Hotel Review: Hong Thien 1 – Hue, Vietnam

We’re on a budget – that isn’t a secret. The normal “vacationer” hotels throughout Southeast Asia are reasonably priced by western standards. A deluxe room in a very nice hotel can run anywhere from 30-120 dollars a night. However, we are trying to stay under that amount as it gives us wiggle room for random excursions that we come across.

Guesthouses, homestays, and hostels are popular options for the budget traveler. Even if you aren’t on a tight budget like we are, I highly recommend experiencing the hospitality of those smaller establishments.

Our accommodations have varied in our personal ratings. From great service to a dingy room all the way to great room and less than hospitable staff. However, our stay in Hue, Vietnam couldn’t have been better.

We landed in Hue around 11pm and took a taxi straight to Hong Thien 1 – located on a tiny alleyway in a quaint tourist neighborhood was our “home” for the next four nights. We booked the family room which had two queen beds, two bathrooms (unbeknownst to us at the time of our booking), a pool, our own private balcony with direct access to the pool, and breakfast made fresh every morning.

We were greeted by the sweetest man when we walked in. He took us to our room and helped set up the air conditioning – thank goodness! After a long travel day, we slept great and woke up refreshed and ready to explore. We walked downstairs and ordered Pho (a traditional Vietnamese noodle dish), banana pancakes, coffee, fruit, and omelets. All made fresh to order by the kindest people we’ve come across in Vietnam.

Once we were ready to explore, we sat down with either the owner or receptionist (not too sure!) and he broke down every single tour option you could think of for Hue. He gave us prices, timelines, locations to visit, restaurant recommendations, and even gave insight to local prices so we weren’t taken advantage of by street vendors.

We were always greeted by smiling faces and fresh juice after a long day exploring in the heat and again when we were floating in the pool. All of these perks from our little budget hotel. You can spend all the money in the world on fancy hotels, but nothing will compare to the feeling of being welcomed ‘home.’

We highly recommend staying at Hong Thien 1 if you make your way to Hue, Vietnam.