and WiFi in public areas), a business centre, a health club and baby-sitting services. It was a good value upscale Saigon hotel but in recent years rates have risen to around US$190 and up.

And that's the A-Z of our Saigon business hotels review with some lifestyle romantic locations, hidden boutiques and value budget options for the tight of wallet.

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