Continental Ho Chi Minh City
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132-134 Dong Khoi Street, District 1 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 8-3829-9252
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Traveler Photos of Continental Ho Chi Minh City
Continental Hotel, Saigon
Saigon, Vietnam
The Continental Hotel
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
The Continental Hotel Saigon
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Hotel Continental in Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Travel Blogs by Travelers Who Stayed at the Continental Ho Chi Minh City
Screaming bikes
That's really the first thing I remember, indicating that I definitely wasn't in San Francisco anymore. The Hong Kong airport layover, and Saigon, to a lesser degree, were just standard cookie cutter airports, like any other. But that taxi ride from Saigon to the Contintal Hotel in central Saigon was my welcome shock to another way of life. There must be one hundred, maybe two hundred bikes for every one car in Vietnam. Completely engulfed in every form of bike, we waded through the chaotic s...
Saigon, Vietnam bayseal
Tour of Duty Free
Good Morning England. This is DJ Gaz on Viet Cong FM. Itís about 92 degrees in downtown Saigon and right now very humid. And we have an important message for all you GIís living off-base. The war was being run by a bunch of 4-star clowns who were going to end up giving the circus away. A couple of cut-throat mercenaries were called in to help the cause . . . 9/1/04 Tracer fire lit up the sky as we circled in heavy traffic above Saigon. Our fellow dogs of war sat sullen in their economy seats ...
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam escapetherace
One Bird Flu Over The Cuckoos Nest
26/1/04 5.30am, now there's a time we haven't seen in all its digital flesh for some time, but we had an 8am flight (in Business Class we'll have you know) back to Ho Chi Minh City for four more days of seeing what more it could offer us. Once again a member of staff at the Thienh Thanh hotel had pulled out the stops with a breakfast of boiled egg baguettes and sweet Vietnamese coffee waiting for us at the table. We rewarded her with an over-the-top tip of 20,000 Dong (70p) and she rewarded u...
Ho Chi Minh City (2nd visit), Vietnam escapetherace
Cambodia to Vietnam the hard way!
Rather than going back to Phnom Penh, we decided to brave a smaller border crossing with Vietnam - so we hired a mini bus to take us to the Camboadian border, which was just comedy as it was bright yellow and the biggest pile of **** on four wheels! It had a huge crack in the windscreen and the side door wouldn't shut, and Anthony's seat broke completely! 5 hours later we are dropped at the border covered in dust and dirt and we cross the border on foot - literally walking into Vietnam is pre...
Saigon, Vietnam jade_sandford
Saigon: Learning about the war
The first thing you notice when you step off the bus in the middle of the backpacker district in Saigon is the stifling heat! I think it was 34 degrees when i arrived and is currently sitting at about 35 degrees during the day and about a minimum of 25 at night. Which is warm by any standards. The humidity is high too, so it feels muggy and is a real effort to do anything. But, I'm in legendary Saigon! And it's good. It's a huge sprawling city, separated out into districts. Officially now cal...
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam sarah.p
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
The most memorable activity of Vietnam had to be in Ho Chi Minh (AKA Saigon) at the War Remnants Museum. This was original formerly called the American War Crimes Museum). I wasn't really sure how to feel when I walked in. Nervous, maybe a little embarrassed? It was certainly a powerful set of exhibits to see. Exhibits included graphic photographs, accompanied by short copy in English and Vietnamese, covering the effects of Agent Orange and other chemical defoliant sprays, the use of napalm a...
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam zsimmonsHistorical Traveler Reviews of Continental Ho Chi Minh City
Amusing attempt at colonial chic
from fernweh
We stayed at the Continental in Saigon for one night in January in a Junior Suite booked directly with the hotel for approximately $120 + 15%tax etc (which makes it expensive for Saigon)
The hotel is fun for a short stay as it mixes colonial charm with soviet style bathroom and kitsch redecoration attempts (each piece of furniture in the suite was a different age & colour of wood - the writing desk even was "adorned" with a carved 3d version of the hotel logo)
Therefore if this is your honeymoon or you are stretching your budget for some (colonial) luxury this hotel is not for you. If, however, you are looking for some comfort in a unique, amusing setting this is definitely one of a kind - we found the experience worth it.
- The hotel is set in Dong Khoi close to some of some of the major sites but amidst other expensive hotels and top-of-the-range designer shops. Therefore if you are looking to soak in the atmosphere of the city this is not the area to be.
