Riverside Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City - Hotel Review

Three word summary: Charming, Colonial, Central

It doesn’t take long to get a feel for a city and I knew within a few hours of landing at Tan Son Nhat International Airport that I was really going to enjoy Ho Chi Minh City.

Ho Chi Minh, also known by its old name Saigon, is a modern, buzzing and eclectic city. There are massive Western style shopping malls, restaurants to cater for all cuisines, and waves of motorbikes gushing through every street. Yet despite this bustling exterior, Ho Chi Minh retains its Vietnamese traditions with street food stalls, hidden temples and, of course, a popular coffee culture.

We wanted to stay in the centre of it and so for the five days we were in the city we stayed at the three star Riverside Hotel in District 1.

Location

Riverside Hotel is located in District 1, which is the commercial hub of Ho Chi Minh City and is also close to all the key tourist attractions. The hotel itself overlooks Saigon River, offering spectacular views from the rooftop both day and night. It is also surrounded by cafes, restaurants and bars and we were spoilt for choice when it came to deciding where to eat.

Hotel transfers

Riverside Hotel is able to organise transfers to and from the hotel for guests. The hotel is a 20min drive from the airport and is also fairly easy to reach by taxi too, though beware of rush hour traffic as this can add lots of time to your journey.

Style and Character

Although there are many business and commercial hotels situated in this area of Ho Chi Minh, we opted to stay at Riverside Hotel primarily for its personal touch. Housed and styled in a classic French colonial style building, the hotel harks back to this with its vintage decor and furniture throughout.

In fact, from the moment you enter the hotel, the style and character of it makes you feel like you’ve been transported back to the French colonial era. Additionally the friendly staff at reception are always there to help and are able to offer advice and suggestions on a variety of things during your trip, or to just lend you an umbrella to protect against the heat!

Rooms

Riverside Hotel has 51 rooms including a range of suites. We stayed in two different rooms during our time here, the Double Suite and the Family Suite, the latter is located on the top floor with a balcony that has stunning views across Saigon River.

All rooms are furnished in keeping with the rest of the hotel and feature vintage styled dark wooden furnishing, hardwood flooring, and large beds with elegant headboards.

Shower and Bath

Both the rooms we stayed in had large bathrooms and the Family Suite also had an additional ensuite bathroom. There is a standard shower and bath and all rooms supplied complimentary toiletries, slippers and a hairdryer.

Mini bar and tea making facilities

There is a mini-bar in each room and well as a kettle with tea, coffee and powdered milk which is replenished everyday. They also provide complimentary water bottles on a daily basis.

Bed and sleep quality

The beds are Riverside Hotel are large and immensely comfortable, resulting in a very enjoyable night’s sleep. Despite the number of rooms, the hotel itself is quiet and you can barely hear anything outside your door. The traffic outside the hotel isn’t loud enough to disturb guests which was a relief! Conversely, the view in the evening of the twinkling lights over Saigon River is very peaceful and calming.

Breakfast and meals

Breakfast is served in the hotel’s restaurant, Café De Saigon, and is a buffet set-up. There is an omelette and noodle station where these can be freshly made for you. There is also a selection of hot food, breads and fruits, as well as tea, good coffee and fruit juices.

We also dined at Café De Saigon for dinner during our stay and sampled their Italian menu. We ordered the freshly made vegetarian pizza and penne paste dish as well as a delicious tiramisu dessert. Café De Saigon also have a great collection of cakes which diners can order from the counter in which they are displayed. We ordered a decadent opera cake and 2 warming cappuccinos to end our meal.

The restaurant is open all day after breakfast and is a good alternative for anyone who doesn’t want to leave the hotel for a meal, or just wants to enjoy a delicious coffee and cake, or just a light meal.

Service and Hospitality

A highlight of our stay at Riverside Hotel was the hospitality of the staff. Everyone we met was friendly and willing to help.

There is also a 24 hour front desk and a concierge who can arrange taxis for you.

Facilities and Activities

As well as Café De Saigon restaurant, Riverside Hotel also has a Sauna where guests can enjoy also deep tissue massages.

There is a large conference space within the hotel and a tour desk by the entrance who can assist with arranging tours and transfers in the area.

Value for money

For travellers looking for an old school charm Riverside Hotel is ideal, as although it may not be the most modern hotel out of others in the area, it excels in service and hospitality and delivers all the essentials of a hotel.

Overall

We really enjoyed our stay at Riverside Hotel as it offered everything we were looking for from a hotel in the centre of a busy city.

The location is absolutely perfect for both business travelers and holiday makers, as we were able to walk to all the key tourist sights including Nguyen Walking street, the Opera House and the Saigon Post Office. Add to this the riverside location and you have an ideal hotel in the best location in Ho Chi Minh City.