Novotel Saigon Centre****

Our brief comments:
In a sleek new 20 storey tower located walking distance from Notre Dame Cathedral and the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, the Novotel Saigon Centre opened its 247 rooms in mid 2012.

The lobby is roomy and efficient, and like the rooms themselves, somehow manages to effortlessly combine a wood-grain theme with clear glass and spotless white, modern ergonomic design. Your father’s station wagon never looked so good!

The rooms are well-appointed, although apart from the suites, none of them are particularly large. Decorative effects are tasteful and unobtrusive. Glazed windows keep city noise outside the room and the flat screen TVs come with laptop connection ports. Switch-activated privacy glass separates the bathrooms, which feature high quality toiletries and square basins with illuminated mirrors.

The Executive rooms, while similar in size to Superior and Deluxe, come with benefits like VIP check in, complimentary buffet breakfast, afternoon tea & coffee, evening cocktails, business services and premier executive lounge access.

Executive Suites provide about twice the space of other rooms, including a living room, a meeting room accommodating up to six people, and two bathrooms. All Executive level rooms also feature a working desk integrated with the laptop-ready flat screen TV.

In Balance Spa on the 4th floor has limited space, but is quite welcoming with warm accents and wood floors. The fitness centre, on the same floor, has an impressive range of machines. On the 3rd floor, the semi-outdoor pool is a delight and has a designated area for kids’ activities near the children’s pool.

The Square restaurant serves Asian and Western cuisine all day from an open plan kitchen on the 2nd floor in an atmosphere of clean, modern design. A Kids Corner is provided for young customers, perfectly tucked away around the corner from the main dining area.

Bar 167 Faubourg serves coffees, drinks and snacks, either at the bar next to the lobby or on the outdoor terrace. The 19th floor Premier Executive Lounge, featuring a panoramic view of Saigon, offers a private breakfast buffet, all day refreshments and meeting room space exclusively for Executive level guests. Plans are now underway for a 20th floor rooftop bar.

The Novotel, still with the shine of a newly opened facility, offers thoughtfully designed accommodation and facilities along with solid, professional service. All indications so far suggest that, even as the shine wears off, the Novotel will continue to be a very strong option.

Room facilities:

Room Categories	Superior	Deluxe	Executive	Executive Suite
Number of rooms	169	10	59	9
Room position (floors)	5th-15th	5th-10th	9th-16th	9th-16th
Room size (m2)	27	32	27-32	61
Bed arrangement	71 twin / 98 king	King	8 twin / 51 king	King
Window
Balcony
View (City)
Extra bed
Baby cot
Air-conditioner
Cable television
Personal safety box
Wifi (free)
Cable Internet connection
Laptop/Internet TV
Bathtub/shower	Shower	Shower	Shower	Shower + separate bathtub
Floor	Carpet	Carpet	Carpet	Carpet
Extra Services			MP3 dock, DVD player, ironing board, free local calls	Living room w/ sofa, meeting room, separate guest restroom, MP3 dock, DVD player, ironing board, free local calls

Additional room facilities: IDD telephone, minibar, hair dryer, coffee & tea facilities, complimentary water, welcome drink, connecting rooms available (Executive – Superior).

Hotel facilities:

Pool (semi-outdoor)		Non-smoking floor(s)
Pool bar		Non-smoking rooms only
Children’s pool		Vietnamese/Asian restaurant
Fitness/health centre		International restaurant
Sauna		Patisserie/coffee shop/cafe
Massage		Business centre
Jacuzzi		Accessible for the disabled

Additional hotel facilities: Private indoor parking, airport transfers, full access for disabled in 02 rooms, MICE and special event facilities, babysitting available.