Grand Silverland Hotel & SPA

In a city that's packed with downmarket budget boutiques (and plenty of those that aren't quite boutiques), this hotel makes a pleasant alternative. It's still on the small side, with just 80 rooms, but has a nice bit of gloss throughout it's interiors. The look is a modern take on classic, with French colonial-inspired seating under sepia-tone prints on the walls and plenty of marble and creamy yellow throughout the hotel's lobby. There's even an ornate chandelier twinkling overhead. Once inside, travelers are greeted with welcome drinks, setting the upmarket tone here, and there are plenty of places to kickback after a day battling the hectic traffic and crowds of Ho Chi Minh City. The hotel has stylish bar and lounge areas, including a sharp poolside bar and a funky cafe. This hotel’s affordable rooms and location near the Ben Thanh Market makes it popular with tourists, especially couples. 

This hotel is on the bustling Ly Tu Trong Street where scooters and cars constantly whiz past the front door. Ben Thanh Market is a two-minute walk from the hotel -- just at the end of the block -- with loads of vendors that sell clothing, souvenirs, produce, and plenty of authentic street food. The Ho Chi Minh Fine Arts Museum‎, the War Remnants Museum, the Saigon Opera House, the Saigon Central Post Office, and the Notre Dame Basilica are all within a 10-minute walk or so. The business district of Saigon and Bitexco Financial Tower will take 15 minutes to reach on foot. For those looking to experience a taste of the city's wild nightlife, Ho Chi Minh City's Walking Street (Bui Vien Street) is a 15-minute walk from the hotels. It will take 25 minutes to reach Tan Son Nhat International Airport, and the Cu Chi tunnels from the Vietnam War are one hour and 15 minutes away by car.

The hotel offers four types of rooms, all offering the same modern take on classical style as the hotel's common areas. The look varies quite a bit from one category to the next, though travelers can expect to see lots of dark wood hues and deep earth tones along with bright pops of color, like the chartreuse or deep red that was used in some of the rooms that we saw. Decor includes black-and-white photography and contemporary armchairs and couches upholstered with shimmery velvet fabrics. The wood laminate floors keep everything looking sharp, and some of the lower-category rooms are compact. Views won't be inspiring in any rooms, and it's worth noting that some rooms completely lack windows and can feel a bit claustrophobic because of it. Noise from traffic can also be an issue in street-facing rooms.

Features include flat-screen TVs, minibars, air-conditioning, kettles, bathrobes and slippers, safes, and two bottles of free mineral water. Cribs and rollaway beds can be requested. Executive Rooms have sitting areas and Silver Suites offer lounge areas divided by shelves plus desks with PCs. The modern, white-tiled bathrooms have lighted mirrors, hairdryers, and shower/tub combos or whirlpool tubs in Executive and Deluxe Rooms. Suites have ultra-modern whirlpool tub/steam bath combo units.

For a compact city-center hotel, there's actually a lot going on here, especially for the three-and-a-half-pearl category. A wall of greenery plus palm trees and other tropical plants create a lovelier-than-most rooftop pool, which has rattan lounge chairs on a two-level wooden planked deck plus a poolside bar. The pool itself isn't that large, but it's a good option for cooling off after battling the city's heat all day. 

The New Day Cafe in the lobby features carved stone designs and tufted chairs to create a funky dining venue. It serves the hotel's free breakfast that includes an omelette station plus typical continental offerings. This restaurant stays open around the clock. A free tea service and desserts such as chocolate mousse are provided in the afternoons, with the occasional piano player entertaining guests. Bordered by plants, the Roof Garden overlooks the city with modern patio furniture, special weekend dinners, and candlelit dinners. 

The KL Spa is popular among guests and is a chic space that offers everything from Thai to Swedish massages plus a hot tub, a sauna, and a steam bath. The hotel's small gym gets a nice amount of natural light and has enough equipment for a simple workout, including a treadmill, a recumbent bicycle, and weight-training equipment. There’s also a grassy lawn on the seventh floor that serves as a putting green. The hotel can also arrange various tours in the area. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property (though service can be spotty) and the hotel has a meeting room on the 10th floor that can fit up to 80 guests. For those who need it, the hotel has a business corner with three PCs and a printer.