Equatorial Hotel

Description:

• This large edifice is a good distance from tourist Saigon, in the far reaches of District 5, but the Equatorial has long been a popular business address for regional and international conventioneers. It covers all the bases with good amenities and service, but nothing about it is all that luxurious or opulent -- more like tidy, utilitarian, and cozy. Superior rooms are rather dull. Deluxe are larger versions of the same, with seeming acres of carpet, floral bedspreads, and plain furnishings. Ask for a nonsmoking room on one of the few designated floors.

  Bathrooms are done in a cool green granite and marble tile, but all are just plain tub/shower combos. The cozy lobby bar is always busy with foreigners, and there's a good selection of dining outlets. The mezzanine restaurants are tidy but bland, and they hold frequent food promotions and a popular Sunday brunch ($18/£10). The fitness center is extensive and invites outside membership, and the 24m (79-ft.) pool's swim-up bar is inviting. For the exec on the go, be sure to upgrade to enjoy their snazzy two-story executive lounge -- connected by a chic winding stair. The hotel is just 10 minutes by car to the Dong Khoi area.

• © Frommer's 2013