I searched through tons of reviews before choosing this hotel, and I'm so glad I trusted them! First off, the staff are incredibly friendly, and the location is fantastic – right next to St. Joseph's Cathedral. There's also a Cong Cafe in front of the cathedral, and some great pho and Banh Mi Mama restaurants are very close by. My husband raves most about the breakfast, calling it outstanding!
Beyond a good variety in the buffet, they also take orders separately. There are three types of pho, about six egg dishes, and three kinds of desserts, all served course-by-course. I even asked if we had to pay extra for it, haha! Everything is complimentary (if you booked a room including breakfast).
While the room wasn't huge, it was well-utilized and felt spacious enough. They provide two pairs of indoor slippers in different sizes (large and small), bathrobes, and a full set of amenities including disposable toothbrushes and toothpaste, hand wash, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, razors, cotton swabs, and combs. Two bottles of water are also replenished daily.
What truly impressed me was the thoughtful touch with the air conditioning. Since the AC turns off when you remove your room card, they provide a paper card to keep in the slot. This way, when you return from being out, your room is already cool – a first for me!
The two staff members at the lobby always opened the door for us and even lent us a long umbrella. Oh, and when we urgently requested to book a Ha Long Bay cruise tour the night before, a staff member thankfully managed to get us a reservation, allowing us to go on the tour the next day. There were two departure times, 7:15 AM and 8:00 AM, with two different price points (a few tens of thousands of won difference). We chose the 8:00 AM departure, which was slightly cheaper, but it didn't include water. (It's a good idea to bring a couple of bottles of water. It would be even better if the staff reminded guests to bring water. I only brought one water bottle in my tumbler, otherwise you'll have to buy it. As soon as we got on the bus, the guide started handing out water while explaining things, but we didn't get any since it wasn't included, lol. In hindsight, it's only about 500 Korean won, but still…). We were told the bus would pick us up directly in front of the hotel, but we had to walk about 1-2 minutes. Still, it was convenient that it came close to the hotel. It would be helpful if they provided a few more details when explaining the cruise tour.
Even after checking out, we could use the swimming pool and store our luggage for free. Since we had an evening flight after checking out, we were able to shower in the sauna room on the 10th floor before heading to the airport, which we arranged beforehand. I really think the manager of this hotel must be incredibly meticulous.
To summarize, this hotel offers:
1. Excellent breakfast
2. Friendly staff
3. Great location
4. Well-stocked amenities
5. Thoughtful and attentive service for guests (two sets of indoor slippers in different sizes, the card + paper card system for AC, complimentary water, tea and snacks before check-in, free luggage storage, shower service, Ha Long Bay tour booking assistance, and airport transfers).
Personally, I really appreciated how Finn and Phem were always smiling and attentive.
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