Vietnam
A good quality locally owned hotel, about 10 mins walk from the centre of Hoi An. Good clean pool is a bonus and the staff are very helpful. Great value.
www.ancienthouseresort.com/
377 CuaDai Road, Hoi An Ancient Town, Quangnam Province - Vietnam
Tel : 84.510.923377
Google map: tinyurl.com/ybgachr
Although this hotel does not fall fully into the 'budget' criteria, nonetheless, it is an absolute steal. Located a short walk from the Old Town (ensuring that you don't get chewed up with the chaos and clamour of the rows of tailor shops and tourists), the hotel is a little haven for one to relax in. Complete with swimming pool, free wifi / internet access, splendid breakfast and airy rooms, I thoroughly recommend a visit. The staff are wonderful and genuine, and ensure that your stay is comfortable and that you have a thorough understanding of the town before you head out. Also, as a backpacker myself, I was amazed at the room, as my bed was even scattered with rose petals. Enjoy
www.nhinhihotel.com.vn
60 Hung Vuong street, Hoi An old town, Quang Nam province, Viet Nam | Tel: ++84 510 3 916718 | Fax: ++84 510 3 917118 | Email: salenhinhihotel@yahoo.com.vn
Simple restaurant with excellent food, friendly service and very reasonable prices.
The BoBo Cafes found in other Vietnamese cities have nothing to do with the orignal in Hoi An - they are owned and run by different people who have 'borrowed' (SE Asian-style) the name!
Also, for a decent and inexpensive Hoi An tailor's shop try 'Mr Xe' at the bottom of the same road.
Bo Bo Cafe: 18 Le Loi Street, Hoi An
Mr Xe: 71 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Hoi An
This is the kind of hotel that backpackers stumble upon in their dreams and I myself discovered almost entirely by accident.
For a very affordable price, you get the kind of accommodation many hardened Asia travellers have almost forgotten existed.
The all-but brand-new rooms are beautifully set out with carved ebony furniture and the bathroom alone is worth the charge.
That’s before you taste the food. Hoi An is not only Vietnam’s best-preserved old town but one of its culinary capitals too.
If you tire of the hotel restaurant, check out Tien’s just across the road for an even better choice of cheap but sumptuous Vietnamese fare.
144 Cua Dai
Tel: +66 3 836 4700
Fax: +66 383 64 802
Hoi An is a great place to get clothes made to measure. Choose something from the local designs on display, take along something you'd like copied or a photograph (shops usually keep a selection of Next catalogues and fashion magazines for inspiration!) and choose your fabric.
By the next day and for a few US dollars (I had a silk dress made for $12 and a suit for $20) you can get a whole new wardrobe made to measure, including shoes.
And if you overdo the shopping and run out of space in your bags, the local post office are experts in shipping parcels home.
There are over 100 tailors shops all around town - hotels and guesthouses can usually give recommendations.
Search Been there