Hotel Continental Saigon established 1880 oldest hotel Vietnam at 132-134 Dong Khoi Street opposite Opera House, District 1. Graham Greene Room 214 wrote "The Quiet American" early 1950s, featured in novel and 1958/2002 film adaptations. First Indochina War "Radio Catinat" rendezvous journalists/politicians/businessmen. Built Pierre Cazaux 1878-1880, Corsican gangster ownership until 1975. Couples rate location 9.7/10, huge rooms sitting areas Opera House views, spotlessly clean large bathrooms. Free breakfast courtyard ancient Frangipani trees, 2 restaurants, sauna, health club, traditional massage. Free WiFi, flat-panel TV, climate control. Very attentive service/staff, great location walking distance War Remnants Museum/Independence Palace/Ben Thanh Market. From $66/night (average $94). Some neglect/poor renovations noted, loud music Opera-facing rooms midnight.
Hotel Continental Saigon since 1880 - Vietnam's oldest hotel
Dong Khoi Street: 1880 Oldest Hotel Vietnam Opposite Opera House
Hotel Continental Saigon occupies 132-134 Dong Khoi Street in District 1 opposite Saigon Opera House, established 1880 as Vietnam's oldest continuously operating hotel. Built by Pierre Cazaux, home-appliance and construction material manufacturer, starting 1878 with inauguration 1880. The hotel operated under Corsican gangster ownership for period until war end 1975 adding colorful history. Location on Dong Khoi, one of Ho Chi Minh City's most celebrated thoroughfares, positions guests steps from Opera House (492 feet), Ho Chi Minh City Hall, General Post Office and Notre Dame Church (within 1,640 feet). Walking distance extends to War Remnants Museum, Independence Palace and Ben Thanh Market facilitating cultural exploration. Couples rate location exceptional 9.7 out of 10 for two-person trips demonstrating romantic appeal and central positioning. The 145-year heritage (1880-2025) creates unique institutional longevity connecting guests to French colonial Saigon, Indochina War era and modern Vietnam across three centuries.
Graham Greene Room 214: "The Quiet American" 1950s
Graham Greene maintained long-term residency in Room 214 writing well-known novel "The Quiet American" about transitional period between French Colonialist and United States involvement during Vietnam War in early 1950s. The hotel features prominently in "The Quiet American" novel and its two film adaptations in 1958 and 2002 cementing place in literary and cinematic history. Room 214 represents pilgrimage destination for Greene enthusiasts and Vietnam War history students. The Graham Greene connection distinguishes Hotel Continental as authentic literary landmark beyond simply historic accommodation. Guests can request Room 214 experiencing same environment where iconic Vietnam War novel emerged. The preservation of colonial architecture despite renovations maintains period atmosphere Greene would recognize. This literary heritage creates compelling draw for intellectually curious travelers seeking authentic connection to Vietnam's transformative 20th century documented in Greene's reportage-style fiction.
Huge room with sitting area and Opera House views
"Radio Catinat": First Indochina War Journalists Rendezvous
During First Indochina War, Hotel Continental earned nickname "Radio Catinat" serving as rendezvous point where correspondents, journalists, politicians and businessmen discussed politics, business news and current events. The hotel functioned as informal information exchange predating modern press centers. Catinat Street (now Dong Khoi) gave name to moniker reflecting street's prominence. The "Radio Catinat" designation indicates Hotel Continental's role as news hub where information flowed between stakeholders during tumultuous French colonial period. This historical function parallels Caravelle Hotel's later role during American Vietnam War phase demonstrating Hotel Continental's earlier strategic importance. The combination of Graham Greene literary legacy and "Radio Catinat" journalistic heritage positions property as essential destination for understanding how international media covered Indochina conflicts across French and American periods.
Huge Rooms: Sitting Areas & Opera House Views
Guest rooms feature huge layouts with sitting areas creating residential comfort beyond standard hotel configuration. Views over Saigon Opera House provide historic landmark perspectives from rooms. Spotlessly clean accommodations with large bathrooms demonstrate quality housekeeping standards. Free WiFi, flat-panel TV with premium satellite channels, in-room safe, refrigerator and air conditioning with climate control provide modern amenities. The décor maintains keeping with historic nature rather than contemporary design preserving period atmosphere. Hot water, comfortable beds and pillows, cold air conditioning ensure essential comforts. Some rooms facing Opera may hear loud music from Caravelle hotel across street until midnight - guests sensitive to noise should request interior-facing rooms. The huge room size represents significant value compared to typical city hotel dimensions while sitting areas support extended stays beyond sleeping function.
Breakfast courtyard with ancient Frangipani trees
Free Breakfast: Courtyard Ancient Frangipani Trees
Free breakfast buffet serves in courtyard under ancient Frangipani trees creating atmospheric colonial dining experience. Guest reviews highlight lovely breakfast spread with huge breakfast choices providing substantial morning meal. The courtyard setting under mature trees delivers outdoor ambiance unique among city hotels. Two restaurants on-site provide additional dining options beyond breakfast. The combination of free breakfast and courtyard Frangipani setting creates memorable starts to exploration days. The breakfast quality earns consistent praise with variety satisfying diverse preferences. The ancient trees suggest decades if not century-plus growth connecting guests to hotel's long history through natural environment.
