The Myst Dong Khoi Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City has been crowned the world’s best luxury cultural hotel at a prestigious global awards ceremony recognising exceptional hospitality.
HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, Nov. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Myst Dong Khoi Hotel has been named the Global Winner in the Luxury Cultural Hotel category at the World Luxury Hotel Awards 2025. This highest global accolade recognizes the hotel’s profound commitment to preserving and presenting the soul of Saigon. The hotel has also been awarded the Luxury Art Boutique Hotel in Vietnam.
The Myst Dong Khoi stands as a singular tribute to the layered history, chaotic charm, and enduring spirit of Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon. Located on a small street which is just a few steps away from the historic Dong Khoi thoroughfare and the Saigon River, the hotel is an architectural anomaly, a deliberate departure from the standardized luxury hotel model. Its façade, with irregularly spaced and shaped windows veiled by lush tropical greenery, is designed to mirror the vibrant, spontaneous, and slightly overgrown beauty of Saigon’s traditional neighborhood shophouses and labyrinthine back alleys.
The hotel’s most powerful artifacts come from the salvaged components of the demolished 200-year-old Ba Son Shipyard, an industrial icon of colonial-era Saigon located across the river. The lobby features commanding pieces of industrial history: a massive, 5.5-ton iron anchor and original, centuries-old timber foundation poles. The ceiling is adorned with over 160-year-old Marseille tiles, the same materials used on the iconic Notre-Dame Cathedral nearby. These bold elements prevent the hotel from being a mere decorative exercise; they are tangible symbols of Saigon’s enduring strength and industrial heritage, transforming the communal areas into irreplaceable cultural archives.
Each of the hotel’s rooms is conceived as a mini-Saigonese home. They are spacious, open-plan, and meticulously furnished with local handicrafts and antique-style pieces, such as vintage rotary telephones and classic abacuses, seamlessly integrated alongside modern luxuries like smart toilets and local high-quality complimentary minibar. The most celebrated feature is the private balcony garden, complete with lush tropical flora and, in many rooms, a deep stone or wrought-iron open-air bathtub. This design choice provides guests with an intimate, private immersion into tropical Vietnamese living, blending the dynamic city view with a peaceful, verdant retreat.
Beyond the physical settings, The Myst Dong Khoi’s staff elevates the cultural experience. The check-in process eliminates the barrier of a traditional front desk, conducted instead as a friendly chat over tea in a seated lounge area. The most charming ritual is the nightly turndown service, where guests receive a handcrafted candy and a personalized bedtime story card, further emphasizing the hotel’s theme of memory, narrative, and local warmth.
Upon receiving the news of the Global Winner title, Ms. Hanh Lam, General Manager of The Myst Dong Khoi Hotel, expressed profound gratitude, emphasizing the importance of the public vote in the hotel’s victory. “Winning the Global Winner title in the Luxury Cultural Hotel category is the single greatest honor our team could receive. This award validates the vision we had from the very beginning, which is to create a modern sanctuary that is, above all, a sincere and loving tribute to our beloved Saigon,” stated Ms. Hanh Lam.
The Myst Dong Khoi Hotel’s success in securing this coveted Global Cultural title solidifies its position not just in Vietnam, but on the world stage, making it an inspiration for luxury properties striving to offer deeply authentic and locally grounded experiences. The World Luxury Hotel Awards are recognized as a crucial guide for discerning travelers seeking the highest quality and most impactful luxury experiences globally.
