Vietnam forum

Posted from within Vietnam.

Unless you have the actual e-mail address of a hotel, it is difficult to book with reliability.

These on-line booking systems make money by keeping the "deposit" and then sending an e-mail to the hotel advising them of the "reservation". They are often too cheap to ensure confirmation.

Also, the hotels prefer a customer at reception rather than a promise of a customer who may arrive and will pay less, in any event.

There is plenty of accommodation of all classes in Hai Phong - the Americans did a good job of "slum clearance" during the American War when they bombed this important industrial centre so most of the hotels are of more modern construction than Ha Noi.

You should have little difficulty in locating decent digs. Check < http://www.vietnamtourism.com/e_pages/service/hotels-p.asp?d_tinh=8431 > for some hotels.