Vince Chan

I don't recommend this hotel. First stay is fine but second is not well .It took me twice to go and back from the lobby front desk to get my room key access to the lounge.This is very basic procedure that all the hotel staff should work and remember about this. The breakfast quality at lounge is poor comparing to Renaissance. As Plat booking a classic room, only got upgrade to executive level, which means is a standard room on higher floor, since plat entitled to lounge. They didn't even upgrade the the next level room grand deluxe. Only if you ask.
During my check out day 2 pm housekeeping knock and ask to clean the room, I was confused and told them I will check out on 4 pm. I though they were reminding me to check out , since if your check out time is 4 , I assuming if you will receive a house keeping service on the same day a lot earlier . Later on 4 pm knocking my door again, and later I realize house keeping didn't even know I was check out today ,this is really confusing and unprofessional.

Thought the room at LM is a lot better than Renaissance, I would choose Ren for more consistent service(especially in the lounge), better breakfast quality , and certainly no house keeping issue before you check out.


And I also found the wifi in the room is unstable sometimes.As previous review already pointed out.

Srisarin

most knowledgeable travelers know that when they don't want to be disturbed to either turn on the electronic DO NOT DISTURB light, if available, or hang the DO NOT DISTURB/A LITTLE QUIET PLEASE sign on the outside handle.

if you don't use either option then IMO you've created a problem and only have yourself to blame

5DMarkIIguy

really? I stayed here a few months ago and it was full breakfast in the restaurant if I wanted to. I did and there was no restriction.
the breakfast is not as good as sheraton or renaissance for sure.

shevboyz

I was here over the weekend. Was upgraded to a grande suite for a 2 nights stay. Love the room, nothing to complain about it. Much more modern than the Sheraton Saigon.

Lounge wise, food variety is less compare to the Sheraton Saigon new lounge during cocktail hours. Breakfast for platinum is only in the lounge, variety is adequate but also can be better.

Overall, LM Saigon has much nicer room and a lower cash rate. While the Sheraton Saigon has better new lounge and slightly more central location. Both has its pros and cons, depending on what individuals value.

CJKatl

Thank you for posting this. You have to wonder sometimes if hotels enforce certain rules for specific guests or even make up strict rules so as to discourage future business and/or behaviors. It sometimes seems most of us would not have an experience where a hotel would be strict, but a guest who has posted about demanding upgrades or having the hotel wait on him/her hand and foot finds a restriction, like no free breakfast in the restaurant, enforced. Given so many report one thing while a single guest reports another, one must wonder.

One of the nice things about FT is there are many people posting. When nine out of ten consistently report one thing while the tenth reports another, people will know the nine are likely correct and the tenth probably had something else going on.

Thank you again for sharing your experience and letting us know the hotel usually allows breakfast in the restaurant. I am currently planning a trip and am having trouble deciding on my hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. This helps.

Vince Chan

I've staying twice on the last two months,the hotel only allowing free breakfast at lounge, unless you give up on 500 points and choosing the restaurant buffet breakfast.

Yeah, one can wonder how could this happen? The hotel usually should allows breakfast in restaurant, 9 of 10 reported this , I got the helpful information, others criticized the hotel should be the only one with wrong information , from your assuming above.


9 of 10, keep your information, and REPORTING after your trip, tell us that your information are right or WRONG so we will know the answer. Yet I did not know as Plat asking for a basic upgrade is such a terrible thing for the hotel nor did I seem to be the only one here have critics about the hotel . Since one have claimed that who providing the wrong information here should apologize, if I am providing the wrong information about breakfast after the above trip, I would love to update and apologize, otherwise, please stop passing wrong information and claiming it to be helpful / or making false imagination that other have something going wrong with he/hers stay so this as a consequence.

CJKatl

I know others do this, but yes, IMO, standing at the front desk groveling for an UG is unseemly. In fifteen years as a Marriott Plat/PP/LTP I have never done it. It would never occur to me to demand a better room I didn't pay for. While I appreciated UGs and twice in fifteen years, way over a thousand stays, called ahead of time to see if I could get one, I would think a hotel wouldn't be bending over backwards for a guest after the guest made such a demand at check-in. One is both claiming importance and accusing the FD clerks of fibbing. Maybe they are, but to actually accuse them of this short of 100% proof is wrong, IMO, since you do not know for sure. And claiming self importance is just beyond me.

