Best of Vietnam: World Heritage Sites 15 days

Best of Vietnam 16 days
(+) Positive reviews: …………………………….
(- ) Negative reviews: ………………………………
1. Itinerary: …………………..9/10
2. Food/ Drink: …………………….9/10
3. Tour Guide
3.1. Guide in Hanoi
Very good
3.2. Guide in Hue/ Hoi An
Both… More Best of Vietnam 16 days
(+) Positive reviews: …………………………….
(- ) Negative reviews: ………………………………
1. Itinerary: …………………..9/10
2. Food/ Drink: …………………….9/10
3. Tour Guide
3.1. Guide in Hanoi
Very good
3.2. Guide in Hue/ Hoi An
Both very good
3.3. Guide in Ho Chi Minh
We had two guides.
The guide for the Mekong delta : very good.
The guide for the half day visit of Ho Chi Minh : poor. Firstly, we were late not because of us, but because we had just landed and reached the hotel, and our room was not ready. We had to change our clothes, take our camera and rucksacks from our suitcases, and prepare ourselves rapidly for the trip. She made it clear to us that she was not happy because we were taking too long, in spite of the fact that she knew full well that this was not because of us. Her explanations during the tour were more or less explanations which we could read by ourselves from the written notes posted near each place, room, or monument. There was another guide who was visiting the Palace with French tourists, and from time to time I went to listen to what the other guide was explaining. The quality and depth of the explanations of the guide who was explaining to the French tourists were much better than those of our guide. When, on occasion, I took some extra time to take some photographs, she did not wait for me to be back, and started with her explanations which I had to catch up in the middle, having missed the first half. At the end of the tour (and this happened only once, with her, during our whole trip), she asked us to give her a tip. We had never heard this before. She did not say that directly – she said that if we had appreciated the services of the driver, we could give him tip to thank him for his services – it was akin to stating that if we appreciated her services, we could give her a tip.
Accommodation
This applies for all the hotels – we liked the locations of the hotels – very well located, and closed to all attractions. We were happier being in a centrally located hotel than being in a hotel of a perhaps higher standard, but located further away from the sights we wanted to visit, from the restaurants, shops, etc.
4.1. Hotel in Hanoi
Very good. We liked the Palago. The staff was friendly, explained to us well what we could visit. On our return from Ha Long Bay we were given a small room at Level 1 by the person who was at the reception. We did not complain, even though the room was much smaller compared to the ones we had obtained before. About 15 minutes after we had entered our room, another lady at the reception realized that, came to see us, apologized, and stated that we would get a room of the size and at a floor level (upper) similar to the ones which we had before. We told her that, during our 15 minutes in the room, we had used the bathroom, the toilet, etc. She stated that this was not at all an issue, and that they would clean the room. She thus changed our room.
4.2. Hotel in Ho Chi Minh
The location was excellent, but the service very poor. Firstly when we arrived, they did not have our names in their computer system. It took them 10 minutes to find our names in their system, and this also delayed our half day tour. The explanations they provided regarding the sites and places to visit in Ho Chi Minh were very basic, I would say that the explanations regarding the places to visit were poor, and a far cry from the explanations which were provided to us at Palago in Hanoi. We could have missed the Mekong delta trip because of the poor level of the hotel staff. The hotel opens on two streets – we were, my wife and I, thus waiting on one side, but we had told the reception on the other side that if ever the guide came, we were waiting on the other side giving on the other street, and that they just had to call us and we would come immediately. When the guide of the Mekong delta tour came at the hotel, the hotel told him (in the same manner as what had happened when we checked in) that they did not have our names in their system. The guide waited for us and no one told us that he had come. You had told me that the bus would be coming at 7 hrs 15-30. At 7 hrs 35 no one had come to pick us. I thus used the telephone number of the guide, which, fortunately for us (and thank you for this) you had given us. When I called the guide, the guide was waiting for us outside the hotel. He would certainly not have waited ad vitam eternam, and had you not given us the phone number of the guide, we would most probably have missed the Mekong delta trip (we enjoyed very much that trip).
4.3. Cruise in Halong
Very good
4.4. Hotel in Hue
Very good, even though the staff at the reception did not give us a lot of details of what to visit in town and what to do. The hotel building is nice, and well located, but the staff is ok, not extraordinary.
4.5. Hotel in Hoi An
Very good, and friendly staff members who provided us good and useful information. The hotel had a f Less