- The breakfast buffet has a wide range of relatively low-quality items. However the made-to-order omelet is good. There is a nice out-side terrace
- As everywhere in Saigon expect street-noise
- Room has a/c, fridge-minibar, t.v.
- Taxi from airport to hotel should cost equivalent of about $5 depending on traffic
- Internet access in the business center of the hotel charges a rip-off price
The hotel is fun for a short stay as it mixes colonial charm with soviet style bathroom and kitsch redecoration attempts (each piece of furniture in the suite was a different age & colour of wood - the writing desk even was "adorned" with a carved 3d version of the hotel logo)
Therefore if this is your honeymoon or you are stretching your budget for some (colonial) luxury this hotel is not for you. If, however, you are looking for some comfort in a unique, amusing setting this is definitely one of a kind - we found the experience worth it.
- The hotel is set in Dong Khoi close to some of some of the major sites but amidst other expensive hotels and top-of-the-range designer shops. Therefore if you are looking to soak in the atmosphere of the city this is not the area to be.
- The breakfast buffet has a wide range of relatively low-quality items. However the made-to-order omelet is good. There is a nice out-side terrace
- As everywhere in Saigon expect street-noise
- Room has a/c, fridge-minibar, t.v.
- Taxi from airport to hotel should cost equivalent of about $5 depending on traffic
- Internet access in the business center of the hotel charges a rip-off price
Ubicación Perfecta
from Angelica_999
Cosas buenas:
La ubicación es perfecta - en la parte más bonita de Ho Chi Min.
Las habitaciones son grandes y ventiladas y teníamos unas preciosas vistas sobre la plaza.
Cosas malas:
Se celebró una boda durante las dos noches que estuvimos en el hotel -una terrible música de karaoke subia a través del suelo y el personal del hotel parecía reacio a ayudarnos.
El Centro de Negocios- encontrarás a la mujer más desagradable que trabaja allí - No puede ser más brusca o menos cooperadora, ¡y te cobran 1$ por minuto de internet!
Desayuno
Aburrido y falto de imaginación.
La ubicación es perfecta - en la parte más bonita de Ho Chi Min.
Las habitaciones son grandes y ventiladas y teníamos unas preciosas vistas sobre la plaza.
Cosas malas:
Se celebró una boda durante las dos noches que estuvimos en el hotel -una terrible música de karaoke subia a través del suelo y el personal del hotel parecía reacio a ayudarnos.
El Centro de Negocios- encontrarás a la mujer más desagradable que trabaja allí - No puede ser más brusca o menos cooperadora, ¡y te cobran 1$ por minuto de internet!
Desayuno
Aburrido y falto de imaginación.
Perfect Location
from Angelica_999
Good Things
Location is perfect - its in the nicest part of Ho Chi Min.
The rooms are large and airy and we had a beautiful view overlooking the square.
Bad Things
A Wedding was being held at the hotel on both of the nights we stayed - dreadful kareoke style music came pounding through the floor and the hotel staff seemed reluctant to help.
Business Centre - met THE Most unpleasent women who worked in here - she could not have been ruder or more unhelpful AND they charged $1 a minute for the internet !!
Breakfast
Boring and unimaginative.
Location is perfect - its in the nicest part of Ho Chi Min.
The rooms are large and airy and we had a beautiful view overlooking the square.
Bad Things
A Wedding was being held at the hotel on both of the nights we stayed - dreadful kareoke style music came pounding through the floor and the hotel staff seemed reluctant to help.
Business Centre - met THE Most unpleasent women who worked in here - she could not have been ruder or more unhelpful AND they charged $1 a minute for the internet !!
Breakfast
Boring and unimaginative.
Perfetta ubicazione
from Angelica_999
Lati positivi
L'ubicazione è perfetta; si trova nel punto più bello di Ho Chi Minh.
Le camere sono grandi e ariose e godono di una vista meravigliosa sulla piazza.
Lati negativi
Siamo rimasti due notti e entrambe le volte c'era un matrimonio: attraverso il pavimento potevamo sentire il suono martellante di questa orrenda musica tipo karaoke e il personale dell'hotel sembrava restio ad aiutarci.
Business Centre: lì ci lavora una donna INCREDIBILMENTE scortese che non avrebbe potuto essere più maleducata o scostante. INOLTRE fanno pagare $1 al minuto per l'uso di internet.
