Vietnam is stunning but booking a stay here can feel like playing roulette. Between fake reviews, misleading photos, and listings that don’t match reality, it’s easy to get burned. As someone who lives here and has stayed in many places, I’ve seen (and heard) it all.
The Truth About Hotel Stays in Vietnam
First, let’s step back and look at the why. Where does the misadvertising, scammy behavior, and deception come from and why does it seem so pronounced to visitors?
Instead of pretending it doesn’t exist, it helps to understand the deeper cultural and historical context. Vietnam has been shaped by centuries of occupation and survival under the influence of larger powers, like France, the U.S., and neighboring China. Sun Tzu’s The Art of War famously promotes trickery as a legitimate form of strategic survival and in many ways, that philosophy has evolved into a scrappy, hustle spirit across Vietnam’s informal economy today.
What Many Travelers Miss
This doesn’t excuse the behavior but it reframes it. Here's what most travelers miss: while deceptive advertising can be common, violent crime is not. Vietnam’s crime index shows it's much safer than the U.S. when it comes to physical attacks, muggings, and assaults. It sits overall at 40.29 (compared to 49.16 in the U.S.) Even more telling: Vietnam scores a high safety rating for walking alone during the day and a higher night safety rating than many Western countries. Many solo travelers, especially women, like @whitneydagail report feeling safer here than back home.
I hope this helped to put it into perspective, now let's focus on making you accommodation ready for booking your stay in Vietnam.
The Red Flags to Watch For
Pictured: Hotel listing with AI generated images
- Too-good-to-be-true prices with luxury promises
- Copy-paste review patterns (especially overly generic ones)
- Listings using stock photos or over-processed images
- Confusing descriptions with unclear location details
- Last-minute switches to “similar” properties
- Hosts avoiding direct questions or pushing you off-platform
One guest shared a shocking experience where the hotel claimed their room was unavailable due to a broken AC and tried to transfer them to a much worse property. When the guest tried to cancel, staff insisted they'd lose their money unless they lied to Booking.com about missing a flight. To make matters worse, they withheld the WiFi password to prevent the guest from contacting Booking.com. The traveler left immediately, calling the whole thing a scam.
Things Influencers Won't Tell You About Vietnam
How to Vet Listings Like a Pro
Pictured: 1. A listing new to the platform with over 100 reviews with a perfect rating 2. Hotel Checklist in the Vietnam Brochure with specifics to look for on reviews
- Google Maps street view recon
- Reverse image search the listing photos
- Message hosts before booking and gauge the response
- Read reviews for specifics, not just stars
- Avoid listings that “just launched” with perfect reviews
What Legit Listings Usually Show
Pictured: Real photos from my listing
- Clear, accurate photos (including less glamorous ones, like the bathroom)
- Realistic but positive reviews from a mix of guests
- Detailed location info and host transparency
- Listings that mention things tourists wouldn’t know (a good sign the host is real)
When This is What It Looks Like Outside Your Place
How I Do It as a Host
Pictured: 1. My Airbnb Profile , 2. Hoi An & Da Nang Things to Do Map
- I host in Hoi An and Charlotte and have been a guest myself 40 times in 13 years. I designed my Hoi An stay with the same standards I’d want when booking abroad: accurate, private, and comfortable for remote workers or slow travelers.
- I maintain social proof, like my Google Maps Local Guide status, and a digital footprint, so that if I'm searched, people can see that I am who I say I am, and my properties are legitimate too
Conclusion:
Don’t let a bad stay ruin your trip. With a little vetting, you can avoid the scams, skip the stress, and enjoy the Vietnam you actually came for.
