Saigon is known to be a city chock full of contrasts. Amidst peaceful historical structures stand sparkling skyscrapers; an ancient temple alongside office buildings is The Reverie Saigon. A vision of Italian opulence, the 286-room hotel is smack dab in the prime location of Saigon’s District 1. The hotel occupies the upper and lower floors of the 39-storey Times Square tower, with each of its rooms designed to elegant perfection. Juxtaposing European accents with an Asian location, The Reverie Saigon is a treasure trove for the most luxurious. We dive into 5 reasons of why The Reverie Saigon gives other accommodations a run for their money.

1. Exquisite Décor

Step into the lobby and be awed by the magnificent marble tops and mirrors. Reminiscent of an Italian palazzo, the décor is unabashedly dripping in sparkling gems and gold accents. The décor is bold and strong, inspired by the grandeur and brilliance of European luxury. Boasting interiors that feature hints of art-deco styles seamlessly intertwined with sheer elegance. The Reverie Lounge is a microcosm of what the hotel has to offer.

The 3 metre tall Baldi Firenze clock

The space is dressed by Italian interior designer Visionnaire, with works by budding Vietnamese artists displayed around the venue. The most striking piece rests on the seventh floor lobby— a bespoke 3-metre tall Baldi Firenze clock. Embellished by hand-made mosaics in malachite and detailed in 24k gold plated accents, the clock is just one of the many extravagant pieces furnishing the hotel.

 2. Extraordinary Rooms

Uniformed rooms be gone! The Reverie Saigon has already shown its prowess in defying conformity through its décor, but what about its rooms? All 224 rooms and 62 suites in the hotel promise to add their own character. Collaborating with Italy’s leading design houses— Visionnaire, Cassina, Giorgetti, Colombostile and Polrona Frau — to provide only the top interiors, each room exudes its own personality, from the sophisticated to sheer whimsicality.

Lounge on beds covered with Frette Linen while admiring spectacular views of the Saigon River and the city skyline. The Reverie Saigon has luxury down to a tee, with bathroom amenities by Chopard in rooms as well as Hermès or Acqua di Parma for suites. The hotel’s most expensive suites —The Saigon Suite and The Reverie Suite— are done to a spectacular finish, with brocade wallpaper lining the walls and living rooms clad in marble.

3. Decadent Dining

Copyright 2016 Matthew Shaw. The Long @ Times Square

Take your pick from the hotel’s four dining venues: Café Cardinal, The Royal pavilion, R&J and The Long @ Times Square. Just like the rooms, each of these dining venues ventures to show their own unique flavour.

Perched on the sixth floor, the Café Cardinal offers delicate French cuisine along with aerial views of the city. Offering all-day dining, the predominantly French menu also accommodates Asian dishes during lunch and breakfast services. Another European influenced restaurant R&J, helms Italian cuisine. Influenced by the passionate lovers of its namesake, the subterranean restaurant is furnished with vibrant mosaics and a stunning collection of deliberately different dining chairs, reflecting youthfulness.

Despite its largely European influenced scenography, the hotel does not forget its oriental roots. Tucked away in a warren of nine private rooms, The Royal Pavilion celebrates Asian cuisine with a menu stuffed full of fine Cantonese dining. In need of a drink after a decadent meal? The Long @ Times Square is the hotel’s cafe-bar, best-suited for those who want to unwind after a day of activities.

4. Immersive Activities

Copyright 2016 Matthew Shaw

Get your adrenaline fix with The Reverie Saigon’s activities. Amidst all the glitz and glamour, the hotel has also injected a little spirit of adventure. The hotel has teamed up with Vespa Adventures to bring ‘Cruising Saigon’, a one-of-a-kind package that includes a private two-hour sunset cruise along the Saigon River.

The journey starts with a relaxing river ride along the Saigon River, topped with a picnic hamper filled with bites prepared by the hotel’s culinary team. The adventure starts as soon as the sun sets, with a city-chic journey against a purple hued backdrop — atop a vintage Vespa. The ‘Saigon After Dark’ food and festival fun will take you on a ride through the throngs of Saigon’s nightlife. The tour includes zig sagging into alleys and nooks and crannies of District 4 for authentic street food and the best coffee houses. Concluding at a lively club with a local cover band, the night is surely not one to be missed.

5.  The Spa

Dubbed Vietnam’s most exclusive city spa, The Spa at the Reverie Saigon is a state-of-the-art wellness center. Keeping with the hotel’s distinctive European setting, the spa commands in total 1,200 square meters of the sixth and seventh floors. With 10 private treatment rooms, steam and sauna facilities and four individual rooms for pampering, the genuine Vietnamese hospitality shows true in the tiptop service offered.

Moving Forward

“In a destination as exotic and far-flung as Saigon, there’s often the expectation to design a hotel that very obviously references the destination’s heritage”, said Herbert Laubichler-Pichler, the Austrian general manager whose roots in Vietnam go back to 2008. “This hotel, however, is a transcendent gesture. We’re fast-forwarding to the day when Saigon takes its rightful place as one of Asia’s leading cities, when upscale travelers will expect the very best attainable – not merely the very best in Vietnam, but the very best anywhere”.

A symbol of urban opulence, The Reverie Saigon is poised to cater to all your needs. Prices for a room start at USD 350 to USD 12,000 and 15,000 respectively for the Saigon and Reverie suites respectively.

For more information, do visit The Reverie Saigon.