If you’re a first-time traveller to Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City – formerly known as Saigon – is a vibrant place to begin. While each Vietnamese city has its own distinct flavours and personality worth exploring, Ho Chi Minh City stands apart. Sure, its pace, attitude, and energy might deter some visitors, but those exact qualities are what give the city its undeniable charm.
From its chaotically-strung power lines to the constant frenzy of scooters, the streets can feel disorderly or overwhelming at first. Yet it’s the city’s warm and welcoming locals who bring a sense of calm, balance and peacefulness to the city’s intensity.
Oh, and the food. It’s certainly no secret that Ho Chi Minh City serves up some of the world’s best street food. Where else in the world can you grab a piping-hot bowl of pho and a crunchy bahn mi packed with pickled veg and pâté, washed down with an icy cup of freshly squeezed sugarcane juice, all for a handful of Australian dollars?
To help you relish the city’s spoils and escape the tropical heat after a day of vendor-hopping, we’ve rounded up nine of the city’s most refined hotels, each offering lush pools and elevated urban retreats.
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GT’s top hotels in Ho Chi Minh City
- Best hotel for couples: Mai House Saigon Hotel
- Best hotel for families: Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel
- Best hotel for city views: Vinpearl Landmark 81, Autograph Collection
- Best hotel for dining: The Reverie Saigon
- Best riverside stay: An Lam Retreat Saigon

Best for couples seeking old-world glamour
Five-star luxury can come in all shapes and sizes, but when you step inside the lobby of the Mai House Saigon, one thing’s clear: opulence is at the heart of this hotel. Steeped in heritage and impeccably appointed, the space is layered with grand pianos, near floor-scraping chandeliers, glossy marble floors, and ivory clawfoot baths. Designed for travellers with a refined palate and an appreciation for historic design, Mai House Saigon feels much like a boutique gallery as it does a hotel. Wander through curated collections of art and literature before cooling off in the rooftop pool, where the city’s heat gives way to quiet indulgence above the bustle.
Address: 1-3-5, Ngô Thời Nhiệm, Phường 6, Quận 3, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh 700000, Vietnam

Best for couples, wellness, and riverside luxury
Delivering a truly elevated Vietnamese experience, An Lam is a serene riverside oasis that’s well worth the 25-minute boat ride from downtown. Cocooned in lush, tropical gardens along a tranquil stretch of river, this secluded hideaway features 35 spacious villas, all delivering a warm blend of French Colonial architecture and contemporary coastal design. Unwind at the hotel’s Jungle Wellness Spa, where personalised wellness classes, including sound bath healing sessions, therapeutic yoga, candle healing, and facials, promise to melt away any stress from home.
Address: 21/4 Trung Street, Binh Hoà, Thuận An, Bình Dương 70000, Vietnam

Best for five-star Art Deco elegance
An ode to the beauty of Art Deco design, Hotel Des Arts Saigon is a masterclass in fusing French Indochina heritage with modern elegance. Part art gallery, part museum and part five-star hotel, it stands among the most refined stays Ho Chi Minh has to offer, harmonising timeless sophistication with local character. Just a short stroll from Notre Dame Cathedral and Ben Thanh Market, the rooftop infinity pool, three restaurants, Le Spa des Artistes by L’Apothiquaire, and gourmet in-room dining make it an idyllic base to luxuriate after a long day of exploring.
Address: 76 78 Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai, St, Quận 3, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam

Best for classic hospitality and fine dining
The Park Hyatt is renowned for its refined and reliable hospitality, and its Ho Chi Minh City outpost only reaffirms it. Wrapped in classic French Colonial charm and home to not one but two restaurants – Square One, an authentic modern Vietnamese dining destination, and Opera, an exquisite Italian trattoria – it’s easy to see why it was awarded a coveted Michelin Key. Dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows bathe the hotel in natural light while sweeping chandeliers, plush velvet furnishings, and fragrant gardens deliver a memorable sanctuary just moments from the city’s bustle.
Address: 2 Công trường Lam Sơn, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh 700000, Vietnam

Best for unparalleled sky-high city views
A cloud-like bed is one thing, but sleeping above the clouds is an entirely different experience. Revered as the tallest building complex in Vietnam, the Vinpearl Landmark 81 Autograph Collection is a landmark in every sense. Rising 81 stories above the city, the hotel delivers unparalleled views and unforgettable sunrises. Each of the 223 rooms channels an understated yet sophisticated aesthetic, framed by stunning panoramic city views. But the pièce de résistance? Vietnamese-inspired poolside cocktails enjoyed against a glowing red sunset.
Address: 720A Điện Biên Phủ, Phường 22, Bình Thạnh, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh 700000, Vietnam

Best for luxury with a touch of late-night energy
Located in Ho Chi Minh City’s vibrant District 1 neighbourhood, La Siesta offers a polished slice of urban luxury with a touch of late-night energy. While the hotel channels understated boutique elegance, it’s its prime location that truly sets it apart. Just a short stroll to some of the city’s most revered landmarks – like the Saigon Opera House, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office – it also sits within easy reach of high-end boutiques, bustling cafes and neon-soaked bars. Though a lot newer than its historic and aristocratic neighbours, it certainly holds its own, offering a contemporary alternative to the city’s grand dames.
Address: 182 Lý Tự Trọng, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Best for eclectic extravagance and Michelin-star fine dining
Whether you consider the Reverie Saigon gaudy or extravagantly glamorous, its opulence is impossible to ignore. Situated in the heart of the city, perched atop the Times Square building, the hotel pairs grand Italian style with kaleidoscopic Vietnamese influences. Many of the spaces are destinations in their own right: a soaring lobby, defined by towering vaulted ceilings, striking custom-made purple ostrich leather sofas, and a custom-made Baldi Monumental clock; a Michelin-starred fine dining Cantonese restaurant, Long Trieu; and an expansive spa. The suites, meanwhile, form an eclectic series of interior design collaborations, allowing guests to truly tailor their stay – from whimsically romantic to sleek and modern.
Address: 182 Lý Tự Trọng, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Best for couples, riverside tranquillity and sophistication
Offering travellers a spectacular and serene escape from the city bustle, Mia Saigon is certainly worthy of the 15-minute drive from Ho Chi Minh’s centre. Celebrated as the city’s only riverside boutique luxury hotel in Ho Chi Minh, the property is home to 53 rooms and suites that gaze over tranquil river vistas and the city’s largest outdoor swimming pool. Arrive by boat, savour quieter moments in the refined tea lounge, then toast golden hour with riverside cocktails at the hotel’s rooftop tapas bar.
Address: 02-04 Đường số 10, Phường An Khánh, Thủ Đức, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh 700000, Vietnam

Best for families needing generously appointed suites
Inspired by the elegance of the Saigon Opera House – just steps away – the newly renovated and design-led Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel seamlessly fuses theatrical grandeur with Vietnamese heritage. Reflecting the scale of its iconic neighbour, each suite is generously appointed with its entry-level signature rooms starting at 42sqm. While the hotel is a stone’s throw from Ho Chi Minh City’s cultural and culinary scene, the hotel also satisfies on-site with not one but three restaurants and 24-hour room service. Plush robes, deep-soaking bathtubs, and cloud-like beds complete the experience, making it a comfortable riverside base for an urban adventure.
Address: 88 Đồng Khởi, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh 71000, Vietnam
Mai House Saigon Hotel