Earlier this month I stayed at the Park Hyatt Saigon hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. I stayed at this hotel already 5 years ago but that was a very short, one night visit. I always wanted to come back to stay longer to really enjoy this amazing hotel. Please read my review of the Park Hyatt Saigon and learn whether it was worth it coming back.
History
Although it isn’t stated anywhere, the Park Hyatt Saigon must have taken its inspiration from the famous Metropole hotel in Hanoi. The Metropole Hanoi opened in 1901 by 2 French investors at the time when the French ruled Indochina. The metropole is truly an original French Colonial Building restored to perfection.
When I first visited the Park Hyatt, I was under the impression that the Park Hyatt originated from that same period, around the turn of the 20th century. But I couldn’t be more wrong. The Park Hyatt building in its current shape and with its French Colonial architecture opened in 2005! It doesn’t mean the history of the building is less interesting though.
The history dates back to 1950 when it was first build as The Brink Hotel. The Brink hotel was the hotel where the US military Generals and Officers stayed during the Vietnam War. One famous guest during this period was Adrian Cronauer, who was made famous by the movie ‘Good Morning Vietnam’. His radio transmissions were broadcasted from The Brink Hotel.
The Brinks Hotel was bombed on the evening of December 24, 1964 via a car bomb underneath the hotel. The facility was repaired and American officers continued to stay there until 1975. 30 years later it re-opened as the Park Hyatt with the complete new French Colonial architecture.
French art de vivre blended with Vietnamese touches
So the Park Hyatt isn’t an original French Colonial Building such as The Metropole in Hanoi, but for sure they made an effort making it look like that, from the outside as well as the inside. In that sense, it’s not your traditional, understated, luxury Park Hyatt hotel. There is nothing understated about the interior design, but with the Vietnamese art blended in, it’s jaw dropping. Again, reminding me of the Metropole in Hanoi. In fact, the quote ‘french art de vivre blended with Vietnamese touches’ I borrowed from the website of the Metropole since it also fits so well with the Park Hyatt Saigon.
During this stay I booked a room with points and used a suite upgrade voucher. Please read my blog on whether it makes sense to purchase points instead of paying the cash rate for a Hyatt hotel stay.
The Park Suite is accommodated with all the items you would expect in a Park Hyatt Suite. But the room doesn’t have the wow-factor of the lobby area of the hotel. It just doesn’t look that special in my opinion. However, I did appreciate the complimentary dried fruits and bottle of red – of course French – wine.
The Pastry Boutique
The Pastry Boutique in the hotel deserves a special notion. Besides delicious macarons, they have amazing cakes on display; true pieces of art. You must be very fortunate getting a surprise cake from the Park Hyatt Pastry!
The Park Lounge & Opera
One of the nicest places to hang out is the Park Lounge. A great spot to absorb the interior design of the hotel, observe the guests visiting the hotel, and enjoy a drink.
The Opera is an Italian restaurant but upon request they also serve the dishes which can be ordered in the Park Lounge. I visited the Opera one evening and thought the food was OK but not outstanding.
Breakfast is also served at the Opera. There is a buffet as well as an a-la-carte selection. Presentation of the food is excellent, and even though everything looks fantastic, I’ve seen better breakfast selections. In fact, a few weeks before my stay at the Park Hyatt Saigon, I stayed at the Landmark 81 hotel in Saigon. A completely different kind of hotel, but the breakfast at the Landmark 81 was better in my opinion!
Other notable mentions
The location of the hotel is fantastic; right in the middle of the center, next to the Opera building and a lot of good Vietnamese restaurants within walking distance. I can recommend Hoa Tuc across the street! The hotel also has a swimming pool which is great to cool down from the hot city life.
Besides the Opera and the Park Lounge, there is also a more formal restaurant; Square One, which serves French-Vietname food. I didn’t visit this restaurant.
Conclusion
So did I enjoy my stay at the Park Hyatt Saigon, after coming back after all these years? Well, I certainly enjoyed my time at the Park Hyatt, mainly because it’s such a comfortable place in the middle of a hot, hectic city. You’re steps away from good restaurants, museums, and exciting city life. The French interior design with Vietnamese art blended in, looks fantastic especially in the lobby area. The presentation of the food in the restaurants, and especially in the Pastry, looks amazing but I would recommend to also go outside and visit the Vietnamese restaurants which are all very close by. These restaurants won’t be able to beat the presentation, but they will likely be able to beat the taste and certainly the price!
Leave a Reply