Royal International

This stay completely redefined my understanding of how low hotel standards can go. The timeline is very clear: from last night to noon today, I stayed entirely inside the hotel. I had breakfast at the hotel restaurant and returned to my room to rest. Before that, my arm was completely normal. Shortly after, I developed multiple swollen, clustered bite-like marks. A medical report later confirmed these as insect bites, not consistent with a typical allergic reaction. The issue is not just the bites, but how the hotel handled it. When I reported it, the staff did not attempt any meaningful inspection. Instead, they repeatedly insisted it must be caused by “weather” or “food,” without providing any evidence. Apparently, as long as it’s not their responsibility, any explanation will do. What makes this even more absurd is that throughout the entire timeline, I never left the hotel — even the food I consumed was provided by the hotel itself. Yet this basic fact was completely ignored, and their explanations remained logically inconsistent, reduced to little more than persistent denial. Eventually, they allowed us to re-check the room — except by then, it had already been cleaned and the bed sheets replaced. In other words, the scene was no longer intact at the most critical moment. And here comes the most “impressive” part: the staff suggested we smell the bed sheets to confirm cleanliness. Yes — smell. I didn’t realize hygiene standards were now based on scent. As if that wasn’t enough, the environment itself was another experience. From around 6:30 PM until 2:00 AM, loud music from nearby beach bars was constant, accompanied by strong lighting. The balcony doors were literally vibrating. Sleeping was… ambitious. To be fair, issues like insects may happen anywhere. But how a hotel responds is what defines it. Here, it felt less like problem-solving and more like problem-denying. I have retained full evidence, including photos, audio recordings, and medical documentation, and will continue to follow up through appropriate channels. For future guests: check your bedding carefully, and document everything immediately — because apparently, “the scene” may not stay available for long.

Halong is a beautiful beach town. The hotel is located a few blocks from the water and the rooms over look an amphitheater. While the windows at the restaurant, which is high end, are sound proof, the windows at the rooms are not soundproof and the amphitheater is a very lively place late into the night. This really is a exceptional hotel. I wish we had more time to spend here. Breakfast is served on the top floor of the hotel. The restaurant is beautiful and the food is great.

Location and food impeccable and I loved the view. You can get a taxi or grab in front of the hotel and it’s 3 min drive to cable car that will take you to the top of the hill overlooking the entire bay. The room was big and spacious and you get the view.