Rex Hotel****
Our brief comments:
The Rex has one of the best locations in Ho Chi Minh City, next door to the French Colonial City Hall (now the People's Committee offices), and a short distance from the famous Ben Thanh Market, the historical Opera House and Notre Dame cathedral.
The hotel has a chequered history - it began life as a large French garage, was expanded by the Vietnamese, and then used by the United States Information Agency (and some say the CIA) from 1962 to 1970. After liberation, the building was transformed into an atmospheric state-run historic hotel, a regular hangout for U.S. officials and journalists during the American War and the setting for the daily U.S. military attaché's press briefing. In 1990, it underwent a massive renovation.
At present, a major expansion is underway to turn it into a five-star hotel. The cost will approach $20m US, and the project will be completed in 2006. It appears that the work is mainly additions to the building - another 73 rooms, a department store, a recreational area, 800-seat conference hall and so on. Unfortunately, recent feedback indicates that the renovation is causing problems for guests.
All information and comments following describe the hotel as it was during our last full inspection in November, 2002.
Despite its historic past and period architecture, the Rex is very much a Vietnamese hotel. The 227 rooms are large, with balconies and rattan detailing on the ceilings, headboards, mirrors and so on.
Some of the suites go even further - beaded curtains, Christmas lights over the bathroom mirrors and garish combinations of scarlet and gold in the decor, slightly reminiscent of the Victorian penchant for clutter and ornamentation. This style, apparently modelled on ancient royal courts, is far closer to Vietnamese and Chinese authenticity than hotels that emphasise the French colonial genre. However, it may be a bit much for non-Asian visitors.
Beds and pillows are firm and fat, and there are good views from some balconies. Each Suite has a fax machine, and the Executive Suites are equipped with a private gym and sauna room. Although not listed below, there's also 50m2 'Apartment' rooms, spacious enough to accommodate a family with 2 children.
The Rex Royal Court restaurant offers Vietnamese specialities from Hanoi, Hue, and Saigon itself - the dining room is a riot of colour and Vietnamese decorative motifs. The Hoa Mai restaurant is more restrained and serves Vietnamese, French and Chinese dishes, and there's a 'Teppan Yaki' Japanese dining room on the fifth floor.
The showpiece 'Rooftop Garden, has good views, a collection of rare bonsai, ornamental fishes and singing birds. It provides Vietnamese, Chinese, French, Japanese dishes as well as outdoor barbeque, fresh seafood and a wide range of cocktails.
The pool is small, tucked away in a courtyard, and there's a rooftop tennis court as well as a fully-equipped fitness centre.
The Rex is an idiosyncratic hotel. Some of our customers rate it highly and praise the service and ambiance, while a few find it gloomy and depressing. If you're more used to conventional international establishments, you may fall into the later category, but if you're prepared to put preconceptions on one side, it might be an ideal choice.
(Last inspected in November, 2002)
Room facilities (?= awaiting updated information from the hotel):
Room Categories |
Superior |
Deluxe |
Super Suite |
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| Number of rooms |
35 |
121 |
14 |
2 |
Air-conditioner |
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Satellite television |
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Bath or shower only |
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Bath with shower |
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| Bath + separate shower |
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Personal safety box |
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Coffee and tea facilities |
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| Laptop connection |
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| Free broadband access |
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Extra bed available? |
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Child's cot available? |
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Room size (m2) |
25 |
32 |
43 |
98 |
View |
city |
city |
city |
city |
Additional room facilities: magazines, newspaper
Hotel facilities:
Outdoor pool |
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Non-smoking floor(s) |
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Pool bar |
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Non-smoking rooms only |
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Fitness/health centre |
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Vietnamese/Asian restaurant |
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Sauna |
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International restaurant |
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Massage |
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Patisserie/coffee shop/cafe |
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Jacuzzi (suite only) |
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Business centre |
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Additional hotel facilities: shoe shine, tennis court
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