Kimkim Trip Reviews for Vietnam

One of the best hotels we have stayed at. Authentic, super clean and comfortable, deep tub, caring and welcoming staff. We felt safe as soon as we walked through the hotel doors. The breakfast buffet was abundant! The staff was outstanding - especially Rose. Each day when we returned from an outing they would welcome us back like we were family. They were accommodating and caring as to what we had planned for the day and if we needed anything. They cared about the logistics for our travel back to the airport and confirmed details on our behalf. They ensured we have proper sun coverage during our outings to the beach, even loaning me a hand painted hat.

Outstanding. Everyone should visit here. Can't say enough good words.

Could have been cleaner. The hotel bathroom floor was dirty especially the space between the glass showe wall and hotel hallway. Really could have used a strong vacuum and carpet shampoo. The hotel pool was lovely though as well as the staff.

Our favorite!

We were not impressed with this hotel especially since we paid more for it and thought it was going to be the best hotel of our stays in Vietnam. Our room was sparsely decorated, looked like a college dormitory room. The bed was comfortable but our bathroom often smelled like urine. This may have been a drain issue. Housekeeping did refresh our room daily. The hotel grounds were lovely with some very nice restaurants. The Breakfast Buffet was excellent. The pool and beach were nice. Lounging by the pool in the breezy afternoon did feel like we were on vacation. Going back to our room dampened this feeling. The gym was nice, though small. All of the equipment I used: elliptical, bike, and rowing machine worked well. I got my best mini workout here. The spa with the croaking frogs was nice to visit in the evening - spa was closed but you could sit and listen to the frogs. My husband got a massage, during open hours, which he enjoyed.

I was very pleased with Little Oasis in Hoi An though it is a 20 to 25 minute walk to the Old Town area. The location was convenient for the tours we took. There are restaurants near by. The hotel has a lovely restaurant too. The 5th floor pool was large enough for a bit of exercise and towels were abundant. You can easily get filtered water for your room. They also welcomed us with some delicious and lovely food gifts upon arrival. Our room was very comfortable with a serene view of the garden and water buffaloes. The Breakfast Buffet offered many varieties of food for different breakfast tastes. There were bikes to use and a shuttle service into Old Town. I really missed this hotel when we moved on to Da Nang. It became a lovely temporary home. The gym was a let down. It looks impressive but most of the aerobic equipment did not work and the weight machines all worked the same muscle groups. The gym needs an elliptical machine, one that works.

Decent hotel. The Breakfast Buffet was very good. The gym is tiny but did have an elliptical machine which made me happy. It's in a very walkable area of Ho Chi Minh City. The staff was outstanding.

It was nice to take a rest from early morning starts but our last stay at Naman Retreat in Da Nang was a bit underwhelming. The room was disappointing as mentioned earlier (I kind of ragged on it). I've got to give the grounds, hotel restaurants, pool, gym, beach, and staff high praise. These parts of our stay were nice but the room was a downer. It was a real mismatch with the Retreat grounds and amenities. Our Local Specialist could not get us into two of the hotels he was arranging so we ended up paying more for Naman Retreat. Our son who by chance was in Da Nang staying at Koi Resort said his room was a lot nicer and he did not pay much due to his budget. I considered moving to a new hotel but doubted we could get our money back. We spent time at Han Market and Lotte Market. I was disappointed with Han Market after being at the Hoi An market. It was difficult to walk around due to crowds though I understand it is the market locals use. Lotte Super Market was more modern and you could buy some groceries there.

I really liked Marble Mountain - challenging climb and beautiful scenery. The cave with the open ceiling was a photo op. We got a later start than planned due to a stop at a marble carving store (which was really fun) so the heat of the day was forceful. Our Guide Vinh Bui was as wonderful as ever. He has so much knowledge to share regarding these mountains. We really enjoyed the two stops or so to catch an amazing breeze in the shade. We did not see any monkeys on Monkey Mountain but we saw Lady Buddha, impressive. It was a quicker trip but still nice.

We had issues with this tour. It was extremely chaotic and crowded. Our guide was young and inexperienced. We did not do some of the stuff mentioned in the tour description that we received from our Local Specialist. The snorkeling was short and the beach wait to go home was long. The lunch on the beach was tasty. The morning glory was delicious and I loved the sweet potato soup. We felt let down with the tour. There were so many snorkelers and scuba divers in a small area that it felt congested. The coral was nice and if we had been there with less people, it would have been more enjoyable. The coral looked healthy.

