Renaissance Saigon Hotel Review 2026: Suite Upgrade, Free Night Certificate & Lounge Experience

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After four nights in Vung Tau we made our way back to Ho Chi Minh City — Saigon — for two nights before continuing our journey. We’d been strategic about this stop: Zee had two Marriott credit card free night certificates ready to use, and the Renaissance Saigon was the target.

What followed were two nights in a sprawling suite, one of the best hotel lounge experiences of our entire 100-day trip, and a masterclass in how to extract maximum value from a travel credit card benefit. Here’s the full review.

The Booking: Marriott Credit Card Free Night Certificates

Let’s start with the points strategy because it’s genuinely worth understanding for anyone holding a Marriott Bonvoy credit card.

Marriott Bonvoy co-branded credit cards — available through a number of Canadian and international banks — come with annual free night certificates as a cardholder benefit. These certificates allow you to book a free night at participating Marriott properties up to a certain point value, with no cash outlay required beyond any applicable taxes and fees.

The Renaissance Saigon sits at a price point where these certificates deliver outstanding value. Cash rates run $150–$250 USD per night, meaning two free night certificates covered what would otherwise have been a $300–$500 USD hotel bill. For the cost of an annual credit card fee, that’s an exceptional return.

On top of the free night certificates, Zee used suite upgrade awards — a separate Marriott Bonvoy Elite benefit — to upgrade our room from a standard category to a full suite. Suite upgrade awards are earned through Marriott Bonvoy Elite status and can be applied at check-in when suite availability exists.

The combination of free night certificates plus suite upgrades is one of the most powerful plays in the Marriott Bonvoy ecosystem, and the Renaissance Saigon was a perfect property to use it on.

The Suite: Spacious, Characterful, and Honestly a Bit Dated

Our upgraded suite was enormous — genuinely one of the largest hotel rooms we stayed in across the entire Asia trip. Separate living area, a proper dining space, a large bedroom, and a bathroom with enough room to get genuinely lost in. After weeks of well-appointed but compact rooms, having that much space felt almost disorienting in the best way.

The honest note: the room was showing its age. The Renaissance Saigon is not a newly renovated property, and in places it shows — some finishes felt dated, certain fixtures had seen better days, and the overall aesthetic leaned more toward early 2000s business hotel than contemporary luxury.

But here’s the thing — when you’re paying zero cash for the room, a slightly dated aesthetic is very easy to overlook. The suite’s size, functionality, and comfort were all excellent. The bones of the property are good. And the service and food experiences more than compensated for whatever the décor lacked.

If you’re booking on cash and interior design matters to you, it’s worth knowing. If you’re redeeming certificates and prioritising experience and value, don’t let it put you off.

The Breakfast: A Strong Start to Every Morning

The Renaissance Saigon’s breakfast was excellent — a broad, well-executed spread covering both Vietnamese and international options, served in a spacious dining room with attentive staff.

Fresh Vietnamese dishes alongside Western breakfast staples, good coffee, fresh fruit, pastries — the quality and variety were genuinely impressive and a strong way to start each day. For a two-night stay where breakfast was included, it added meaningful value on top of the free night redemption.

The breakfast alone would justify a stay at the Renaissance Saigon for many travellers. It’s the kind of generous, well-run hotel breakfast that sets a positive tone for the whole day.

The Executive Lounge: The Absolute Highlight of the Stay

If there is one reason to specifically seek out the Renaissance Saigon over comparable Saigon hotels, it is the Executive Lounge — and it is not close.

The evening lounge service was extraordinary. Not just good-for-a-hotel-lounge extraordinary — genuinely, independently impressive. Here’s what was on offer during evening cocktail hours:

Full alcohol service — wines, beers, spirits, cocktails. Not the token single house wine you get at many hotel lounges. A proper, generous spread of drinks served without limit throughout the evening session.

Hot food — a rotating selection of proper hot dishes, not just canapés. Vietnamese specialities, cooked properly, served warm. The kind of food that functions as a full meal rather than just something to accompany drinks.

An impressive cake and dessert spread — multiple cakes, pastries, and sweet options that were genuinely excellent in quality.

To be direct: on both evenings we effectively had dinner in the lounge. The combination of hot food, unlimited drinks, and the dessert spread was comprehensive enough that going out to a restaurant afterwards felt unnecessary. For a hotel stay that cost us zero cash, having dinner included twice — at this quality — is almost absurd value.

Access to the Executive Lounge at the Renaissance Saigon requires either a suite booking or Marriott Bonvoy Elite status. If you’re redeeming certificates and using suite upgrades as we did, you’ll have access automatically. If you’re booking a standard room on cash, it may be worth paying the supplement for lounge access — it’s that good.

