With its innocent charm, sprawling metropolis, fascinating history and exquisite food, Ho Chi Minh, still known as Saigon, is a perfect blend of the traditional and the modern. Saigon’s colonial past seen in its preserved towns and heritage buildings with breathtaking natural wonders at the background will surely electrify all of your senses. If you ever find yourself in Ho Chi Minh, here’s our 3-day suggested itinerary to get you started. This trip suggestion is designed to show you the best the city has to offer and what are the things you can accomplish in less than a week. Depending on your interests and travel priorities, you can certainly mix and match destinations, activities, and attractions.

Where to stay in Ho Chi Minh City:

Villa Song Saigon (197/2 Nguyen Van Huong Street, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)

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In February we took off for Vietnam to get custom suits made for my groomsmen. For one night during out week in the chaos fueled city, we snuck off to Villa Song Saigon, which was about a 15 minute boat ride from the center of the city.

There we were treated to an estate that had been converted to a boutique hotel that was absolutely beautiful.

Having morning coffee here was one of my favorite experiences of the trip, and sitting by the pool wasn’t half bad either.

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All luxury boutique hotels have a special atmosphere, a combination of home and exclusive place ambiences. Villa Song Saigon developed a unique world of serenity, creating a cocoon for fine travelers in the emerging Vietnam.

Villa Song Saigon is a quite new property – opened in 2013 – but it quickly became an institution in Ho Chi Minh City and more globally in the Vietnam luxury hospitality market thanks to a great location along the river, a magnificient restored French colonial building and a great overall management. At 45-minute distance from the airport, it offers serenity and privacy with a boutique hotel size in a crazy stressing city.

In other words it’s a great destination to take a rest for few days, have a romantic week-end pampering yourself or simply use it as headquarter to visit the city thanks to the very convenient complimentary shuttle to Saigon Opera House.

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Named after the river it flanks, Villa Song Saigon (‘sông’ means river in Vietnamese) is still relatively unknown — and that’s a good thing. The luxury boutique hotel only opened in late 2013, is not part of a hotel chain or group, and so retains a distinct charm about it that’s rare to find.

With the Saigon river as its backdrop and wild, undeveloped grasslands across the water, it’s not uncommon to see local fishermen throwing their nets out to prepare for the daily catch, ankle-deep in mud as you enjoy your breakfast on the alfresco riverside terrace.

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Looking for a luxury boutique hotel in Saigon but want to get out of District 1? Look no further than Villa Song, a beautiful converted mansion where the walls are adorned with art and the spiralling staircases make you dream of days gone by. Even though you’re only a short transfer back to District 1, this place feels a million miles away; a riverside escape that’s still close to the heart of the city.

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Colonial Charm In A Modern Metropolis: The Ten Best Hotels In Ho Chi Minh City

Villa Sông Saigon

Drop Ho Chi Minh City’s hectic urban lifestyle for Villa Sông , a 1930s colonial getaway on District 2, right by the Saigon river. Though a bit further out from the city center, the hotel offers a free 10-min boat ride to the town center, and it has plenty of serenity, beauty and comfort to make up for the lack of shopping and nightlife. The hotel has recently undergone a major revamp and has reopened with its impeccable and serene colonial charm intact but with additional luxury touches, including a new spa and gym. It now features spacious, breezy rooms overlooking the river or the hotel pool, with sophisticated design elements, like the freestanding bathtub in The Art Suite. The swimming-pool and the riverside restaurant equally blend luxury and relaxation, ideal for summer splashes and romantic dinners under the palm trees.

Read more on Theculturetrip.com

5 best weekend getaways in Asia. Luxury stays in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Beijing, Siem Reap and Dubai

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

A foodie’s paradise, Ho Chi Minh City is great for quick getaways, and two days is the perfect length of time to eat your way through the city without it taking too much of a toll on your waistline. Work up your appetite on a walking tour of the city’s colonial classics, visit the War Remnants Museum and Reunification Palace, or zip through the city on a scooter – all the while stopping off for bowls of pho, freshly made banh mi, and those delicious freshly wrapped spring rolls that are conveniently sold on just about every street corner.

Where to stay: Villa Song Saigon

Housed in a beautifully renovated French-Vietnamese colonial mansion, Villa Song is perched right on the banks of the Saigon River. The boutique hotel features large airy rooms with high ceilings, canopied beds and old-fashioned bathtubs. The 30-metre pool is ideal for a morning swim before breakfast in the gardens as you watch the ships sail by. The hotel also has a private speedboat which can whiz you to the city centre for a night out on the town, or to the various restaurants that line the river.

Read more on Life Style Asia