Introduction
Last updated 18 Aug 2010
If history is what brings you to Hue, staying in an historic hotel will be a bonus. Hue has two, the La Residence Hotel and Spa and the Saigon Morin. These also happen to be the town’s best hotels. But don’t confuse them.
The La Residence is head and shoulders above the Saigon Morin for atmosphere, decoration, facilities and service. Its location a little out of town is also a plus.
The Morin is another of Vietnam’s hotel disappointments where the historic heart of a building has been vandalised by successive state directed renovations.
If you can’t do the La Residence, the Morin is only a passable second choice though the hotel’s better rooms are more inspired than the dreadful public spaces. We’re hopeful the Morin’s next renovation (there’ve already been a few) will be the one that brings it to its rightful place in Hue.
Photo: Mark BowyerThe original French era building, La Residence HueDown from the Morin there are a number of eyesores with four and five star badges that we’ve overlooked in our reviews.
We do include the Mercure Gerbera and the Huong Giang hotels although they aren’t pretty or atmospheric either. They do offer uninspired but dependable accommodations in good locations at lower rates than La Residence and the Morin.
In the less than 100USD category, the Villa Hue is a real standout and we hope it will spawn many imitators soon.
In the traveller category there are dozens of comfortable options and we’ve listed several here. You should be able to find a well located hotel for under $40USD a night that will offer very good accommodation in a well fitted and tastefully decorated room - though usually in a high rise building of no style or character.
Vietnam’s lamentable lack of tasteful boutique hotels and guesthouses is especially noticeable in Hue. Travel here could be much enhanced with some low rise accommodation suited to the character of the town.
Photo: Mark BowyerThe original French era building, La Residence Hue
We do include the Mercure Gerbera and the Huong Giang hotels although they aren’t pretty or atmospheric either. They do offer uninspired but dependable accommodations in good locations at lower rates than La Residence and the Morin.
In the less than 100USD category, the Villa Hue is a real standout and we hope it will spawn many imitators soon.
In the traveller category there are dozens of comfortable options and we’ve listed several here. You should be able to find a well located hotel for under $40USD a night that will offer very good accommodation in a well fitted and tastefully decorated room - though usually in a high rise building of no style or character.
Vietnam’s lamentable lack of tasteful boutique hotels and guesthouses is especially noticeable in Hue. Travel here could be much enhanced with some low rise accommodation suited to the character of the town.
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