엘리오스 호텔

Budget wise and good location

Cons: Hotel does not take card, only cash. Gym was very basic. Pool was nowhere to be found? Room aircon was very weak and took forever to cool down. Rooms were old

My stay at this hotel in Ho Chi Minh City was disappointing. The location was fairly convenient, and the room looked clean at first, but there were quite a few issues with the service, cleanliness, and facilities. The doorman wasn't particularly helpful. On my first day, I paid for my stay in cash, but the receptionist didn't have 5,000 VND in change. I was told they would remember me and give me the change the next day when they saw me. Two days later, nobody had mentioned it, so I had to ask for it myself. The staff member seemed annoyed when handing it over and said something to a colleague in Vietnamese. I couldn't understand what they were saying, but the whole interaction felt unpleasant. It wasn't about the small amount of money. It was about the attitude. The hotel lobby was also disappointing. You have to climb a fairly large staircase to reach the reception area, which isn't convenient when carrying luggage. There were bath towels spread out on the floor near the entrance, apparently to soak up water, and they were left there throughout my entire stay. The lobby couches were extremely old, dusty, and dirty. I didn't even feel comfortable sitting on them. The room itself looked clean, but the air conditioner had a strong moldy smell, which made my throat hurt. The airflow blew directly onto the bed, and even after adjusting the direction, it was still uncomfortable. The unit was noisy, and the cooling didn't seem to work properly. The shower took quite a long time to produce hot water. After a while, the water would become lukewarm, and I couldn't get it hot again. There was a gap underneath the bed with dust collecting there, which made me uncomfortable. I kept worrying about insects hiding underneath, especially since the area didn't seem properly cleaned. The view from the small window was terrible. All I could see was the roof of a Burger King and nearby buildings. The room also had several light switches that were confusing to figure out. The bathroom had a bidet toilet, but I noticed both TOTO and American Standard branding, which was confusing. The bidet itself felt like a cheap, basic model and was nothing like the Japanese washlet toilets I'm used to. Sometimes the nozzle didn't even retract properly after use. Housekeeping did make the bed every day, which I appreciated, although there were times when I wondered whether the pillows or pillowcases had actually been changed. One positive feature was the "Do Not Disturb" button, which was helpful. Another frustrating issue was the room door. Even after unlocking it with the key card, I had to push the door handle down almost 80 degrees with considerable force before the door would open. At first, I tried opening it like a normal hotel door and couldn't figure out why it wouldn't open. The reception staff weren't particularly welcoming either. Many of them rarely smiled or greeted guests warmly. Breakfast was also underwhelming. There was a selection of food, but honestly, the only things I felt like eating were the omelets and fruit. Overall, the location was reasonable, and the room appeared clean on the surface, but the poor service, moldy air conditioning, uncomfortable bathroom facilities, dusty common areas, and maintenance issues made the stay disappointing. I travel frequently and don't expect luxury, but I do expect basic cleanliness, properly functioning facilities, and friendly service. Unfortunately, this hotel fell short of those expectations. I wouldn't choose to stay here again.

This is one of the hotels I frequently stay at when visiting Ho Chi Minh City for business. I am always impressed by the kindness of the entire staff—they greet guests with a smile and ensure the rooms are kept spotlessly clean. Lately, however, the hotel has become quite busy with large tour groups.

Great location. Good breakfast with many cakes/sweet breads. Room had pigeons coming from 5:30 AM outside our windows. Hard bed. Stayed 1 night.