Colazione
Noiosa e scialba.
L'ubicazione è perfetta; si trova nel punto più bello di Ho Chi Minh.
Le camere sono grandi e ariose e godono di una vista meravigliosa sulla piazza.
Lati negativi
Siamo rimasti due notti e entrambe le volte c'era un matrimonio: attraverso il pavimento potevamo sentire il suono martellante di questa orrenda musica tipo karaoke e il personale dell'hotel sembrava restio ad aiutarci.
Business Centre: lì ci lavora una donna INCREDIBILMENTE scortese che non avrebbe potuto essere più maleducata o scostante. INOLTRE fanno pagare $1 al minuto per l'uso di internet.
Colazione
Noiosa e scialba.
Großartige Lage
from nan'saway
Nun ja, das Continental hat seinen Zweck erfüllt...ein Ort zum Duschen und Schlafen!! Die Einrichtung der Zimmer war sehr altmodisch. Stühle mit übertriebenen Verziehrungen, glänzende Satinbettwäsche...nicht, dass das irgendwie wichtig wäre. Auf dem Tisch lag eine Liste auf der stand, was man alles dort "kaufen" konnte, inklusive der Kopfkissen, Bettwäsche, Stühle usw. Sehr witzig! Es müssen dort in der Vergangenheit viele der Gäste etwas als "Andenken" mitgenommen haben! Wir hatten einen Tag kein heißes Wasser und nachdem wir angerufen hatten erschien eine Frau mit einer Thermoskanne!! Nachdem wir das Problem ihr dann vor Ort erklärt haben, kam ein Mann mit einer Leiter und ein anderer Mann samt der ersten Frau in unser Bad. Es wurde dann sehr viel und laut diskutiert! Sie sind 10 Minuten später dann wieder gegangen und sagten uns, dass nun alles wieder okay sei. Wir können also sagen, dass der Service gut war!! Es war zwar kein lautes Hotel, trotzdem konnte man Leute, die spät auf ihre Zimmer zurückkehrten, auf den Korridoren hören. Das Hotel erinnerte uns an ein altmodisches Krankenhaus. Es gab sogar auf jeder Etage eines diese Fensterbüros, das wie eine Triage aussah!! Das Frühstück war okay, es dauerte aber oft sehr lange, bis sie wieder neues Besteck brachten, wenn dieses mal aus war. Das Personal an der Rezeption war sehr effizient und die Portiere waren sehr nett und hilfsbereit mit dem Gepäck und beim Rufen von Taxis. Die Lage ist exzellent, gleich neben der Oper. Zum Markt geht man 10 Minuten zu Fuß und in die andere Richtung sind es auch nur 10 Minuten zum War Remnants Museum.
Perfekte Lage
from judz
Wir waren von dem Moment an als wir unser Zimmer betraten vom Hotel begeistert. Vier Fenster und Fenstertüren zum Balkon haben dem Zimmer eine luftige Atmosphäre verliehen. Uns wurde vorher gesagt, dass es sich nur um ein 3-Sterne-Hotel handelt, aber wir fanden es viel besser als das Rex, das 4 Sterne hat. Die Zimmer im Continental waren viel geräumiger und schöner. Okay, der Rezeptionsbereich war nicht gerade prachtvoll, aber ich glaube, dass das Zimmer wichtiger ist. Der im Freien liegende Innenhof war fantastisch und das Frühstück hatte alles, was man sich wünschen konnte. Die Lage ist großartig - man kann zum Fluss und den Bin-Tanh-Märkten laufen. Auch Geschäfte sind nicht weit. Ich war vom Hotel sehr beeindruckt.
Great location
from nan'saway
Well the Continental served it's purpose....a place to shower and sleep!!
The decor of the rooms is very old fashioned; ornately carved chairs, shiny satin bedspreads....not that that matters really. There is a list on the table that states the cost of just about everything in the room if you would like to "buy" it, including the cushions, bedspreads, chairs etc. Very funny! They must have had trouble with people pilfering stuff in the past!!
We didn't have hot water one day and on calling housekeeping a woman arrived with a thermos flask!!! After explaining and showing her the problem, a man with a ladder came into our bathroom followed by another man and the original lady. Much loud talking and arguing ensued! They left ten minutes later nodding to us that everything was working now. So we would have to say the service was good!! Although not a noisy hotel, late night revellers coming home could be heard clearly from the corridors.