if I could give you a 15/10 I would!
Itinerary: 10./10
Food/ Drink: 10/10
Guide in Hanoi: Tam was an excellent guide! She was very personable and tailored some of the trip to cover interests that we thought of during the trip. Michele really enjoyed the trip to the silk mill. Hanoi is a busy, kind of… More if I could give you a 15/10 I would!
Itinerary: 10./10
Food/ Drink: 10/10
Guide in Hanoi: Tam was an excellent guide! She was very personable and tailored some of the trip to cover interests that we thought of during the trip. Michele really enjoyed the trip to the silk mill. Hanoi is a busy, kind of crazy city but we really loved it and the food! It was fun for me to watch Tam and Michele, they acted like sisters and got the “giggles” together. She did a super job!
Guide in Hue/ Hoi An: Tree(not sure if I got his name right) was another wonderful guide. I’d rank our two days in HoI A was the most wonderful of our trip, and Tre had a look to do with that. Cooking class at the place in the rice fields was really fun and we had a great time touring the city and going to the markets. Michele had discovered Morning Glory at dinner the night before and was telling Tree about it and he arranged for some at cooking class. It was a nice touch that showed he was listening. I don’t think anyone could have done a better job,
Guide in Ho Chi Minh: Mr Quang( sorry, forget his first name) did a great job. He was able to answer just about every question. HCMC is a very busy place and frankly was a little too busy for us. We liked the market near the hotel, and he found me the absolutely best Banh Mi I will ever have in my life about a block from the hotel!!!! Mekong Delta trip was really wonderful as was the lunch. Calm and peaceful as were the boat rides!
Hotel in Hanoi: Palago was a brilliant choice. Hotel was beautiful, as was the food and excellent service. I’d certainly go there again.
Hotel in Ho Chi Minh: Aragon was very nice and located in the best place. It was a bit busy, but the location made it, as did the staff.
Hotel in Hue: Sleepy to say our least favorite. Hotel was dated and way too big. Suggest you find a different hotel. It was well located. It was one of those big hotels with many busses, and was out of step with the rest of the accommodations.
Hotel in Hoi An: Delicacy was a great choice, and it is difficult to pick between it and Pelago as the best of the trip. It was the perfect location to walk into Hoi An. Staff and room were five star! Less

We were very happy with our travel agent, Best Price Travel, who helped us plan a few trips in Vietnam. This was our first time using a travel agent in Vietnam, and we were a bit worried at first. But BestPrice was very quick to respond and helped us resolve a few issues along the way. You can tell… More We were very happy with our travel agent, Best Price Travel, who helped us plan a few trips in Vietnam. This was our first time using a travel agent in Vietnam, and we were a bit worried at first. But BestPrice was very quick to respond and helped us resolve a few issues along the way. You can tell they're really dedicated to the job because they checked in with us regularly to make sure everything was going well. Less

We wanted to take a moment to express our gratitude for the unforgettable Vietnam tour organized by Best Travel. Now that we've returned home and had some time to reflect on our journey, we felt compelled to share our experiences with you before posting our formal review on Trip Advisor.

Firstly, we… More We wanted to take a moment to express our gratitude for the unforgettable Vietnam tour organized by Best Travel. Now that we've returned home and had some time to reflect on our journey, we felt compelled to share our experiences with you before posting our formal review on Trip Advisor.

Firstly, we must commend the majority of our tour guides, particularly Tom, Candy, and Mike, whose exceptional service truly enhanced our experience. Their knowledge and professionalism made each destination come alive for us. There are a few language barriers but they didn't affect the trip much.

Regarding accommodations, we were delighted with the Hoi An Central's charm and comfort. The HM Boutique, while boasting a prime location, would benefit from offering more spacious rooms with balconies similar to those on our last night. Additionally, our initial reception at HM Boutique lacked warmth, highlighting an area for improvement. As for the Queen Ann, we felt a hotel closer to the city's vibrant core would have been preferable, as crossing the bustling boulevard proved intimidating.

Overall, we are immensely pleased with the efficiency and thoughtfulness of Best Travel's itinerary. Our journey through Hanoi, Mai Chau, Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City, and the Mekong Delta was nothing short of exceptional. We intend to leave a glowing review on Trip Advisor, but we felt it necessary to share these private observations with you for future tour planning purposes.

Thank you once again for orchestrating a truly memorable trip. Best wishes for your future endeavors, and we hope to travel with Best Travel again soon. Less

My friend and I had an incredible 15-day adventure touring Vietnam with Best Price Travel. It was absolutely amazing, and we highly recommend it! Everything went smoothly thanks to our contact who planned the trip. She was always available and took great care of us, answering all our questions promptly.… More My friend and I had an incredible 15-day adventure touring Vietnam with Best Price Travel. It was absolutely amazing, and we highly recommend it! Everything went smoothly thanks to our contact who planned the trip. She was always available and took great care of us, answering all our questions promptly.

Halong Bay cruise was fantastic, and smaller places like Hoi An were wonderful. We met so many friendly and lovely people during our journey. Additionally, all the guides we had were friendly, knowledgeable, and engaging. We wouldn't hesitate to use Best Price Travel again for future adventures! Less