Vinpearl Landmark 81 Saigon Review 2026: Marriott 35k Certificate, Suite Upgrade & Stunning Views

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After two exceptional nights at the Renaissance Saigon we weren’t done with Ho Chi Minh City just yet. We had two Marriott Bonvoy 35,000-point free night certificates ready to deploy — and the Vinpearl Landmark 81 was exactly what they were made for.

Landmark 81 is the tallest building in Vietnam, a gleaming supertower rising 461 metres above the Saigon River in the newly developed Vinhomes Central Park district. The Vinpearl occupies its lower floors and is one of the most impressive hotel openings in Southeast Asia in recent years. Fresh, modern, beautifully designed, and in a part of Ho Chi Minh City that feels completely different from the historic centre — this is the new face of the city.

The stay was, with one notable exception at check-in, extraordinary. Here’s everything.

The Booking: Marriott Bonvoy 35k Free Night Certificates

The Marriott Bonvoy 35,000-point free night certificate is one of the most valuable benefits available on Marriott co-branded credit cards. Unlike the standard free night certificate which caps at lower point values, the 35k certificate unlocks a wider range of premium properties — including the Vinpearl Landmark 81, which carries cash rates of $250–$400 USD per night.

Two certificates covering two nights at those cash rates represents somewhere between $500 and $800 USD in hotel value redeemed for the cost of credit card annual fees. That’s the kind of return that makes travel credit cards genuinely powerful tools rather than just spending instruments.

On top of the certificate redemption, we applied suite upgrade awards through Marriott Bonvoy Elite status — and were upgraded to a suite with views over Ho Chi Minh City that we will not forget for a long time.

If you’re a Marriott Bonvoy credit card holder sitting on 35k certificates wondering where to use them in Southeast Asia, the Vinpearl Landmark 81 should be near the top of your list.

Check-In: The One Honest Hiccup

We always include the real experiences in our hotel reviews — good and bad — and the check-in at the Vinpearl Landmark 81 deserves an honest mention.

We were escorted to the dedicated suite check-in lounge on arrival — a beautifully appointed private space separate from the main reception — and left to wait. And wait. And wait. Nearly 30 minutes passed without a single staff member approaching us to begin the check-in process. No acknowledgement, no apology, no explanation.

Eventually we went in search of someone ourselves, and from that point the process was handled quickly and professionally. But the initial experience was jarring — particularly for a property at this price point and with this level of ambition. It felt like a training or communication gap rather than a reflection of the hotel’s overall service culture, especially given how good the staff were throughout the rest of the stay.

It’s worth mentioning not to put you off — the rest of the experience was exceptional — but to set accurate expectations and flag that it happened. If you find yourself in the same situation, don’t wait as long as we did. Go find someone.

The Suite: Spectacular Views of Ho Chi Minh City

Once we were checked in and taken to our suite, all memory of the wait dissolved immediately.

The suite was beautifully designed — contemporary, sophisticated, and immaculately finished in a way that reflected the brand-new feel of the entire property. Clean lines, premium materials, thoughtful lighting, and generous space throughout. This is a newly developed property and it shows in every detail — nothing feels worn, dated, or tired. Everything is exactly as it should be.

But the views. The views are what you’ll remember.

Looking out over Ho Chi Minh City from high in Landmark 81 — the river below, the city spreading endlessly in every direction, the lights coming on at dusk as the sun drops behind the skyline — is one of those travel moments that genuinely stops you mid-sentence. We stood at those windows for a long time on both evenings, just watching the city.

For a stay redeemed entirely on certificates, being handed a suite with those views felt almost implausibly good.

The Breakfast Buffet: The Best of Our Entire Trip

We’ve stayed at some exceptional properties across our 100-day Asia journey and eaten a lot of hotel breakfasts. The Vinpearl Landmark 81’s breakfast buffet was the best of all of them — and it wasn’t particularly close.

The spread was extraordinary in both variety and quality. Vietnamese stations with freshly made pho, banh mi, and local specialities alongside an extensive international selection. A dedicated egg and omelette station. Fresh seafood. An array of pastries, breads, and cakes that rivalled dedicated bakeries. Fresh juices, proper coffee, and a presentation throughout that felt more like a five-star restaurant than a hotel buffet.

We went back multiple times each morning — not out of habit but because there was genuinely so much to try. On the second morning we made a deliberate plan to work through sections we’d missed the day before. The breakfast alone would make this hotel worth visiting.

The Executive Lounge: Evening Excellence

Following the Renaissance Saigon’s exceptional lounge the previous two nights, our expectations for the Vinpearl’s evening lounge were already high. It met them.

The evening cocktail hour service was generous and well-executed — a strong selection of alcoholic drinks including wines, beers and spirits, alongside a rotating spread of hot food and an impressive dessert selection. The lounge itself is sleek and modern, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering yet more views of the city below.

As with the Renaissance, we effectively had dinner in the lounge on both evenings. Between the breakfast buffet and the evening lounge, our food and drink costs during the Vinpearl stay were essentially zero — remarkable for a city with Ho Chi Minh City’s dining temptations just outside the door.

