First published January 2017 | Words and photos by Vietnam Coracle
This post was last updated 7 years ago. Please check the comments section for possible updates, or read more on my Updates & Accuracy page.
INTRODUCTION | REVIEW | MAP | RELATED POSTS
Ever since it opened a few years ago, Hotel Nikko has set the standard for its particular brand of modern, sleek, chic, high-end accommodation in Saigon. Its success has spawned many decent imitators in the city, but Nikko still has the edge over its competitors. On my birthday last year, I injured my back while playing tennis, so, feeling sorry for myself, I booked into Hotel Nikko for some ‘therapy’. [Average rates are between $100-$150 a night. To check current rates, availability & make a reservation for Hotel Nikko Saigon please BOOK HERE]
*Please support Vietnam Coracle: I never write a review for money: all my content is free & my reviews are independent. You can support the work I do by booking your hotels via the Agoda links & search boxes on my site, like the ones on this page. If you make a booking, I receive a small commission. Any money I make goes straight back into this site. Thank you.
Modern and sleek, Hotel Nikko is an excellent high-end option in Saigon, just outside downtown
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REVIEW: HOTEL NIKKO, SAIGON
Address: 235 Nguyen Van Cu Street, District 1, Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) [MAP]
Price: $100-$150 | Phone: (+84 8) 3925 7777 | Website: www.hotetnikkosaigon.com.vn
[Click the image below or BOOK HERE]
MAP:
Located to the west of downtown Saigon, Hotel Nikko is not particularly appealing from the outside: a modern, grey block, tucked behind a shopping plaza. But, once inside, the Nikko immediately begins to show its class. The lobby is a shiny display of marble and metallic surfaces, minimally furnished with curving couches and sleek chandeliers: it feels like a first-class airline lounge. Although the Nikko is not right in the centre of town (it’s a 5-10 minute taxi ride from most of the city’s major sights), one of the advantages of its position is that the surrounding area is mostly low-rise, which means that the majority of rooms enjoy uninterrupted views over the city.
Most rooms have uninterrupted views back over the high-rises of downtown Saigon
Rooms are smartly but discreetly furnished: there’s no clutter, no excess; it’s crisp, clean and modern. There’s just enough style to give it character, but not enough to make it feel showy. Beds are soft (too soft, as is the custom of all five-star hotels), windows are large, furniture is comfortable, and the lighting is soft and ambient. This being a Japanese hotel chain, the quality of all in-room products and appliances is very high; including the quintessentially Japanese electric toilet, with dozens of baffling buttons and functions. The neat and attractive bathrooms, including a large bathtub, rain shower, and stylish fixtures, are separated from the bedrooms by a frosted screen.
The guest rooms are comfortable and well-equipped, and the bathrooms are stylish
In general, the hotel interior is decorated in shades of beige, which has a calming, almost sedative, affect on guests. It’s a huge contrast to the busyness of the streets outside, and Saigon as a whole. Indeed, there’s nothing much ‘Vietnamese’ about this hotel, but that’s not the point. The Nikko is a little corner of modern Japan in Saigon: it’s immaculately clean, efficiently run, well-equipped and, thanks to sadistic air-con throughout the hotel, very cool. As such, the Nikko is popular with Northeast Asian guests: both travellers and business people. The worst you could say of the Nikko is that it’s a little bit sterile and corporate: verging on the anodyne atmosphere captured in the movie ‘Lost in Translation’.
The beige colour scheme has a calming effect and rooms are immaculately clean & well ordered
There are several dining options, and a buffet breakfast is usually included in the room price. The standard of food and drink is exceptional: from Asian to Western cuisine, the ingredients, presentation, and flavours are superb (the breakfast is on a par with that of The Grand Ho Tram). The hotel pool is a good size, big enough to swim laps (just about), and there’s also a spa, gym, and a large garden, which is very unusual for Saigon. Although the Nikko is located on a busy street, it’s set back from the road so there’s no noise pollution. The surrounding area is busy and interesting – full of shops, food, and general Saigon buzz. As always, try to book a room on a high floor with a city view. After a couple of nights at the Nikko, my back pain was miraculously cured. [Average rates are between $100-$150 a night. To check current rates, availability & make a reservation for Hotel Nikko Saigon please BOOK HERE].
*Please support Vietnam Coracle: I never write a review for money: all my content is free & my reviews are independent. You can support the work I do by booking your hotels via the Agoda links & search boxes on my site, like the ones on this page. If you make a booking, I receive a small commission. Any money I make goes straight back into this site. Thank you.
A little corner of modern Japan in the middle of the heat and buzz of Saigon
Disclosure: I never receive payment for anything I write: my content is always free and independent. I’ve written this review because I want to: I like this hotel and I want my readers to know about it. For more details, see my Disclosure & Disclaimer statements here
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Hi Tom,
before to become an ‘expat’ with my apartment, Nikko was my preferred choice when in Saigon for business. To me it is one of the best business hotels, not only in Saigon but across Asia; it is a little pricey and ‘cold’ for leisure trips, but perfect for business… I totally agree with your review.
Ciao, Giorgio
Hi Giorgio,
Happy to hear you enjoyed staying at the Nikko too. Yes, I know what you mean about being a bit ‘cold’ – it’s a bit clinical. But still an excellent place to stay.
Tom