Updated for 2025 travel season with real tips from someone who actually lives here.
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 in Vietnam and has booked dozens of places across the country (and hosted guests from all over the world), I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the confusing. Here's how to spot legit listings and protect your trip without losing your trust in people.
The Truth About Hotel Stays in Vietnam
Is it Safe to Travel and Stay in Vietnam?
Yes, Vietnam is one of the safest countries in Southeast Asia for travelers, especially when it comes to physical safety.
- Vietnam’s crime index is lower compared to the U.S.
- High ratings for walking alone at night
- Women solo travelers, like @whitneydagail report feeling safer here than back home
But safe doesn’t mean scam-free. The real issue? Misinformation and misrepresentation.
Common Accommodation Scams in Vietnam
Pictured: Hotel listing with AI generated images
These scams don’t usually involve theft they involve bait-and-switch tactics, especially in budget hotels or fast-turnover listings. Watch out for:
- AI-generated or over-edited photos
- Dozens of generic reviews posted in a short time
- Hosts who dodge your questions or try to move you off Airbnb/Booking
- “Room unavailable” excuses with forced transfers to worse properties
- Refusal to give the Wi-Fi password so you can’t contact the platform
- Too-good-to-be-true prices with luxury promises
Real example: One guest shared a shocking experience, they were told told their room’s AC was broken and forced to move to a worse room. 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
You don’t need to be paranoid you just need a system. Here’s how I vet listings in Vietnam:
- Use Google Maps street view to view the building
- Reverse image search the listing photos
- Message hosts before booking and gauge professionalism
- Look for specifics in the reviews, not just at the star rating
- Avoid listings with 100+ perfect reviews in just 30 days
Pro tip: Legit hosts will show bathrooms, hallways, or even weather wear which are things scammers don’t think to fake.
What Legit Listings Usually Include
Pictured: Real photos from my listing
Look for:
- Realistic, unaltered photos (with some imperfections!)
- A mix of guest reviews mentioning actual details
- Accurate map location, even if it's not perfect
- Clarity about what’s not included, honesty is a good sign
- Local references like rice fields or nearby cafés tourists wouldn’t know
When This is What It Looks Like Outside Your Place
My Hoi An Airbnb: Built for Trust, Designed for Comfort
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
- if I'm searched, people can see that I am who I say I am by my digital footprint
See My Verified Hoi An Listing Here
Context: Why Does This Happen 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.
Travel Safety is About More Than Just Crime Stats
It's about:
- Choosing safe, verifiable stays
- Being able to trust your host’s identity
- Knowing you’ll have backup options if something goes wrong
Travel Checklist: Vet Your Vietnam Stay Before You Book
✅ Reverse image search listing photos
✅ Use Google Maps to check surroundings
✅ Read reviews from multiple months
✅ Ask the host: “Is this the exact room I’ll be staying in?”
✅ Look for honesty in reviews both pros and cons
✅ Trust your gut if something feels off
Learn from Vietnam Travel Experts
Ready to Book? Make Sure Your Stay Matches Your Standards
And if you’re headed to Hoi An, I’d love to host you. Book my trusted, locally based Airbnb. Or browse other vetted Vietnam trip planning tools and safety checklists.
