Grand Hotel Saigon

The location was excellent

The transfer service was 7 x more expensive than a taxi and no one informed us so we thought it was complimentary until handed a bill for 1.4 million dong! The customer service staff had sent the “confirmation” to the wrong email address and then lied about the fact that they hadn’t informed me of the cost on the phone when making the arrangements! When I challenged the hotel manager about the lack of information let alone confirmation of the exorbitant cost I was offered a drink voucher. Unimpressed! Sadly this tainted our enjoyment of the hotel somewhat. The staff in the sky bar, especially the manager was abrasive and not very welcoming. We ate breakfast on the first morning and he actually told us to go to the 2nd floor. We explained that we had access to the service and wanted breakfast there. We needn’t have bothered as it was rather lack lustre. Both the breakfast at the sky lounge and the 2nd floor were below par. Stale pastries, cold pancakes and uninteresting cereals. This is meant to be a 5 star hotel but it is all very lack lustre and tired rather than impeccable service and wonderful food. We went for a complimentary afternoon tea in the sky lounge area. We were initially ushered into an area where a group of people were holding a meeting/party. They were loud and getting very drunk. The afternoon tea menu consisted of a few snacks. No tea, no sandwiches or cakes..... The food was greasy and unpleasant and we left the majority of it, very disappointed yet again. We had a room in the beautiful old part of the hotel. The lift is quaint and the room was large and overlooking the pool area. However the outside noise was deafening and the bed was rock hard. The fittings were all a little outdated and not what one would expect from a 5 star hotel.

Huge bed and hot showers

My 8th floor room 821 looked out directly into the staff room of the opposite office block which was a surprise for everyone on the first morning,.