Review of The Caravelle, by Caroline Major

Sunset is an excellent time to be at The Caravelle. When the sun sinks over the scraggly Saigon skyline, the balcony tables skirting the edge of the Saigon Saigon Bar are the best place in town to absorb the final fiery orange and purple moments of the day. As it happens, 3 million motorbikes swarm like mosquitos down the wide boulevards past street vendors setting up for the next wave of orchestrated feeding. Perched on your stool with a cold Beer Larue, the humidity of the day and the frenetic desertion of a communist economy is replaced with the neon circus of new money. Looking down from the 10th floor on this sunset moment seems to capture the hopes and dreams of the 8 million Vietnamese who come to the city seeking their fortune.

In fact, a selection of some of the more successful will make their own trip to the Caravelle later in the evening to celebrate triumphs with a round in the casino, a meal in the restaurant or several drinks in the bar. The finest and fanciest will shyly parade their elegant selves to the most influential international crowd in the city, coming out of introversion only when the tide in their bottle of Chivas is on the way out. The hotel staff, mainly female and elegant in their turquoise ao daos pay meticulous attention to needs with some of the best English speakers in Vietnamese hospitality.

The facilities:

The rooftop swimming pool on the mid level is long and cool and a seductive start to the day in such a steamy city. Surrounded by buildings and verdant gardens, it offers relief from the street hustle, and as far as Saigon swimming pools go, it is quite simply the best. Watch out for its redevelopment into a more encompassing spa product in the coming year.

The rooms:

The best rooms are on the Club floors with views over Lam Son Square and have extras which make the room feel a little more Vietnamese. Arrangements of tropical fruits, flowers and coconut candies go a long way to making the ordinary extra-ordinary. Club rooms also grant entry to the Lounge where an evening cocktail is served. Join the throng of businessmen calling on Saigon in hope of lining their pockets with the proceeds of a rapidly developing country.