The hotel reminded us of a large old fashioned hospital...there was even a windowed office on each level that looked like a triage!!! The breakfasts were fine although they were often a little slow replacing cutlery or plates that had run out.
The staff on reception were efficient and the door men were lovely and very helpful with luggage and taxis etc.
The location is excellent. Right next door to the Opera House. 10 minute walk to the market and ten minutes in the other direction to the War Remnants Museum.
The decor of the rooms is very old fashioned; ornately carved chairs, shiny satin bedspreads....not that that matters really. There is a list on the table that states the cost of just about everything in the room if you would like to "buy" it, including the cushions, bedspreads, chairs etc. Very funny! They must have had trouble with people pilfering stuff in the past!!
We didn't have hot water one day and on calling housekeeping a woman arrived with a thermos flask!!! After explaining and showing her the problem, a man with a ladder came into our bathroom followed by another man and the original lady. Much loud talking and arguing ensued! They left ten minutes later nodding to us that everything was working now. So we would have to say the service was good!! Although not a noisy hotel, late night revellers coming home could be heard clearly from the corridors.
The hotel reminded us of a large old fashioned hospital...there was even a windowed office on each level that looked like a triage!!! The breakfasts were fine although they were often a little slow replacing cutlery or plates that had run out.
The staff on reception were efficient and the door men were lovely and very helpful with luggage and taxis etc.
The location is excellent. Right next door to the Opera House. 10 minute walk to the market and ten minutes in the other direction to the War Remnants Museum.
Perfect location.
from judz
We loved this hotel from the moment we walked into our very spacious room...4 windows and french doors opening onto a balcony gave it a very airy feeling..we had been told that this was only a 3 star hotel but found it much superior to the Rex which is classed as 4 star...the rooms in the Continental are far more spacious and it just has a nice feel to it.. Ok the reception area isn't as grand but I think a nice room is more important.
The outside courtyard is fantastic and the breakfast is all you could possibly wish for. The location is great- within walking distance of the river and the Bin Tanh markets.
Shopping at your doorstep..I was really impressed with this hotel.
The outside courtyard is fantastic and the breakfast is all you could possibly wish for. The location is great- within walking distance of the river and the Bin Tanh markets.
Shopping at your doorstep..I was really impressed with this hotel.
Lovely historical place, well situated
from jpver
- The hotel shows the nostalgy of the old days. They tried to keep it it as best as possible, although the business center behind glass windows on the right hand side is somewhat anacronic.
- You have to see the hotel as a big rectacular pattern, with in the middle a smaller recangular patio. If you are lucky to have you room on the inner side, it gives you a peacefull sight, with some flowers and trees and you are not disturbed by the noise of the traffic in the streets. Pity that a lot of electrical cables above harm a little the site.
Public places are clean, the reception is in "old" style. French and English newspapers are at guests disposal in the entrance hall.
- rooms are clean, and maintenace is good.
- the bathroom, although renewed could be done with better style. Everthing is ok except the wash bassin style (rather cheap) and a plastic Allibert cupboard above it! Perhaps they estimate that Allibert is a major brand for these things, but still, it misses class.
- the minibar is as usual expensive compared to the supermarket prices in the area. Note that a small sticker of the hotel on each of the tins, avoid that you replace it by another one. So, don't mix them up if you put your own stuff!
- television is not the ultimate one, but standard channels such as TV5(French) and CNN available.
- the room maid have the habit (or instruction) to have the Airco working less during the day. Each time temp. was set up by them at 25 C° , while I programmed 20 C°
- WAKE UP calls. Well it simply does NOT work at all. You ask for 06 h 45 and it can be at 7 h 20, not at all, or even at 5 h in the morning, or at any time.- -- the business center did work honnestly for faxes, reconfirmation of flights etc.
- the little tiny boutique (calll it a shop) has not too much choice, except the old fashion postcards of the hotel in its earlier days.
- The hotel is nearly an historic landmark. Build in 1880 it was in the past a well known hotel at the same level of the Raffles in Singapore of the Peninsula in HK. It was confiscated by the new government in 1975 with the Vietnam defeat. Went down, but was restored upon the opening of Vietnam to the west.
-Very well situated in the centre of Saigon, next to the opera house. Completely renewed in 1998.
