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Rex Hotel

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  • 141 Nguyen Hue Street
     Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 70000
    +84-8-8293115
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Desiree Koh
Desiree Koh
First Reviewer
4 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
6
Reviews
8
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Editor Pick

Rex Hotel

  • September 28, 2008
  • Rated 4 of 5 by onesundaymorning from Los Angeles, California
Rex Hotel

Dong Khoi is the central hub of Ho Chi Minh home to boutiques, the Notre Dame Cathedral, at famous Rex Hotel. Built in the 50's by the French it became the home base for the US military during the war and many journalists. Walking into the Rex is like stepping into another era. Elegance and luxury are combined with what I can only begin to describe as safari via the 1930's (thing large tusks). My experience at the Rex was in three areas: massages, the roof top bar, and the cafe. Anyone is welcome into the hotel regardless if they are staying there or not.
The cafe on the bottom level is a great place to cool off. The room is large with ceiling fans slowly turning. I had a hard time not being swept up in the feel of being a war time journalist, as my friends and I sat around and talked about what we did in Vietnam, laughed over stories of our adventures only days earlier in China, and planned for our next few days in Thailand, all of the time watching a flat screen TV that was showing pictures of a uprising in Beijing just the day before. The ice cream here was a great treat and enough of a reason to bring us back three or four times.
The Roof Top Bar can not be missed. The music is a bit hokey, their was a mariachi band playing. But at night the lights that are strung around the roof give a romantic feel to the bar, and the cool breeze is a wonderful break from the hot days. The food wasn't memorable, but the spring rolls were to die for (I found this true anywhere I went in Saigon
What first drew me to the Rex was the massages. On the top floor of the hotel, all the way in the back is a small "salon". Just ask downstairs and anyone at the desk will point the way. My one suggestion is to have a girl ask for directions, after all the "salon" is known for it's Happy Ending, if you catch my drift. Once upstairs you must wait outside until a chair is ready, but the views are worth the wait. Large parts of the city can be seen from here. Once inside I got a massage, pedicure, and manicure for under $10 plus tip (this is what the girls live off of). I sat next to my friend Shawn who was enjoying the massage and pedicure more then he would admit when my friend Mike came out of one of the back rooms. He was looking whiter then usual and very jittery. When he saw me he immediately ran over and stood next to me looking around for his friend Christina. A few minutes later Christina came out of another room, he grabbed her an ran. Later that night I caught up with Mike to ask him what happened. He explained that he was taken into a back room (I didn't even know that they existed until he told me) for a massage that turned out to be full body. When the massage came to an end the girl asked if he would like a "happy ending." Mike said no, but she didn't take that as an answer and proceeded on. That's when he jumped up and ran out of the room and found me outside. After hearing his story I had a hard time going back to the Rex for a massage.

From journal Vietnam...It's a Country Not a War

"Rex Hotel, Saigon"

  • January 31, 2007
  • Rated 4 of 5 by a traveler from Travelocity.com
"Good 'value for money' hotel. Staff extremely pleasant and friendly and helpful. Excellent buffet breakfast at the Rooftop Restaurant included in the price of the room. Hotel room basic, but clean and functional. Good air conditioning."

Rex Hotel

  • September 10, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Eric from Aiea from San Jose, California
Rex Hotel

At close to $70 a night for an online reservation, the Hotel Rex is on the high end. It would have been a lower rate had I stopped by the travel agents of vietnamtourist.com.

I had seen a lot of reviews in regards to all the construction around the Rex, but I had a room were it did not bother me. I stayed 2 nights last year in the Rex, and loved the roof top garden and pool and the view up there of Nguyen Hue at night. I also liked the massive breakfast spread that they offer, which is about as good as it gets! You also get an hour of complimentary online time at the hotel coffee shop. This year I stayed a few more nights at the Rex while visiting friends in Saigon. The room was not large but was comfortable enough. The room safe did not work, and after a comedy of errors for an hour with the floor staff it was replaced.

What I really like most about the Rex is the staff, and that is the reason why I will stay there again. A good hotel becomes a great one by the actions of the hotel staff in taking care of guests. Hospitality is the name of the game at the Rex, and from the doormen to the girls that greet you to the desk clerks, this is a top notch friendly hotel. From helping me with my room to helping me get around the city, everyone there was positive and greatly helpful. I especially was grateful for all the assistance and help from Ms Nguyet, Ms Yen, Ms Vy and Ms Mi. Make sure you ask Nguyet where the best places to get ice cream are, and she will point you in the right direction!

From journal Saigon in August

Rex Hotel

  • September 16, 2005
  • Rated 4 of 5 by jl32 from Chicago, Illinois
The Rex gets a lot of attention because it's one of a few Vietnamese-owned four-star hotels. HCMC has plenty of four- and even five-star hotels, but most, like the Sheraton and the new Park Hyatt, are owned by big Western companies. It's a Saigon staple for its great location near the old French-style City Hall, and of course, its campy-kitsch bar, with neon lights, bonsai trees, and no shortage of gold and elephants. Yes, elephants. Indeed, the Rex's bar is the hight of bad taste done so well it's comfortable. The rest of the hotel is pleasantly tacky and seems to never take itself too seriously.

From journal Hectic Ho Chi Minh City

Editor Pick

Rex Hotel

  • June 19, 2005
  • Rated 3 of 5 by Ian75 from Santa Rita, Guam
Rex Hotel

The Rex was a decent place to stay, and the room rates are reasonable by Western standards (US$54/night, booked through an agent). Mention to any Vietnamese that you are staying there, however, and you will invariably get a rolling of the eyes and a disapproving speech about how expensive the place is. If that person also happens to be a cyclo, taxi, or moto driver, you will see dollar signs light up in their eyes. Although the hotel was not exceptional, it seems to have something of a highbrow reputation among the locals. After a while, I felt almost embarrassed to tell people that I was staying there.

Although I really should have known better, I still half expected the Rex to be a throwback to my conceptions of pre-1975 Vietnam, complete with gentlemen in linen suits and Edith Piaf playing in the background. These days, you won’t find Graham Greene or any international correspondent penning their next story at the famed rooftop bar. You will find perhaps the most expensive bottle of Tiger beer in Ho Chi Minh City and enough ABBA and Donna Summer to make you wish you’d remembered to pack your white polyester bell-bottoms. You can’t beat the view, though, and a trip to the bar is worth it, even if you’re not staying at the Rex.

From journal Nickel and Dimed in the Heart of Darkness

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