Ruby River Hotel

We truly enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere and the generosity of both the hotel staff and its ownership. Since we were traveling for an extended period, the complimentary washer and dryer were absolute lifesavers. We felt completely at home, thanks to the thoughtful touches — drinks, snacks, and excellent breakfasts each morning. The location is perfect, conveniently close to the Bến Thành District. We were especially impressed by how attentive and responsive the staff were, replying immediately to any questions or concerns via WhatsApp. A special thank-you to Tony, who was incredibly attentive — when we had a minor issue in the room, it was corrected immediately. We were also very grateful to Snow (Tuyết) for her exceptional care and kindness; she is truly a wonderful asset to the property. Trâm (so warm), Tina, and Emma were all extremely friendly, helpful, and courteous as well. It’s clear that the owners and management genuinely care about their hotel, and it shows in every detail.

Location is near enough to markets, plenty of cafes around; family room is very good value with plenty of space. The Fine Arts Museum is right across the street, with a very nice cafe inside. Every room has a hammock or swing; ours had a hammock with views to the city below and they provide an easel and paper for budding artists to sketch on. Very good way to occupy kids when you need to pack or wind them down before bedtime. The staff are very helpful with decent command of English, explaining professionally all the amenities and necessary details. Amenities are included, including laundry facilities. This includes the dining area on the 9th floor with tea, coffee and nominal snacks to enjoy the view with. Breakfast for our room package was to-order, but free flow. Portions relatively well-sized; so order with discretion. Every day there is Set A,B or C, with A&B being cycled between Vietnamese noodle dishes and C being the staple western fare of eggs, bread & small salad. I find this a good way to introduce guests to Vietnamese food, if one were wary of street food, at least you could say that you HAD tried Pho. 😅 I really liked that every set included a small portion of juice & yoghurt, and they have obviously put some thought in their meal setup as they serve Vietnamese drip coffee, not the typical server’s coffee jug. One surprising issue we had was our van drivers did not want to drive in to the front of the hotel, citing the narrow street. So we were offloaded at a street around the corner and had to walk our luggage to the hotel. Something to think about if you have a big group using a larger sized transport van. I am guessing a smaller car or 7-seater would happily drop you off at the door.

We really liked this hotel and would stay again if we are in Saigon! We appreciated the complimentary snacks and drinks and the rooftop area was nice alternative to being stuck in our room when we wanted to take a break from the city. Some cons: - although the room seemed clean and I have no complaints, we did find a massive dead cockaroach in the hallway. I felt very uncomforable after that because I was worried there may be some in the room as well. - the staff is very unattentive. They rarely acknowledged us when we entered the lobby and sometimes seemed bothered when we asked for help. We felt that the employee who checked us in was bothered that he was distrupted by our late check-in. Nothing was explained to us about where anything was or how things worked. At one point we did need help from local to figure out an issue. Although they attempted to make a call for us, they did not offer more help that. - they advertise a fitness center but it doesn’t seem to be shown in the photos and we did not see it anywhere. Not sure there actually is one. - it is a little more run down than the photos. But still fine! All that being said, we did enjoy our stay here and would recommend.