The Location: A Different Side of Saigon

The Vinpearl Landmark 81 sits in the Vinhomes Central Park development in Binh Thanh District — a newly developed area on the Saigon River that feels entirely different from the historic District 1 where most tourists stay.

This is modern Vietnam at its most ambitious — gleaming towers, manicured riverfront promenades, and a large luxury shopping mall directly connected to the hotel. Vincom Mega Mall is attached to the base of Landmark 81 and provides easy access to international brands, restaurants, a cinema, and a full range of amenities without needing to leave the complex.

For travellers wanting to see a side of Ho Chi Minh City beyond the backpacker streets and war museums, this district offers a fascinating glimpse at where Vietnam is heading — rapid, confident, and impressively executed.

The trade-off is distance from the historic centre. District 1’s main attractions — Ben Thanh Market, the War Remnants Museum, the classic Saigon streetscape — are accessible by Grab in around 15–20 minutes, which is manageable. But if walkability to traditional Saigon is your priority, a hotel in District 1 serves you better. If you’re happy to Grab into the centre and want to experience the new Saigon, Landmark 81 is an extraordinary base.

Vinpearl Landmark 81 vs Renaissance Saigon: Which Should You Choose?

We stayed at both consecutively, which puts us in a good position to compare directly.

Choose the Vinpearl Landmark 81 if you want the most visually spectacular hotel experience in Ho Chi Minh City — the views, the design, the breakfast, and the sense of being in something brand new and ambitious. Better for a shorter stay where the wow factor matters. The 35k certificate is the ideal booking vehicle.

Choose the Renaissance Saigon if you want to be closer to the historic centre with easier walkability to the classic Saigon experience. Slightly more dated in room finish but excellent lounge and service, and redeemable on standard free night certificates.

Our recommendation: If you have both standard and 35k Marriott certificates to use, do exactly what we did — Renaissance first for the central location and impeccable service, then Vinpearl for the views and that unforgettable breakfast. Together they cover the full spectrum of what Ho Chi Minh City’s hotel scene has to offer.

Practical Information

Location: Landmark 81, Vinhomes Central Park, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City — approximately 15–20 minutes by Grab from District 1

Getting there: Tan Son Nhat Airport (SGN) to the hotel is approximately 30–50 minutes by Grab depending on traffic — allow extra time during peak hours

Booking: Check current cash rates on Agoda. For Marriott 35k certificate redemptions, book directly through the Marriott Bonvoy portal. Apply suite upgrade awards at booking or by contacting the hotel directly in advance

Lounge access: Available to suite guests and qualifying Marriott Bonvoy Elite members. Evening cocktail hours are unmissable — plan your evenings around them

Mall access: Vincom Mega Mall is directly connected — convenient for shopping, dining, and entertainment without leaving the complex

Connectivity: Set up a Vietnam e-SIM through Airalo before arrival — use our link for 10% off

Tours and activities: Book Ho Chi Minh City tours, food experiences, and day trips through Klook

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Vinpearl Landmark 81 worth the cash rate? At $250–$400 USD per night it’s a premium spend, but the breakfast alone, combined with the views, suite quality, and lounge experience, makes a compelling case. On Marriott 35k certificates it’s an outstanding redemption — one of the best available in Southeast Asia.

How do Marriott Bonvoy 35k free night certificates work? The 35k certificate is a premium free night award available on select Marriott co-branded credit cards, redeemable at properties up to 35,000 points per night. The Vinpearl Landmark 81 falls within this range, making it an ideal redemption target. Check your specific card’s terms for eligibility.

Is Landmark 81 far from central Ho Chi Minh City? About 15–20 minutes from District 1 by Grab — manageable but not walkable. The property’s mall, restaurants, and lounge amenities mean you don’t need to leave the complex for much, but factor in the Grab trips if exploring the city centre is important.

What is the breakfast like at the Vinpearl Landmark 81? Exceptional — the best hotel breakfast buffet of our entire 100-day Asia trip. Extensive Vietnamese and international options, fresh seafood, a dedicated egg station, outstanding pastries, and impeccable quality throughout. Allow plenty of time.

Does the Vinpearl Landmark 81 have suite upgrades for Bonvoy members? Yes — Marriott Bonvoy Elite members with suite upgrade awards can apply them subject to availability. Contact the hotel in advance to flag your interest and maximise your chances of a successful upgrade.

Final Thoughts

The Vinpearl Landmark 81 is one of the most impressive new hotel openings in Southeast Asia — a property that matches genuine ambition with genuine delivery across almost every dimension. The suite views, the extraordinary breakfast, the lounge, the design — all of it came together into a stay that felt memorable rather than merely comfortable.

The check-in experience was the one real blemish, and we’ve reported it honestly. But in the context of everything else, it’s a footnote rather than a defining story.

On Marriott 35k certificates with suite upgrade awards, this is one of the best redemptions available anywhere in Asia. Use them here.

Check current availability on Agoda or book through the Marriott Bonvoy portal for certificate redemptions.

For our full Ho Chi Minh City hotel picture, read our Renaissance Saigon review covering the two nights before this stay. And for everything across our Vietnam journey, our complete Vietnam visa guide for Canadians is the place to start.