Bear's House The Riverside

This airBnB is tucked in a snack alley but is within a short walk to major streets. The check in process was simple but not straightforward. I was placed in room 301 at the very top floor, probably the maid’s quarter. The facility has no elevator so be prepared to haul the luggage up to the rooms by yourself. The cash down payment requirement at booking is probably a tactic to reduce cancellations since the facility did not meet expectations on my visit. The room was not very clean and linen was well worn-out; think 1-2 star hotel quality. I’ve stayed at the Saigon Wink hotel at least 6 times for 1-3 weeks at a time. This location is conveniently situated outside of the major traffic routes and tourist centers but are still walkable to local neighborhoods and the zoo. The complimentary breakfast is good and comprehensive with both Vietnamese and western options. Real Viet foods can also be bought within steps outside the hotel. Hotel facilities are clean and simple. The gym is small but has enough equipments for mostly upper body workouts. There are two treadmills and an elliptical machine. The rooms are small, clean and cute. Bedding material is soft and comfortable, akin to high end hotels in the states. There isn’t much storage space and the restroom door swings to cover the shower OR the restroom itself, but not both at the same time. Toiletries are provided as is two glass bottle of water per day. One demerit is the poor electrical outlet design in the bathroom. It’s very dumb that the hair dryer plug does not fit in the restroom outlet, thereby forcing users to plug it at another outlet in the room away from mirrors. Basically to dry your hair, you won’t be able to see yourself in a mirror. The electronic lock to room 301 has error and would not open constantly. I got locked out of the room once. What’s worse is the room had no cold water. After following the hosts’ instruction by turning the faucet control to the left, warm water came out at a very weak flow rate. Within a two minutes of my being in the shower, suddenly hot scalding water sprayed on my face causing minor surface burn. This safety risks would have led to lawsuits in the United States! I had to quickly dry off the remaining water and soap and quickly cancel my stay. I’m not sure if other rooms in the facility has the same issues, but in my case room 301 is unacceptable.

Nancy-Very nice staff.