Affordable luxury is the name of the game in Vietnam. For what you'd pay to get a cracker-box room in U.S. and European big cities, you get to go in style in Indochina. Pay over $100 (£55) and you are royalty. Budget travelers and young backpackers flock to the region, and a big part of the charm is spending $2 to $5 (£1.10-£2.75) per night. If your trip is short, live it up! Go for a luxury room, take advantage of affordable health and beauty or spa treatments (for a fraction of what you'd pay elsewhere). Midrange boutique hotels and rustic eco-friendly rural resorts are also a new trend as developers discover that refurbished is cool and that location -- whether overlooking the Mekong or set in a tropical rainforest -- is everything.
You'll find many of the major chains represented in the region. Sheraton has hotels in Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi. Hilton has properties in Hanoi, and there's a Park Hyatt in Ho Chi Minh City. The French hoteliers at Accor host a number of Sofitel and Novotel hotels in Vietnam. Many of the big-city properties are aimed at the business market, but in Vietnam the unique, refurbished Sofitel Metropole takes the cake. There are also a number of good individual brands in Vietnam: the likes of Daewoo in Hanoi, or the New World and the Caravelle in Ho Chi Minh City.
Budget accommodations mean the ubiquitous minihotel. Quality varies, but these small Chinese-style hotels usually have air-conditioning, hot water, and cable TV starting at just $10 (£5.55). Some minihotels in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh are going boutique, a good trend. The Zephyr hotel in Hanoi is a good bet for a boutique hotel in a good location.
Whatever your financial situation, you will be greeted by high standards with good amenities/services at low cost in Vietnam.
