· Open -

1925

· 1st Owner -

Mr. Hui Bon Hoa the richest Chinese businessman aka Uncle Hoa

· AKA -

Hoan My (perfection) - Cuu Long (Mekong Hotel)

· Stars - *****

· Guests -

Catherine Denevue - Royals - Heads of State - Visiting Dignitaries - War Correspondents - Spies - General William Westmoreland

· History -

Originally the hotel was 4 storey's high with 44 rooms in French Colonial style.

During WWII the Japanese used the hotel as a barracks.

In 1951 the Corsican owner of nearby Hotel Continental signed a contract to run the hotel for 15 years.

The hotel closed in 1994 for a complete renovation and reopened in 1996.

· Signature -

Sundowners on the roof looking over the Saigon River

Oozes Old World Charm

· Rooms -

175 rooms and suites @ $108 - $442

· Tales -

During the Vietnam War (or the American War as the Vietnamese call it) the hotel was known as the "CIA Hotel".

From The New York Times archives -

April 27 1975 a Communist rocket attack wiped out the entire top floor of the Majestic Hotel. It was the first time during the war that the hotel had been hit. One person was killed, the night watchman Nguyen Van Bay. The manager said that no one had checked out yet but there were still some rooms available. Five rockets were fired on the city at 4am leaving 6 dead, 22 wounded and 5,000 homeless.

The Fine Arts Museum served as the Hoa family home until they all left the country in 1975.

· Claim to Fame -

This was the hotel where the fictional character Thomas Fowler in the Quiet American came every evening at 7pm for "cocktail time" on the roof and the "cool wind" of the Saigon River.

· Innovations -

The first 5***** hotel in Saigon to be managed by Vietnamese

· Feature -

Impressive marble bathrooms

Dozens of shops, restaurants and bars nearby

· View -

Over the Saigon River and the swimming pool

· Facilities -

Weddings, meetings and events - Spa and Wellness - Fitness Centre - Swimming Pool - Sauna - Steam Room - Spa Tub -  Business Centre - Casino - Concierge - Barber Shop - Cooking Lessons

· Unique -

Rotary dial phones

The oldest elevator in Vietnam

· Restaurants -

Catinat Lounge - a good place to meet, have a refreshing drink and read the paper

Cyclo Cafe - for Vietnamese fare

Serenade - European cuisine

Bars -

Merry Pool Bar - at the pool

Breeze Sky Bar - spectacular views of the Saigon River, all day al fresco dining, buffet breakfast, BBQ buffet dinner - 24 hours

M Bar - one of the top 10 rooftop bars in Saigon, signature snacks and cocktails, excellent spot for sundowners, live music with Pilipino and Flamenco bands

· Sights -

• Opera House

• Dong Khoi Shopping Street

• Saigon River

• Nguyen Hue Walking Street

• Ben Thanh Market - watch your pockets

• Notre Dame Church

• War Remnants Museum

• Reunification Palace

• Cu Chi Tunnels

• Mekong Delta

• Cao Dai Temple

· Extra -

Visit the best city in the world - Hoi An in 'Cities'