Ho Chi Minh · Vietnam
City Backpackers Hostel
Bed bug reports
-
Confirmed Hostelworld
I stayed at this hostel in Ho Chi Minh City and overall I was quite satisfied. The location was good and most of the staff were super, super nice and helpful, which made my stay enjoyable. Unfortunately, I did have bedbugs in my room, which was disappointing. Also, the man at check-in wasn’t very friendly, but apart from that, the rest of the team was really great and welcoming.
-
Confirmed Google Maps
Really average place with poor staff attitude and vicious air from insecticides. For international standards, really bad. Be warned it could easily be worse elsewhere. Place full of pesticides. Half my clothes smells pesticides now after 1 night staying there. Pros Central area Aircons works with no odor Elevator (many places don't have) Negs The place is also a travel agency with only 1 staff present at all time. So if you have a trouble, you will have to queue a long time for any problem to be solved. No AC in the lobby / reception. Suffocating and bad smell. The young female receptionist bad been extremely rude. Made me wait 28 min right in front of her face without warning to give trip advises to clients of while I was just trying to checkout. Really 0 client awareness. Maybe 4 people were waiting behind me and she didn't dare a damn about it. The people left angry. Had no choice rather than waiting. I completely regret I put my feet here. Pugnacious odor of insecticide chemicals everywhere probably from a recent bed bug extermination or repulsives for cockroaches Smells a bit moldy and clear presence of black mold in the bathroom A bit filthy there and there Mattress so soft it is almost more liquid than water Hand soap smells like the most horrible cheap odor factory no alive organism would like to receive No hand towel nor bathroom matt (they provide an old rag certainly used by all client for the floor) Heavily degraded furnitures Depressing design and decoration Greasy handle for the entree door Poor lighting in the bathroom No bed light No desk light Room lighted by a cheap tube on the wall. 1 garbage bin that smells cigarette each time you open it is the only one provided for everything including toilet paper Area full of cockroaches. The hotel is at the same level as the street so all insect can come. No steps to protect the building. A staff sprayed me while I was in the toilet. Got the insecticide taste in my mouth. Poor client awareness. Again. And dangerous for health. => To summeries, many improvements directions for this hostel. I believe they can do it.
HostelPunk native reviews
First-party field notes
No first-party HostelPunk reviews yet. Be the first signal.
Vibe Analysis
City Backpackers Hostel is a central Ho Chi Minh City crash pad with helpful front-desk energy, tour advice, and a location that does most of the heavy lifting. It suits a short stay where the plan is to sleep, shower, ask practical questions, and get back into the city. Do not book it expecting an easy friend-making engine. The common space is weak, the building often feels small and hotel-like, and the vibe skews quiet or transactional rather than hangout-heavy. Couples or tired solo travellers may be happier here than someone hunting for a proper social hostel. The recent pattern is mixed-to-rough: good location and nice staff keep appearing, but so do small rooms, weak showers, heat, mould, ants, and security complaints. Useful base, low magic.
Signals to check
- It is not very social, with little common-room energy and no real bar or hangout setup.
- Rooms can be small, stuffy, mouldy, or not as clean as expected.
- There are enough security and booking-friction stories to be careful with valuables and arrival details.