Fusion Original Saigon Centre hotel Vietnam
Driven by style, this “home for the daring” wants to put Vietnam on the map.
Compared to Asian metropolises such as Bangkok and Tokyo, Ho Chi Minh City has tended to fly under the radar when it comes to style-driven hotels. But Fusion Original Saigon Centre, opened in the middle of last year, aims to change all that. The use of HCM City’s former name in the title is perhaps a deliberate step to position it less ambiguously in travellers’ minds, and the description “fusion original” isn’t helpful in determining its category, but let’s put all that aside, as this is a place to pop on the must-stay list.
For starters, the location is just about unbeatable. In District 1, it’s within walking distance of landmarks such as Independence Palace, Notre Dame cathedral, the heritage opera house, Ben Thanh Market and walking paths by the Mekong River. This part of Ho Chi Minh City is on the move, literally. The much-delayed rapid transit Line 1 metro, with Ben Thanh as its hub, is expected to be in use by the end of 2023, eventually with 24 stations, several of which will be underground. Light rail and monorail projects are also in the works.
The hotel occupies 10 floors of Saigon Centre, the city’s largest mixed-use development and a destination in its own right. The complex is cobranded with Takashimaya, the well-known Japanese department store, and the massive mall is up there in scale and scope with the region’s best and brightest.
It’s not a stretch to say that you could roll out of bed, take the lift and almost instantly hit the Takashimaya mothership plus brand stores such as Ted Baker, Armani Exchange, Coach, Uniqlo, Onitsuka Tiger and Nike. There are casual dining outlets galore in this retail precinct, too, including burger bars, sushi counters and Vietnamese noodle joints.
The hotel has 146 guestrooms in ascending categories of original, deluxe, premium deluxe, and two-bedroom executive suites. Opt for the top two tiers for access to an exclusive club lounge on the 15th floor, which serves food and has extra amenities such as showers and massage chairs, ideal for use before checking in or post-checkout.
On other levels, there’s a “reload pantry”, free for guests and featuring biscuits, fresh fruit, tea, coffee and cucumber-infused water, plus a microwave oven. In-room facilities include a coffee plunger and complimentary minibar, with soft drinks and canned water replenished daily.
The funky decor, a vibe expressed as “a home for the daring”, and such extras as board games delivered upon request, suggest an instant comparison with Ovolo properties, right down to the in-room “big stage sound” Marshall speakers and emphasis throughout on pop and modern art and photography, especially by local artists, some with clear Andy Warhol references. I notice repeats of prints in the hotel’s corridors but reproduced in different colours on each floor.
There’s a lot of timber and brass across these public spaces, and the entry area and lobby are long and narrow, mimicking the alleyways of the city’s old quarters.
Expect big oval mirrors, the odd swing chair shaped like a birdcage, and herringbone-patterned floors. It feels snug, groovy and with a sense of discovery around corners that belies the fact this is a reasonably large hotel. The full-length pool on the sixth level has a mini-urban resort feel, with a garden terrace and sun-loungers, and broad skyline views.
The real selling point, however, aside from luxe extras and location, is Miss Thu, a remarkably good restaurant on the 24th floor helmed by Michelin-star chef Arnaud Daleau, fresh from Park Hyatt Saigon and earlier stints in Paris and Sydney.
Breakfast is served here, but staff are almost conspiratorial when arranging a dinner booking as it’s small and the word is quickly spreading.
“The mythical Miss Thu is a lady of cultured presence, cosmopolitan, daring and enigmatic, sophisticated and modern, yet traditional and timeless…” Let’s forgive the storytelling brochures and get straight to the point, which is that this restaurant is a cut above, both in altitude and atmosphere. It feels like being admitted to a club that’s not yet widely talked about but poised to be the next big thing. The decor is clever, too, and festive in its colours and nods to the shapes of Vietnamese conical hats, bronze drums and fans.
Daleau and his local brigade have organised the menu into categories of Street Food Spirit, Proudly Vietnamese, Vietnamese Inspired, and the like, so you could segue from scallops with green pea, mint and peanut to Iberico pork and Phu Quoc pepper, a side of Da Lat organic vegetables with soy and ginger, and a finale of Hoa Loc mango cheesecake with passionfruit sorbet. All dishes are creatively presented, mostly on ceramic plateware with sprinkles of micro-flowers; others appear under glass cloches. Two “scoops of happiness”? That’d be red berry, coconut or banana ice cream indulgences before falling into bed with the nagging sensation that it would have been wise to buy a size larger in those nifty new “utility jogger pants” from Uniqlo.
In the know
T+L recommends the premium king or twin category on high floors, with cushioned window seat, ensuite with tub (and views from same), and muted décor in autumnal colours. Seasonal rates apply; average VND5,670,000 ($353) bed and breakfast for two. Fusion Hotel Group has nine properties in Vietnam and seven in Thailand.
Jo Makito was a guest of Fusion Original Saigon Centre.