Caravelle Hotel 19 Lam Son Square, District 1 Ho Chi Minh City 335 Rooms

A long-time favorite for upscale leisure and business travelers, the Caravelle was the hands down choice in Saigon until the Park Hyatt opened across the steet. We still like it for its comfortable public spaces, great location and sophisticated, edgy character (think Ian Schrager meets Ho Chi Minh!).

Those old enough to remember the Vietnam War, will remember the Caravelle. The tallest building in Saigon at the time, many correspondents broadcast from the roof (which is now a popular bar called Saigon-Saigon). It was refurbished in 1998 and quickly became the preferred place to stay in Saigon.

While not as stuffy as the other luxury offerings in town, it offers many of the same amenities, including swimming pool, fitness center, satellite TV, hairdryer, in-room safe, mini-bar, telephone, data ports, and a great roof-top bar, Saigon-Saigon. Perhaps that explains its popularity with American guests. The spacious rooms are modern and well-appointed. Many have exceptional views overlooking Lam Son Square and the Municipal Theater. To their credit, current management has done a good job of maintaining the 8-year-old property.