We really enjoyed the Teh Dar Show to our surprise. I thought it might be like Circus Soleil but it was so much better. It had a touch of the Lion King on Broadway along with indigenous people and drums. The acrobatics were impressive. It was done so well and lasted about an hour. I'd go see it again. The REU Restaurant was not my favorite restaurant but the food was good. They made sure to include non-meat foods for me.

I truly enjoyed this Organic Farm Tour! I attended alone since my husband was having knee problems after riding the small Vietnamese bikes the day before. He is 6 feet tall with long legs. Meeting the local farmer, having tea and sweet potato at the start, and continuing on with some conversation through my Guide, Mr. Linh, was a pleasure. I was able to garden: plow, fertilize with dried water buffalo dung, plant, and water the beautiful green plants. I think it was lettuce. I also got to sample many types of basil, mint and other herbs. It was peaceful, tranquil and educational. I would love to volunteer there if I lived in Hoi An. The bike ride to the restaurant was nice though my brakes were a bit wonky. The restaurant where I cooked my own rice pancake with mushroom was Excellent. The chef and his helpers prepared a lovely and delicious meal for me which I shared with Mr. Linh since my husband did not attend. It was one of my favorite meals in Vietnam. The basket boat ride was an adventure. The older woman who captained the boat was friendly and a very hard worker. Fun, fun, fun!!!

This was very touristy but fun. The lantern release is pretty but it was crowded. I did fall in love with Hoi An. We had an exceptional Guide who spoke very, very good English. I cringe at these words since I do not speak any 2nd language and have the nerve to compliment a foreigner's English. I'm grateful he could communicate so well. We got a lot more out of the tours with his extensive knowledge and kind, caring, thoughtful manner. Many, many Thanks to Vinh Bui. I would highly recommend him as a Guide for a stay in the Hoi An and Da Nang areas. He is from Ho Chi Minh/Saigon so he may be equipped to provide tours in other areas of Vietnam.

MeKong Delta was fun and educational. The boat ride with the coconut water (best coconut I've ever drank) and our custom bamboo straws were so enjoyable. The stop at the coconut candy making factory on the water was really fun. We got to see a glimpse of the entire candy making process. We bought some candy and had a sip of snake wine. The owners served us tea and fruit with a custom seasoned dipping salt that gave the fruit so much flavor. We sat in a lovely shaded area, just us two and our guide. It was a Great Tour! We took bikes to the restaurant which was a bit precarious due to not having good bike brakes on my bike. The bikes were a bit small for my tall husband so he could not ride for long. The restaurant food was delicious - loved the Elephant Ear Fish! We also received custom bamboo chop sticks - a nice touch! We briefly stopped at a mat making place as we waited for our bicycles. We saw a bit of how it is done but there was no way we could pack one of those mats for travel back to the USA. We also had stopped at the bamboo shirt, towel, etc factory on the way to the boat ride. We got a demonstration of how bamboo was superior to cotton and saw many of their products. At the end we had to snake through the aisles of products to exit. We sensed they wanted us to buy something but we found the push for that unappealing, plus there really wasn't much I would have wanted, especially with our limited packing space.

The food tour was okay. I'm not an adventurous eater so I knew going into it that I probably was not going to enjoy it much but my husband eats almost anything so he enjoyed it. The adventure was in traveling around the busy streets with food vendors. I do not eat meat but do eat seafood but I could not eat seafood when I saw the live creatures in the aquariums of the food vendors. I ate vegetarian that night at a noodle place where I believe our guide ate. He was vegetarian. It was tasty with a wonderful vegetarian broth and yummy tofu. I was very pleased. Our guide took us to a special Coffee Cafe where I had my first Egg Coffee, hot - amazing! It was like a decadent mocha dessert with layers of flavor. My first Egg Coffee but not my last.

We enjoyed seeing the war museum and other official buildings in Ho Chi Minh City. The visit to the lacquered art studio was educational and fun. We almost bought a piece but shipping to the USA could not be easily done. We were unable to carry the piece due to all the other luggage we had with us. Andy, our guide was informative, friendly, and fun. We had an excellent driver with a kindness in his heart. He navigated the streets with ease.

This was an excellent experience - so discrete and quick. The man helping us was extremely professional and moved us along the process at lightening speed with no snags.

Great location! Roof top bar was awesome! We were in 9th floor 1st night and it got warm inspite of AC full blast ... 2nd night we were in the 5th floor and it was not very sound proof we could hear bar noise all night... Staff were friwndly and excellent! Breakfast was ok nithing extraordinary.

