Ben Thanh Retreats Hotel

In over 30 years of travel in Asia and elsewhere I have rarely felt as ‘at home’ as I did at Ben Thanh Retreats. From the moment we arrived and were allowed to check-in early to the moment we left we were always greeted with a smile, and a chat. A small hotel in a quaint lane where locals live, have shops and a small morning market, being away from a busy street, this hotel is the perfect quiet getaway for visitors to Ho Chi Minh. Clean, very well-kept rooms with en-suite bathorooms, a refrigerator and all-important airconditioner for those not used to the heat of Southeast Asia combine to make a wonderful place to wake up, and a wonderful destination at the end of a day discovering the city. However, it is the people at the hotel that make it special. The family and staff running Ben Thanh Retreats go out of their way to help, be it offering help with tours to nearby attractions, getting laundry done, or trying to search for more specific information as I asked about local markets off the beaten track. Nothing is too much trouble – in English, Mandarin, and perhaps other languages too. And breakfast – simple but delicious. I still miss the fresh fruit served with a cheeky smile by the youngest family member, before the coffee and fried egg banh mi I asked for daily arrived. I stayed for a full week, and loved it all. This is a hotel I will be more than delighted to return to when I next visit this vibrant and historic city.

The best hospitality we have experienced! The family who owns this hotel is absolutely lovely and went above and beyond to make our stay perfect. From the first minute, they were trying to do everything to make us as comfortable as possible: waited for us even though our plane arrived late and we arrived later than expected to the hotel, offered a beer or water as soon as we walked in, showed us their favorite spot for Banh Mi, gave us a free upgrade on the room we booked, let us check out late so we could rest before our next flight… honestly we are still shocked at how hospitable these people have been to us. The room we stayed in was big, comfortable, and had everything we needed. The entire hotel was spotless, extremely clean. The hotel is close to everything (street food, cafes, restaurants, markets) and at the same time in a quiet street so we could sleep really well. The breakfast was really fulfilling and delicious, they even asked if we wanted any more food after we were done. This place is great value for such a good price and it made our stay in Ho Chi Minh so so much better. Thank you so much to this family for accommodating us so well and we wish nothing but success and good luck for your business!

The staff were exceptional. On arrival we were advised on good local restaurants, money changers and supermarkets and given a map showing all the best attractions. An amazing welcome!! This friendliness lasted throughout our whole stay. Our cleaner was also lovely and did a great job. The location was superb to access everything we wanted. The breakfast was simple but very nice and fresh. Even when a couple of things weren't completely satisfactory, they were rectified in the day. Being tucked away off the main road meant it was free from road noise.

Great location, walking distance to major landmarks in HCMC. Quiet neighbourhood down the alley but still need to be aware of the scooters darting about. Walk to markets and local shopping precinct via the alley. We were able to discover so much staying here and the staff were lovely. Liked the daily breakfast and convivial atmosphere plus the cook is a gem! We would stay here again as it's great value.

Overall a great little hotel tucked away in the alleys of HCMC and within easy walking distance of the city. The room was great with a nice high ceiling, good air con and fridge and safe. The breakfast was a select menu of items (I went for the omelette every morning and highly recommend) along with hot drinks and juice and fruit, I found it very filling to start my day with and enjoyed sitting out in the small courtyard eating my breakfast while watching I would just like to also thank the exceptionally helpful and friendly staff who I encountered during my staff there :)