Mai Hotel and Halo Hotel

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

By Ysabel Villaflor

I love looking for budget hotels that surprise you.  Sometimes, we often equate “budget” for having to sacrifice certain luxuries.  It doesn’t have to be so. Who wouldn’t want to be sleeping in good beds, having clean bathrooms, free breakfast but without spending so much? 

I do. Everyone loves a good bargain.

	Mai Hotel 4A-4B Thi Sach Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, District 1 - Riverside, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam	Halo Hotel 23 Thu Khoa Huan Street, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, District 1 - Ben Thanh Market, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Location	Located in Riverside and party district where the bars are located.	Located w few steps away from Ben Thanh Market and Reunification Palace
	If you want to be closer to the where the party is: Mai Hotel would be your best bet. If you want to be closer to the sites and shopping: Halo Hotel would be the choice
Rate	US 16 / Php 1,300 with breakfast Standard room 2 people (My friend and I upgraded our room for twin beds)	US 16 / Php 1,245 with breakfast Standard room (no window) 2 people (My friend and I upgraded our room for Php300 for twin beds)
	Breakfast was buffet with choice of Continental and Vietnamese fare.	Breakfast was pre-set with choice of Continental or Vietnamese fare. Picture below from the room service menu. I was half-way through when I remembered to take a picture!
Style	Trendy.	Mix of Traditional Asian, Rustic, Homey.
Reception	Ample space for guests. Couches are available while waiting.	Ample space for guests. Although Halo had smaller reception table, the couches are huge.
Elevator	Can fit 4 people.	Available although we took the stairs more often since our room was just on the 2nd floor.
Hall	The halls in Mai Hotel can be like a maze.  You can go up and down certain steps until you reach your room.	The halls are spacious and clean.
	I prefer the halls of Halo Hotel. Compared to Mai, it is cleaner and well- lit.  Mai may not be as organized and sometimes, you might see things in the hall that aren’t supposed to be there.
Room	Spacious. The closet space can fit 2 big sized luggage bags.	A bit cramped but for budget friendly hotel, it is sufficient.
Smell of Room	A bit musty.	Very clean.
Bed	Bed is comfortable. Not too soft or stiff.	Bed is comfortable. Not too soft or stiff.
View	We had a window with a view of the nearby neighborhood.	No view since we opted for a room with no windows.
Bathroom	Spacious and clean. The shower door is transparent. There is hot and cold shower.  The bathroom is very minimal with touches of design on the wall.	If there’s one thing to remember Halo, it’s the bathroom.  Very rustic. With Rain Water Shower head and a small basin made of cement, it’s probably the coolest rock bathtub I have ever seen. No shower doors but a wall full of rocks cover one side for the airy breeze.
Toiletries	There are bottles of shampoo, conditioner and toothbrushes.	Halo’s shampoo and conditioner set are placed in little ceramic jars to tie in with the rustic feel of the bathroom.  The hairdryer placed in a basket.
Extras	There is a dresser with chair.	One of the things I really liked about Halo is the service. Although we paid for a budget hotel, we felt very pampered.  The staff was very helpful and very friendly. Some of the fellow guests we met in the hotel were returnees.  They also love the personal touch  Halo provides.
Internet:	Available Wifi.	Available- in the reception area and rooms.
Rate:	3/5 stars	4/5 stars

*the author would especially like to thank the wonderful staff at Halo Hotel for taking care of Gen who had a migraine. Although we already checked out and waiting for our flight that night, they let her stay in our room. 

June 30, 2011

OUR VIETNAM TRIP FOR P6,000+ (U$135) 

By Ysabel Villaflor

Yes, your eyes aren't deceiving you.

My friend (Gen) and I surprised even ourselves when we were able to pay for our plane ticket, hotel and breakfast meals  in Vietnam for only P6,000 (around US $ 135) for 5 days trip.

With a little bit of patience and a lot of reading, we were able to make it possible!

This is how Gen and I did it:

1. PLAN AHEAD.

Gen and I have been talking about going out of the country for sometime now and  when the idea came up to ACTUALLY travel, we set out options: WHICH country are we interested in AND the DATES we were free.  It turned out that we were both interested in VIETNAM and two other countries and we decided that the 3rd week of May was good for us.