BTW, my UG rate is pretty high even without having to ask.

Vince Chan

BTW, there is a LOT things I've mentioned about my stays , I did not critic the hotel just because of UG.

I'm sorry that my words might confused you to think I make a request upon check in. I made a call and hoping I can get a larger room if available, since when I was a gold I've always got a room on executive level, as Plat I expect maybe a little more especially at certain locations where UG is usually available. But that's just me , I know a lot Plat also did so and find it to be common as long as remaining polite and reasonable. I don't see the point of judging about this. Anyway we are exciting waiting for your Plat free breakfast at LM saigon report.

CJKatl

Yes, there are those that ask for UGs and find it acceptable to do so. Personally I find it gauche, especially when checking in. In over fifteen hundred stays I haven't done it. It's not surprising when someone who demands an UG based on status finds other rules strictly enforced. Bravo to the hotel employees on that.

SHLTP

Huh? 3 plats of most recent stays say breakfast must be taken in lounge unless one pays extra and now you impugn our capacity at being good customers... or is it more likely they changed the policy from when one plat who stayed a while back and was able to get buffet breakfast? What bizarre analysis you have.

This property as I mentioned had issues w internet where it forced me to log in every 2 minutes. Despite having technical head come to me 4 times and duty manager together they couldn't figure out how to resolve.

I also found housekeeping odd. One hour before I checked out they cleaned up room/ made bed. I've never had that happen right before check out. I thought it was nice but my guess was they didn't know I was checking out which indicates lack of oversight. Why would they change sheets just before check out? I would not complain on this but it is odd.

As for not getting buffet breakfast I have known gm for years as he has he has moved from property to property so I greatly doubt they were sticking it to me intentionally not to let me have buffet breakfast.

yosithezet

Several posts discussing Marriot vs SPG upgrade policies have been deleted. Please keep the posts in this property Master Thread on the topic of this property.

Thanks for your cooperation,
yosithezet
Co-Moderator, SPG Forum

Rusell

Sometimes hotels upgrade you to the executive floor thinking that is an upgrade to a better room.

Housekeeping want to clean your room before check out so that they can finish their room allocations for the day before the shift finishes at 3pm. That is why they came to clean your room before check out. I have had it happen a few times at other hotels when i check out at 4pm.

Rusell

Platinum benefits are 500 points OR free buffet breakfast, not both.

5DMarkIIguy

So what is the latest on this hotel?
I used to stay here. I always got free breakfast in the restaurant. I donīt remember if I had to forgo the 500 points amenities though. 500 points is nothing compare to full breakfast for a few days so I must have picked the breakfast.

Is that option no longer available for the folks who had to take breakfast in the lounge?

transparent

On my most recent stay (within a week), I selected the 500 points and was told breakfast was in the lounge only. I have some days left here so I might try the restaurant and see what they say. Although, I think the breakfast in the club lounge has been just fine (though a bit repetitive).

Also, was only upgraded to high floor, river view without asking. In 4-5 stays in the last couple years I have only received a suite once. This time after asking nicely, I was given a Grand Deluxe, which is basically a junior suite (living room area but no separating wall). Downside of Grand Deluxe rooms are that they only have city views, and right now there is construction right next to the hotel that makes this view not so pleasant.

They do seem very busy and full these days, and the SPG app indeed showed no suites available for sale the night I checked in, though following days did show some available. I also did a BRG, so I don't know if that affects upgrade chances.

One thing I don't quite get, and maybe folks can enlighten me-- why the Sheraton, with its older hardware commands a 20-25% premium and a higher category than the brand new Le Meridien Saigon? Granted, the Sheraton's location is better, but with Uber being cheap and easy, not that much better. There also seem to be a lot more restaurants and shops popping up within walking distance. I've never stayed in the "Grand Tower" at the Sheraton, so maybe that's what I'm missing.