The Service: Impeccable Throughout

The service at the Renaissance Saigon was the most consistent five-star experience of any hotel we stayed at during the entire Vietnam leg of our trip — and we stayed at some excellent properties.

Every interaction — check-in, lounge service, breakfast, housekeeping, concierge — was handled with genuine warmth, professionalism, and attention to detail. Staff remembered preferences, anticipated needs, and made us feel genuinely welcomed rather than processed. The kind of service that reminds you why the hospitality industry at its best is genuinely impressive.

For a Marriott property in this tier, it set a high standard. It’s the element of the stay we talked about most when reflecting on the experience afterwards.

Renaissance Saigon: Is It Worth It?

On free night certificates with suite upgrade: emphatically yes. This is one of the best Marriott certificate redemptions available in Southeast Asia. The suite, the lounge, the breakfast, and the service together constitute an experience worth considerably more than the cash value of two credit card annual fees. If you have Marriott free night certificates and Bonvoy Elite status with suite upgrades available, put this property on your list immediately.

On cash at $150–$250 USD per night: Worth it, with eyes open about the dated décor in some areas. The lounge alone — if you have access — justifies a significant premium over comparable properties nearby. The breakfast, service, and suite size add further value. Just don’t expect a freshly renovated contemporary aesthetic and you’ll leave very happy.

Check current availability and cash rates on Agoda, or book directly through Marriott Bonvoy for certificate redemptions.

Practical Information

Location: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) — well positioned for exploring the city’s main districts

Getting there: Tan Son Nhat Airport (SGN) is approximately 30–45 minutes by taxi or Grab depending on traffic. Ho Chi Minh City traffic can be heavy — allow extra time during peak hours

Booking: Check cash rates on Agoda. For free night certificate redemptions, book through the Marriott Bonvoy portal and apply certificates at checkout. Suite upgrade awards can be applied at check-in subject to availability — call the hotel in advance to flag your interest.

Lounge access: Available to suite guests and Marriott Bonvoy Elite members (Gold and above). Evening cocktail hours are the main event — plan to be there.

Connectivity: Set up a Vietnam e-SIM through Airalo before arrival — use our link for 10% off. Ho Chi Minh City is well covered by all major Vietnamese networks.

Tours and activities in Saigon: Book through Klook for the best selection of city tours, food tours, and day trips from Ho Chi Minh City.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Renaissance Saigon worth it? Yes — particularly on Marriott free night certificates or points. The Executive Lounge is exceptional, the breakfast is excellent, the service is impeccable, and the suite category offers outstanding space. The dated décor in some areas is the only caveat at the cash rate.

How do Marriott credit card free night certificates work? Marriott co-branded credit cards come with annual free night certificates as a cardholder benefit, redeemable at participating Marriott properties up to a set point value. The Renaissance Saigon falls within standard certificate redemption range, making it excellent value. Check your specific card’s certificate terms for point caps and eligible properties.

What is the Executive Lounge like at the Renaissance Saigon? Outstanding — full alcohol service, rotating hot food dishes, an impressive cake and dessert spread, and attentive staff. On both evenings we effectively had dinner in the lounge. One of the best hotel lounge experiences of our entire Asia trip.

Does the Renaissance Saigon have suite upgrades available for Bonvoy members? Yes — Marriott Bonvoy Elite members with suite upgrade awards can apply them at check-in subject to availability. We successfully upgraded to a suite on both nights using this benefit. Flagging your interest in advance with the hotel increases your chances.

How far is the Renaissance Saigon from the airport? Approximately 30–45 minutes from Tan Son Nhat Airport (SGN) by taxi or Grab, depending on traffic. Ho Chi Minh City traffic can be unpredictable — allow extra buffer time especially during morning and evening peak hours.

Final Thoughts

The Renaissance Saigon delivered one of the most satisfying hotel experiences of our Vietnam trip — not despite being redeemed on free night certificates, but in a way that made the value feel almost extraordinary. A sprawling suite, an exceptional lounge that fed and watered us for two evenings, a great breakfast, and service that genuinely impressed throughout.

The slightly dated room aesthetic is real and worth knowing about, but in the context of everything else the property delivers, it barely registers as a complaint.

If you’re holding Marriott credit card free night certificates and haven’t found the right redemption yet — this is a strong candidate. Book through the Marriott Bonvoy portal, apply your suite upgrades, show up early for the lounge, and enjoy.

Check availability on Agoda for current cash rates.

This was part of our 100-day Asia adventure. For more Vietnam content, check out our Vung Tau travel guide, our Da Nang travel guide, and our complete Vietnam visa guide for Canadians.