Why do this?  Because we knew that a promo will be up but we had no idea which places are included and when the promo applies (travel period).  So, just in case any of our decided countries pop up at our agreed travel period, then it was easy to decide what to do next.

True enough, a promo for Vietnam popped out in February 2011 for travel periods April-June 2011  :)

2. PATIENCE FOR PROMO FARES

My friend and I subscribed to Cebu Pacific's texting service, facebook and twitter.  We also checked the Cebu Pacific website regularly to be updated with their weekly promos.  It might take a bit more effort, but once you get a great deal, it beats paying full price.  I mean, why pay full price when you can have it 50% or more off the full price?  Once the promo came up, we booked right away.

For our Vietnam trip, we were able to book a CebuPac PROMO roundtrip ticket for May 19-23, 2011 for Php 3,600 each.

Charges at the airport, however, are not included in the amount.

3. STRATEGIZE.

Promos come up for travel periods which are way in the future.  That's the trade off for booking early.  Longer waiting periods.  Once you book them, better be prepared to wait for a couple of months before a trip. This could be good.  It leaves more room for planning.

It is also better to book a ROUNDTRIP ticket which costs cheaper than booking ONE-WAY tickets.

Remember these words: the more absurd the time, the cheaper.
If you want a more cheaper flight, book the "Latest flight in, Earliest flight out".  Flights later in the day going to your destination are cheaper than earliest flights out.  There is a downside to this though: you might lose one day of your trip.

However, in our situation, since my friend still had work until 5PM, the timing of leaving late at night was perfect.  We left Manila around 10PM night on a Thursday night and we arrived in Vietnam around 1AM Friday morning. We left Vietnam 1AM in the morning on a Monday.

3.  RESEARCH AND BOOK HOTEL IN ADVANCE

Mai Hotel

We researched the area we were going to and booked through www.Agoda.com. What is Agoda?  Agoda is  an online hotel reservations service. If your intended destination is around Asia, booking through Agoda is a great idea. Why? DISCOUNT. Nothing beats their discounted prices on published rates of their associate hotels (maximum of 75% off).  Agoda manages to keep the price low and giving travelers to Asia more budget-friendly alternatives.  And if you're lucky, you can even get a free hotel stay or a free upgrade or both with a minimum number of nights stay.  

For our Vietnam trip, we booked 2 hotels. Mai Hotel and Halo Hotel.  We were lucky that both hotels included free breakfast and unbeatable location (near all the important sights and shopping areas).  The check in was a breeze.  This is the third time I have tried the service (the first time was when I went to Hong Kong), and so far, the check in went on without a hitch. (thank God!)

Halo Hotel

Breakfast nook at Halo Hotel

4.  STUDY YOUR ITINERARY

It is important to understand the time you will be arriving and leaving the country, and the check-in and check out policies of the hotels you booked.  Knowing when to check-in and check-out can save you money.

At first glance in our ticket, you would think that we would have 5 days and 4 nights to book for a hotel.  Upon careful scrutiny, we found out that we only had to book for 3 NIGHTS for our hotel (Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights only) since our flight was on a MONDAY at 1 in the morning and we needed to be at the airport at around 10PM Sunday.  We didn't get another night for Sunday since it would be useless.  What we did do after we checked out at 12NN Sunday was to deposit our baggage with our hotel concierge while we do our last minute sightseeing and shopping. :)

----------------------------------------------

the BREAKDOWN of OUR P6,000 Vietnam trip.

Plane Fare	Cebu Pacific Promo		P3,6000
HOTELS	Mai Hotel  P1,503/night standard	(P1,503x 1 night)/ 2 persons	P 750
	Halo Hotel P1,052/night standard	(P1,052x2 nights)/ 2 persons	P1,052
		TOTAL	P5,402
Upgrade		P 300* x 3 nights	P 900
		GRAND TOTAL:	P6,302*

* the amount is based on converted rates. So it is more or less than the amount.

Both hotels INCLUSIVE of free breakfast meals.

 

As you can see, you could already book everything under P6,000.

However, while we were checking in, we found out that for an additional minimum fee, we could have a room upgrade.  So, we went for it! We wanted more room and we wanted our own beds anyways.

