Clean, comfortable and good location
Orchids Homestay is perfectly situated for someone who wants to be close to the old town and river.
Located at the eastern edge of the historic centre, in the French quarter a couple blocks east of the market and diagonally across from Anantara Resort, this guesthouse has just six affordable rooms, the deal sweetened by the free bicycle rental, air-con and WiFi, as well as a hearty breakfast -- eggs, noodle soup, fresh fruit -- ordered the night before.
The immaculately tidy rooms have a touch more charm and functionality than your average Vietnamese hotel: parquet wood floors, a handy clothing-luggage rack, wooden desk/vanity, bedside table and lamp, and a comfortable bed strewn with frangipanis upon arrival. Travellers can enjoy the flatscreen TV and a bathroom with a separate shower stall and piping hot water with good pressure. There’s hot water for the sink as well. The fridge is loaded up with a few minibar drinks and there’s daily housekeeping with fresh towels to boot.
Some rooms are better than others. The two family rooms (either four twins beds or two double beds) are large and have a balcony. Others have a frosted window out to the hall --better than not having any window at all but you don’t get true sunlight. The only other downside is you can hear the noisy comings and goings of other guests in the hallways.
Orchids is an easy stroll to the walking street. This area is very quiet after 20:00, so it’s good for bed rest but for those walking solo, it is a bit eerily dark. The owners speak great English and they respond to emails lightning fast. Note: the Vietnamese word for orchid -- hoa phong lan -- is on the front sign.
Address: 02 C-D Phan Boi Chau St, across from Anantara Resort, Hoi An
T: (235) 392 1879;
Email: info@orchidshomestay.com
Web: http://www.orchidshomestay.com/
Coordinates (for GPS): 108º20'7.1" E, 15º52'39.71" N
See position in Apple or Google Maps: Apple Maps | Google Maps
Room rates: US$20 to 50
What we were quoted as a walk-in.
Standard double room | 600,000 dong | 600,000 dong |
Family room | 800,000 dong | 800,000 dong |
Reviewed by
Cindy Fan
Cindy Fan is a Canadian writer/photographer and author of So Many Miles, a website that chronicles the love of adventure, food and culture. After falling in love with sticky rice and Mekong sunsets, in 2011 she uprooted her life in Toronto to live la vida Laos. She’s travelled to over 40 countries and harbours a deep affection for Africa and Southeast Asia. In between jaunts around the world, she calls Laos and Vietnam home where you’ll find her traipsing through rice paddies, standing beside broken-down buses and in villages laughing with the locals.
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