I cannot count how many times I had almost gotten hit by a motorbike in the streets of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), yet this kind of “chaos” is exactly why I keep on coming back. I usually stay on the more bustling portions of the city—i.e. District 1, the nucleus of activity—but for a change, I stayed in a quieter portion of the city center, in District 3, where motorbikes and people aren’t as plentiful. I found this new place called SILA Urban Living, an aparthotel, which you don’t see many of in Vietnam.
SILA Urban Living is, as mentioned, located in District 3 amid a row of restaurants and coffee shops. It’s a bit of a distance from the hustle and bustle of the tourist-heavy District 1, but with the abundance of Uber and Grab cars and motorbikes, getting there and around is very easy and affordable.
SILA Urban Living is an aparthotel that caters to both short- and long-staying guests. Its units range from studios to two-bedroom apartments, where my sister and I stayed for a couple of nights.
In terms of style, our two-bedroom apartment was modern, clean, and elegant—it looked like one of those attractive homes you’d see in home and living magazines. It was spacious too, measuring at some 67 square meters.
The unit can suit a family or group of up to four people. It had a living area with rather cozy couches, as well as a full dining area for four. Since, again, it was an apartment that can accommodate long-staying guests, there was an open-plan kitchen that was equipped with a stovetop with hood, full-sized fridge, toaster, microwave oven, washer, and dryer, among others.
The two bedrooms—one master and one spare—had one comfortable bed each (one king and one queen), and each had its own LED TV. It was actually nice, to be honest, to not have to share a room with my sister.
As for the spotless bathrooms, there also were two—one, which had a tub, was located inside the master bedroom, while the smaller one was shared by the living room and the spare bedroom.
Although we didn’t use the kitchen to cook anything—food in Saigon was too tempting to pass up—we found the setup perfect for our needs. I’ve been a repeat visitor of the city, so I spent a lot of time chilling out and working in the sleek and cozy apartment. And by the way, wireless internet in the building was more than fast enough for me to do my work.
Complementing the room was a range of facilities, including an outdoor swimming pool with an attached sauna, as well as a fitness center.
For those who’d rather not cook, the aparthotel has a Asian-European restaurant called Twenty-One. We tried the lunch specials, which were unbelievably affordable, and what we had were definitely good quality.
WHY STAY THERE?
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With a full range of amenities, the rooms are suitable for both short- and long-staying guests.
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Although located in a quiet neighborhood, the city’s attractions are still easily reachable from the aparthotel.
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Rates are more affordable compared to name-brand hotel options in the city.
SILA URBAN LIVING
Ngo Thoi Nhiem Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Telephone: +84 28 39 300 800
Email: info@silaurbanliving.com
Website: www.silaurbanliving.com
Social Media: Facebook