Charges at the Airport are not included here. (Travel tax and Airport tax)

It really is possible to get really good deals.

My next goal - to finally NAIL that P1 (PISO) FARE PROMO!!!!!

IS BUYING A SMARTBAG REALLY A SMART MOVE?

By Ysabel Villaflor

I am writing this as I am currently in the process of packing for my trip in 3 days. I am so impressed by this product that I decided to write about it before I leave.

I chanced upon this SMARTBAG from Lock and Lock in ACE Hardware store just last month when I was out in about in Manila with my sister’s family. I was instantly interested as I am a big fan of travelling with Ziploc bags and constantly finding out ways to travel smarter (click HERE for the WGs 5 Must Haves for Travelling - which includes my precious Ziplocs). I decided to give it a whirl and got the biggest size (400mmx500mm).

One pack contains 2 bags for Php299.75 (US$ 6.00)

the promise: reduce space in luggage by half!

When I got home, I ripped the packaging open and checked it out. One pack of SMART BAG contains two bags. While the smaller sizes gives you 3 bags. Unlike the ordinary Ziploc Bags that I use, the plastic on the SMART BAG is very durable and has double closure locks. It is a lot bigger than the largest size Ziploc bag, and I was already smiling to my ears. Before, I wished Ziploc had bigger sizes so I could fit more clothes in my luggage.

400mm x 500mm biggest size

the double zips

It wasn’t until last night that I really tested it out as I was packing for my trip.

The instructions read: Push it in, Lock it, then Roll. Seems easy enough.

the instructions

So I got some of the clothes I was bringing, stacked them up and positioned it in my check-in luggage just so I can see how much space I saved after I pushed the items in the bag.

the stack of clothes

what the stack would look like in my luggage 

stack reached up the top of the luggage

After I pushed the clothes in the bag, I locked it in with a little more difficulty since I had to adjust the clothes in the bag and let some air out before I zip it.

The magic came when I rolled the bag. With a little bit of effort (pressure is needed here), I rolled the bag and air went out from the one-way valve in the bag making the bag looked vacuum packed. I tried to make it as thin as I could and the result was amazing! I got my clothes to shrink by half the size!

size of the stack reduced to half.  You can see the pillows at the edge of my bed

vacuum packed

what it looks like in the luggage

as you can see, space is saved by half

I guess, it really is smart to buy one! If you always had a problem of not having enough space in your luggage when travelling, then this just might help you out and to save on space. :)

Sofitel Le Sphinx, Cairo, Egypt 

By Ysabs Villaflor

this guy greets you as you enter Sofitel Le Sphinx

LOCATION: right in the middle of down town Cairo.

the street leading to Le Sphinx

THE WELCOME MAT: spacious, dry but warm 

Welcome to the Le Sphinx

the facade of the Le Sphinx

the laidback lobby. no fuss, comfy and unpretentious

the sprawling gardens in the courtyard

FEEL: outside, it feels like a tropical resort with the wonderful indoor and outdoor pool, the two storey building, inside the rooms, it feels like the modern 5-star hotel you see in the cities.

our first family group photo during the trip

PERSONAL: i was with a tour group and we were all booked right next to each other.


THE ROOMS: clean and roomy. it also has little balconies and a connecting door right on the lawn of the hotel. the beds are so luxurious and sleep was always sweet.

ALL MINE :)

my own verandah leading to the outdoor gardens of Sofitel

THE BATHROOM: with heater and no bathtub. However, you would have to bring your own shampoo and toiletries since the hotel (and other hotels in middle east) offer the 3-in-1 kind shampoo/bathwash/conditioner. 


THE FOOD: they have an international buffet for breakfast which is standard in these hotels. they also serve some Egyptian dishes

our first Egyptian dinner

the breakfast nook 

Red Hibiscus Juice and Egyptian Yogurt for breakfast

THE SERVICE: the staff is friendly and courteous.


OTHER AMENITIES: indoor and outdoor pool, a roof deck bar, and an AMAZING view of the Pyramid of Giza at night.

the indoor  pool

the gym

the outdoor pool

a small fragrance oil shop in the lobby