Sauna, Health Club & Traditional Massage Treatments
After exploring, guests enjoy sauna, health club and traditional massage treatments supporting relaxation. The spa center provides professional therapies in historic setting. Fitness room maintains exercise routines during travel. Traditional Vietnamese massage techniques available delivering authentic wellness experiences. The combination of sauna, health club and massage creates comprehensive wellness program despite lack of swimming pool. Guest reviews praise very attentive service and staff demonstrating hospitality quality. The wellness facilities position Hotel Continental as full-service historic property beyond simply heritage accommodation. The traditional massage offerings connect to Vietnamese healing traditions complementing colonial architecture with local cultural practices.
Health club with sauna and traditional massage treatments
Guest Reviews: 9.7/10 Location & Very Attentive Service
Couples rate location exceptional 9.7 out of 10 for two-person trips - extremely high score validating central Dong Khoi positioning. Guest highlights include very attentive service and staff earning consistent praise, great location, fabulous rooms and lovely breakfast spread, huge rooms with sitting areas and Opera House views, spotlessly clean with large bathrooms, hot water, comfortable beds and pillows, cold air conditioning, huge breakfast choices, and lovely staff. Some concerns mentioned include hotel suffered decades of neglect and poor renovations - still great for history buffs but disappointing for those seeking atmospheric heritage interiors, and some rooms facing Opera may hear loud music from Caravelle until midnight. The overwhelmingly positive 9.7/10 location rating demonstrates exceptional central positioning value. The "very attentive service" praise indicates professional hospitality despite heritage property challenges. The honest feedback about neglect and renovations helps set appropriate expectations - property appeals to history enthusiasts accepting patina over pristine restoration. The "fabulous rooms" and "lovely breakfast" create positive experience foundation outweighing renovation concerns for most guests.
Pricing & Literary Heritage: From $66/Night Average $94
KAYAK shows rates from $68 with some users finding rooms as low as $66 representing exceptional value for oldest hotel Vietnam with Graham Greene literary heritage. Average nightly price recently $94 remaining accessible. Rates range $68-$247 on various platforms depending on room type and season. Rates from VND 1,940,566-2,079,145 on some booking sites. Free breakfast, free WiFi and 2 restaurants included. The 132-134 Dong Khoi Street location opposite Opera House positions guests on celebrated thoroughfare with walking access major attractions. The combination of budget-friendly pricing ($66-$94 typical), 1880 establishment as Vietnam's oldest hotel, Graham Greene Room 214 "The Quiet American" literary heritage, First Indochina War "Radio Catinat" journalistic history, exceptional 9.7/10 couples location rating, huge rooms with sitting areas and Opera House views, spotlessly clean large bathrooms, free breakfast courtyard ancient Frangipani trees, 2 restaurants, sauna/health club/traditional massage, very attentive service/staff, and walking distance Opera House/City Hall/Notre Dame/War Remnants Museum/Independence Palace/Ben Thanh Market creates compelling historic literary value despite noted neglect/renovation concerns.
Why Stay at Hotel Continental Saigon
Hotel Continental Saigon delivers authentic 145-year heritage experience at 132-134 Dong Khoi Street opposite Opera House in District 1, established 1880 as Vietnam's oldest continuously operating hotel. Built by Pierre Cazaux 1878-1880, operated under Corsican gangster ownership period until 1975 adding colorful institutional history. Couples rate location exceptional 9.7/10 for two-person trips validating central positioning. Graham Greene maintained long-term residency Room 214 writing "The Quiet American" about transitional French-to-American Vietnam War period in early 1950s. Hotel features prominently in novel and 1958/2002 film adaptations cementing literary landmark status. During First Indochina War earned "Radio Catinat" nickname as rendezvous point where correspondents, journalists, politicians and businessmen discussed politics/news/events creating journalistic heritage predating Caravelle's later war correspondents role. Huge rooms feature sitting areas and Opera House views with spotlessly clean large bathrooms. Free WiFi, flat-panel TV with premium satellite channels, in-room safe, refrigerator, climate control air conditioning provide modern amenities while décor keeps historic character. Hot water, comfortable beds/pillows, cold air conditioning ensure essential comforts. Free breakfast buffet serves in courtyard under ancient Frangipani trees creating atmospheric colonial dining with lovely breakfast spread and huge choices. Two restaurants on-site. Sauna, health club and traditional Vietnamese massage treatments support wellness. Very attentive service and staff earn consistent praise. Great location provides walking distance to Opera House (492 feet), City Hall, General Post Office/Notre Dame (1,640 feet), War Remnants Museum, Independence Palace, Ben Thanh Market. From $66/night with average $94 representing exceptional value. Honest guest feedback notes hotel suffered decades of neglect and poor renovations - still great for history buffs but disappointing for those seeking pristine heritage interiors. Some Opera-facing rooms hear loud music from Caravelle until midnight - request interior rooms if noise-sensitive. Perfect for literary history travelers seeking Graham Greene "Quiet American" authentic Room 214 pilgrimage, Vietnam's oldest hotel 1880 heritage, "Radio Catinat" First Indochina War journalistic legacy, exceptional 9.7/10 central location rating, huge rooms sitting areas/Opera views, budget-friendly $66-$94 pricing, free breakfast courtyard Frangipani trees, traditional massage/sauna/health club wellness, very attentive service, and authentic colonial atmosphere with patina accepting history buffs rather than luxury seekers wanting pristine restoration.
9.7/10 Location - Vietnam's oldest hotel celebrating 145 years