Very nice hotel with stunning views. Room was very nice with balcony overlooking mountains. Breakfast was very good. Staff was also.

Lovely small hotel. We stayed here before and after our trip to Sapa. Great location and front desk staff was wonderful. Rooms were very nice overall. Breakfast was wonderful. Nice small rooftop bar with good view.

The area is beautiful but the hotel is rather run down at this point. When we were brought to our first room it was so tiny we had no where to open our suitcases other than in the bathroom. There was no storage and the room was run down. We asked to move but had to get our travel agent involved. After that we did move that night to a better room where we could at least move around in our room. We moved again the next night to what they consider their deluxe rooms because the prior room was reserved. While the room was a good size and charming in its on way, we had a large hole in the floor in the gap between the bathroom door and the room where you could look right outside! We stuffed a towel in the hole to keep bugs and critters out. We did enjoy the free bikes and kayaks.

Very nice hotel. We had a lovely room. Breakfast buffet was good. The gym room needs significant improvement. Staff was good but not as friendly or helpful as other hotels we stayed at. We arrived early but we could not check in for hours. There was also a mix up on what room we were in at check in after we went to the wrong room.

We loved this hotel. We enjoyed the location, pool area, food and staff. Our room was fine too.

We wish we could have stayed here more than one night. The room was beautiful, the pool area was lovely and the restaurant was very good. It is a nice place to rest for a day or two.

The hotel was in a great location and the lobby and common areas were very nice. The staff was amazing. The morning breakfast was also wonderful. The pool area is tiny but a very pretty and a really nice spot to relax for a bit after a hot day. Our only negative was that the room was very basic, a bit tight, and the furniture was worn. Otherwise it was a very nice stay.

Very interesting and educational experience.

Pretty but very touristy

This day trip did not make a lot of sense for us. We had just left the Phong Nga cave area and arrived in Hanoi the day before after a long drive. This was a 2 hour drive back towards the area we just left. We had already done other boat rides and seen amazing caves. The visit to the UNESCO site is significant from an historical point of view but it is just ruins.

Our local guide understood that we did not want to spend our time here in a car or bus. So he arranged for us to do a beautiful hike through the villages after he gauged our fitness levels. We hiked 11 miles and managed to see quieter and more authentic areas than the very touristy town of Sapa. It was one of our favorite days.

We loved this experience and it was the perfect way to end our trip. The boat was beautiful. We loved the woodwork, common areas, food, and the staff. We were surprised when we were upgraded to the presidential suite which was gorgeous. Yes Halong bay is way too crowded but when the boat manages to move through quieter parts of the bay it is stunning.

Staff was very attentive and offered to let us use the showers in the spa when he had to check out 7 hours before being picked up for our flight. We were able to spend the day at the beach.

This is a beautiful hotel in a great location

They were very kind to hold our luggage when we checked out and were gone overnight on a Ha Long Bay cruise

I think this is just for the drive from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay.Very comfortable transportation

Very nice rooms and good location. Close enough to walk into town but not right in the middle of the madness.

Clean beautiful rooms in a resort environment. Pool area was quite busy but overall experience was very nice.

very nice room. we would have liked to "cruise" more as we were mostly anchored in the bay but overall enjoyed it very much. Food and service were excellent.

Cool hotel in a chaotic part of Hanoi. Near train street. Very clean with great service and food.

The trip from Hanoi to Ninh Binh, including the Hoa Lu Ancient Capital and the Tam Coc Boat Trip, was a beautiful experience. The long drive was a bit tiring, but the spectacular scenery on the boat trip made it worthwhile. Despite the hectic travel, we appreciated the chance to see such a stunning part of Vietnam.

The day trip to the Thuy Bieu EcoVillage was probably our least favorite activity. While it was nice to experience more of the local area, we felt like it took us away from the relaxing atmosphere of Ha Long Bay. We would have preferred to spend more time on the cruise enjoying the scenery rather than packing our itinerary with more activities.

Fantastic staff, amazing breakfast

Peaceful beautiful resort with comfortable seating in restaurants and beach.

Beautiful oasis close to Siem Reap. Nice pool & good restaurant on site. Amazing staff!

Executive suite was amazing!

Excellent location, beautiful rooms right on the river but loud music from late night bars could make sleep difficult.

Airport was very crowded & disorganized

Enjoyed the boat ride on the Mekong Delta & the floating market

So exciting & a very fun and attentive group of ladies. Felt very safe & was able to see more of Saigon this way. Enjoyed the local home visit. Dinner was fantastic as well. Highly recommend!

