HOTEL 175 — Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City

I preface my comments by saying I am a very frequent low budget, non guided tour, usually solo, traveler in Vietnam and have experienced lodgings from a mattress on the floor to 5 stars in Saigon. I expect little, and my military experience has allowed me to survive even the worst lodgings with a smile. I needed a budget hotel for a few days close to downtown HCM, near the homes of some friends that I will be traveling with this weekend, without paying District 1 tourist prices and did not need tourist amenities. I needed a clean room and bed, hot water in a clean bathoom, security, privacy, with a light breakfast included. I picked this place at random from the hotel map knowing that a Hotel with a number like this one, 175, was governmant owned and operated. I had a Viet friend call for availablity and pricing and got the price of 360,000 VND for a double room breakfast included. That was around half the price offered by the various booking sites. I took a chance and booked it figuring I can always leave since I did not have to pay in advance like the booking sites. Pleasant male reception staff, we understood enough of each others Vietglish to get by. They accepted my US Visa card, I got an immediated receipt, they took a photo of my passport to complete their paperwork for the police notification, and I was up to my room. Clean, smelled good. No sign of insect or rodent infestation and certainly no frills, austere would be the term. Again this is not a 4 star tourist accomodation in District One with towel swans on the turned down blankets. Fridge and TV, very cold A/C and very hot water. Room darkening curtains on the French doors overlooking the front parking lot, Enough electric outlets to accommodate my laptop and cellphone and I was happy. Small cafe out front. I noticed on the way here a small convenience store and a nice "CoOp Mart" right down the block, plenty of small restaurants for Viet food across the street and taxis and Grab rides available easily. Breakfast for two in the AM was a choice of eggs and bread or HieuTieu, a kind of noodle soup with a bony piece of beef and noodles, I opted for the fried eggs and baguette along with cafe sua da and we were off and running for the day. My room was cleaned by a nice older Viet lady who, changed all the bedding, gave me some extra towels, and swept and mopped while I stood by. Uniformed security guard at the front gate controls access to the parking lot which is by fee, not sure about the car fee, but motorcycle is 5000VND in and out, so at the present exchange rate, figure about 22 cents. The one downside is the road noise. The hotel is on one of Saigons main drags, there is traffic, there is noise, but being a car guy sometimes that is music to my ears, pull the sound deadening, room darkening, drapes and go to sleep.If I need a hotel in this location again on another trip to Saigon this will be my choice. It was convenient for my purpose and my visiting friends, reasonably priced at $15.50 USD per night, clean and...

Nice hotel which meets international standards. Also people who has to go for regular check-ups at nearby hospitals usually stay there if the check-ups takes longer time and they are from another city. Clean environment, employees can speak English, breafast provided (menu in Vietnamese and English), clothes washing machine and ironing option. Good location from airport (around 15 minutes), much more better quality/price ratio than hotels next to the airport....

This is the worst place Ive probably stayed in my life, where to start.... Staff didn't speak any English, bedsheets were dirty and has cigarette burns, cigarette Ash on the floor, the bin still had rubbish in from previous guest, no soap to wash hands in bathroom, no hot water. More like a prison than a hotel we left straight away the next...