Bich Duyen (Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam)

February 21, 2012

Bich Duyen (Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam) - Our home in Saigon!

I was actually having a hard time deciding on what to write first about my recent trip to Vietnam. shall I start with the beer? No, the coffee, err well I decided this. Our home away from home in Saigon, Bich Duyen.

I have heard a lot of good reviews about this place from my friends whose been to HCMC and a lot of raves from Pinoy travelers who stayed there. I booked Bich Duyen through hostelworld.com. Its a reliable site to book since I did some bookings for my Singapore and Malaysia trip through this website. Make sure that you book them ahead of time for they get a lot of reservations. I was lucky enough to get one Superior Double Bed room for about Php 1150.00 ($27). 10 % deposit is required on the website. I made a reservation about a month before our trip.

The hotel service started a few weeks even before I arrive in Ho Chi Minh. I started communicating with Chanh, from the hotel to help me out with some arrangements of our visit in Saigon. I first made a mistake in making the reservation since I reserved February 18 when technically, I should have booked for February 17 since we are on a red eye flight. I asked Chanh if its possible for us to have an early check in but he told me that they dont have available rooms at that time just yet. He then offered me to book a room at a hotel nearby and I agreed. He booked us for a night at the Nguyen Khang Hotel which cost Php 720.oo ($17) a night.

I also asked Chanh to book us a tour since I was eying a one day Mekong Delta River tour. He sent me an email with different tours to chose from. We decided to get the Saigon-Cai Be-Vinh Long-Saigon one day tour ($17) and he also did arrange the tour for us. Plus the airport pick up that costs $14.

Alright well let me show you some photos.

One alley strip full of hotels. Bich Duyen is one of em.

Hotel entrance

The hotel lobby where they receive their guest.

Our room key. :)

Our room!!! Sorry if this shot isnt good, This is the only good shot I had of the room before we actually made it look like a riot. :)

Jimmy Fallon on TV, making my first 5 minutes inside the room happy. :))

Clean bathroom with hot and cold shower plus some toiletries. Bring your own shampoo, conditioner and toothpaste for they only provide the soap and toothbrush.

We stayed at the other hotel just across the Bich Duyen as soon as we arrive in Saigon. The following day, I got a wake up call from Chanh reminding me of the tour we will be having by 7:45 in the morning. We were just about to check out from the other hotel when he called me and I told him we will be there in a few minutes. As soon as we entered Bich Duyen Hotel, Chanh greeted us with a warm smile and asked us how our sleep was. I felt at home right away. Then I have realized that the raves about the service of this place is indeed superb. We just left our bags at the lobby and head straight to the tour.

As soon as we went back to Saigon, we checked in our room. We met another staff named Minh and he as well is very accommodating. He gave us our room key and head straight to our room. The climb up though was a little tiring for we stayed on the 4th floor. No elevators in this hotel so you definitely would have a cardio workout everytime you go in and out of your room and the hotel. Chose the lower floors if youre having a hard time going up a steep stairway.

The room was spacious and clean. It has airconditioning, a huge tv, mini ref and fan. Some toiletries are also provided in the bathroom. There is a small window overlooking Pham Ngu Lao (if im not mistaken).

And Oh!

Maybe it is their culture, or they just want the place clean all the time, but footwear aren't allowed inside the hotel. Kindly remove your shoes or any footwear as soon as you entered the lobby. The hotel entrance also closes down at 11pm. Guests who will be back late or checking in should ring the door bell in front of the hotel so as to get inside. Anyway the staff would be happy to open it for you.

Breakfast is also great! We were served a baguette and an egg omelet together with lime juice and the heavenly coffee. :)