Very interesting to see how the people live along the lake & deal with the rainy & dry season.

Enjoyed the sunset tour of Angkor Wat

Enjoyed this beautiful ancient town, all the shops & even had some clothes made overnite.

The suite on the boat had a lot of character & nice to have small deck.

Enjoyed walking around the riverbank area and bicycle riding through the cottage area. Lots of coffee shops.

Really enjoyed the hike to the top & the cave was really interesting to visit.

The ladies operating the paddle boats with their feet are awesome! Beautiful karst landscape!

Enjoyed bicycling through the rice fields & villages. Great hike through the jungle with picnic lunch.

Fun and authentic. Ben showed us what local life is like. Enjoyed seeing the countryside, the markets and met someone very special at the end.

Capella runs one and two-night cruises. Like most of the guests we came across, we did the single night cruise, and it was a highlight of our trip to Vietnam. Everything is very well organized, from the transfer to the ship, to meals and activities.

Nice, family-friendly hotel in Danang with a good view of the beach on one side and a good city-scape on the other. Breakfast buffet was very good and there is a nice rooftop pool with a bar that makes good coffees and cocktails. Staff were all very friendly and helpful. There are some other hotels clustered further down the beach, where swimming seems permitted - not sure if it's permanent, but at the time we went, there were "no swimming" signs posted along the strip of beach directly in front of the hotel, so that was a bit of a minus as we had been looking forward to a swim.

Lovely and sprawling hotel in Hoi An -- more like a resort with four swimming pools, two restaurants (Vietnamese and Italian) and a sprawling grounds where you can spend some time. The rooms were nice and the facility is perfect for families, especially with three of the pools being available to children.

Bespoke Trendy may have a goofy name, but they have a great location in the heart of the old quarter in Hanoi, just a block away from a good "train street" viewing location. Rooms are nice, the restaurant is good, and all of the staff are helpful and friendly. Highly recommend!

This is a must-do. It was super-helpful to skip the long immigration lines in Hanoi, especially after the long flight from the U.S. - you are met and essentially waved directly to a person to review passports/visas, as applicable.

Quaint, but a little dated

This hotel was one of the highlights of our trip… Located in the beautiful countryside… Surrounded by rice patties, and beautiful mountains… Very peaceful… Like having your own little home out in the Vietnamese country…

We had a beautiful sweet with a view of the old quarter of Henway… Centrally located… Fantastic staff… Great restaurants… We really enjoyed the experience… Would definitely return…

Because we had several hours before we departed, we were able to go to the train street and watch the train go by right next to us as we enjoyed some Vietnamese coffee

It was nice to have a day off to relax on our last full day in Vietnam…

This was our least favorite part of the trip

Although it was good to see Ha Long bay, this was our least favorite part of the entire trip

Seeing historical buildings and experiencing the beautiful lakes and grottos and temples was truly an experience of a lifetime

We did not explore rural villages near Hanoi… Instead, we did an in-depth exploration of the old quarter… Weaving in and out of small alleys and intimate courtyards… We even went to the black market, which was amazing and fun…

This was unique for us and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I had reduced mobility and it was no trouble having help getting in and out of the boat. We highly recommend putting this on everyone's list.

Beautiful old hotel.

This was a beautiful boat with great food.

Great way to see the elephants in their natural environment. No exploitation here.

Excellent show. Good evening activity.

Great site and great guide.

Very interesting and well done.

Beautiful boat with a great staff.

Too much traffic getting there and back.site was crowded.

Minh was a great guide.

One of the most amazing parts of the trip. We didn’t even stop walking as we went through the Hanoi airport and passport control. Our guide took our passports, took care of the entry stamps while we went straight to baggage claim and picked up our bags. We were out of the airport before many of our fellow passengers even cleared passport control.

great location, away from the city but very easy to get into the city whenever you want

Hotel was wonderful. Rooms were very clean, breakfast was amazing, staff were very helpful.

In two rooms in this hotel. Room 803 smelled musty and had some water damage on the outside wall. Good Air conditioner. The second room 502 the safe was not working. Friendly staff

Banteay Srei - Pre Rup was amazing. Since it was not the raining season, Tonle Sap Lake was low and we couldn't appreciate the area as much as expected. The stilted houses were interesting but didn't see wildlife or the floating village.

We would like 2 nights here

Terrific breakfast and very helpful staff. Very comfortable beds.

Terrific food and lovely staff. Comfortable bed and excellent amenities.

Fantastic location, friendly staff, delicious breakfast and OMG the bidet toilets were awesome. No kidding.