- You have to see the hotel as a big rectacular pattern, with in the middle a smaller recangular patio. If you are lucky to have you room on the inner side, it gives you a peacefull sight, with some flowers and trees and you are not disturbed by the noise of the traffic in the streets. Pity that a lot of electrical cables above harm a little the site.
Public places are clean, the reception is in "old" style. French and English newspapers are at guests disposal in the entrance hall.
- rooms are clean, and maintenace is good.
- the bathroom, although renewed could be done with better style. Everthing is ok except the wash bassin style (rather cheap) and a plastic Allibert cupboard above it! Perhaps they estimate that Allibert is a major brand for these things, but still, it misses class.
- the minibar is as usual expensive compared to the supermarket prices in the area. Note that a small sticker of the hotel on each of the tins, avoid that you replace it by another one. So, don't mix them up if you put your own stuff!
- television is not the ultimate one, but standard channels such as TV5(French) and CNN available.
- the room maid have the habit (or instruction) to have the Airco working less during the day. Each time temp. was set up by them at 25 C° , while I programmed 20 C°
- WAKE UP calls. Well it simply does NOT work at all. You ask for 06 h 45 and it can be at 7 h 20, not at all, or even at 5 h in the morning, or at any time.- -- the business center did work honnestly for faxes, reconfirmation of flights etc.
- the little tiny boutique (calll it a shop) has not too much choice, except the old fashion postcards of the hotel in its earlier days.
- The hotel is nearly an historic landmark. Build in 1880 it was in the past a well known hotel at the same level of the Raffles in Singapore of the Peninsula in HK. It was confiscated by the new government in 1975 with the Vietnam defeat. Went down, but was restored upon the opening of Vietnam to the west.
-Very well situated in the centre of Saigon, next to the opera house. Completely renewed in 1998.
The Good and the Bad of Vietnam
from A TripAdvisor Member
While the rooms were lovely and the hotel had a lot of atmosphere there were a couple of problems. One is that a bar somewhere close, could be the hotel's own nightclub, had loud music with that annoying bass thumping that went on until midnight each night we were there. We didn't complain as we were too tired and the incessant honking from outside would have been another noise to contend with, so we weren't getting any quiet.
The other more disturbing thing was a massage that we had signed up for. We have traveled over much of asia and have had massages in China, and Thailand, but this is the first one where my husband was offered "special services", which he declined. We signed up at the hotel's massage spa, thinking it was a legitimate spa. The first woman who gave a massage to me had absolutely no training and proceeded to verbally assault me by screaming to me to take off all of my clothes(in vietnamese) I'm American and I don't understand the language, and in my country we are allowed to wear our underwear and slip privately under a sheet while getting a massage. She then started kneading me and whacking me and doing such a terrible job I couldn't stand it and insisted that she quit. The receptionist tried to talk me into staying and I told her how the girl yelled at me and that when I signed up for a massage I had hoped to have a relaxing time and not feel assaulted. She then offered another girl, who had no technique and wasn't much better, but at least she didn't yell at me. I'm surprised that a Hotel as venerated and part of Saigon's history as the Continental runs such a shoddy business our of their hotel, and I wanted to let people know that if they are in for that kind of stuff, fine, but if you want a relaxing massage done by a trained massuese, skip it and wait till you get back to the states.
The other more disturbing thing was a massage that we had signed up for. We have traveled over much of asia and have had massages in China, and Thailand, but this is the first one where my husband was offered "special services", which he declined. We signed up at the hotel's massage spa, thinking it was a legitimate spa. The first woman who gave a massage to me had absolutely no training and proceeded to verbally assault me by screaming to me to take off all of my clothes(in vietnamese) I'm American and I don't understand the language, and in my country we are allowed to wear our underwear and slip privately under a sheet while getting a massage. She then started kneading me and whacking me and doing such a terrible job I couldn't stand it and insisted that she quit. The receptionist tried to talk me into staying and I told her how the girl yelled at me and that when I signed up for a massage I had hoped to have a relaxing time and not feel assaulted. She then offered another girl, who had no technique and wasn't much better, but at least she didn't yell at me. I'm surprised that a Hotel as venerated and part of Saigon's history as the Continental runs such a shoddy business our of their hotel, and I wanted to let people know that if they are in for that kind of stuff, fine, but if you want a relaxing massage done by a trained massuese, skip it and wait till you get back to the states.
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