Recommendations for food, lodging, itinerary for visitor

[Dangerous Dave]

Hi again everyone and thanks for being so awesome.

In early November I'm receiving my first out-of-town visitor, in the person of a spry seventy-something retired professor of economics from India. Together we've made arrangements to visit Ho Chi Minh City / Saigon, Hue, Phnom Penh (obviously) and Siem Reap. He's asked me to put together a pretty rigid and humorless itinerary for us, and I'm posting today to solicit recommendations. I could use pointers on accommodations, dining, and attractions he might find interesting (after I've shared a little bit of backstory about him).

In Ho Chi Minh City we need a hotel near Pham Ngu Lao and, for whatever reason, he prefers those that include breakfast (whereas I'm of the opinion that you pay for it either way). His budget is $25 - $40 per night, single occupancy, and I'd like to put us in someplace that isn't the Savoy but isn't Ma and Pa's Hey-Let's-Run-A-Guesthouse, either. For dining recommendations, I'd like very much to take him to one of those raucous Vietnamese-local places where you sit on benches and slap your cold-wipe packet with both hands to open the packaging. The only attraction I've suggested to him that he hasn't seemed very interested in is the former South Vietnamese Presidential Palace, which makes sense since he's neither Vietnamese nor a Yank like me. I don't think either of us go in for the standard tourist fare, though I suspect that a balance of contemporary, religious, and colonial sights would make a good breadth of experience. The guy loves photo ops, and he loves to stand as wooden as a marionette in front of something instantly recognizable from outside the country, but he's also a retired economics teacher, so attractions or neighborhoods that show of the warp and rhythm of the place will probably be crowd-pleasers, too.

Up in Hue I'd very much like to stay on the sleepier east bank of the Perfume River (with the same guidance as before), and I'm wide open to suggestions for places to eat and things to see while we're there. Same guidance as before.

In Phnom Penh, I think I'll put him up at the Samrach, just around the corner from my apartment on Street 55, but if anyone wants to recommend anything -- either by way of alternate lodging, or food, or attractions, I'd be very grateful.

The last time I was in Siem Reap it was a completely over-touristed zoo, and that was in 2003, but we gotta do it. The wrinkle here, in addition to the other types of recommendations I've sought for the other places on the trip, is that we're taking the Giant Ibis night bus, so we'll need some guidance about the logistics of checking bags someplace and getting to the temples before we've actually been allowed to take rooms. (I'd be interested to know if there's still a $20/head Sokimex toll booth for non-Cambodians on their way to the temples, and/or if the price has changed.)

Sorry for the long post, and thanks again everyone!
Dave.

[taabarang]

How long do you plan to stay in SR? That bit about getting off the night bus and straight to the temples seems a bit rushed to me.

[Dangerous Dave]

It is indeed, but I'm afraid as things stand we only have that one day, and half the next one, before he flies back to Mumbai.

[hanno]

I would not stay anywhere near PNL, it is a shit-hole. Though I guess with your budget, you won't have much choice. There have to be around 500 hotels in the area that are within your friend's budget; I cannot help with a name as I have never stayed on PNL.

There really is not much to see at the Reunification Palace and I would also avoid the CU Chi tunnels, it is a circus. Maybe a visit to the Cao Dai would be interesting for your friend, it is a pretty whacky religion.

If you think 2003 was a zoo in SR, you are in for a shock, especially at the beginning of November. It will be absolutely heaving with people. Ask your Tuk-Tuk driver to go anti-clockwise to avoid the worst. The entrance gate to Angkor Wat has changed, it is now off 60 Road. Entrance fees have also changed, a one-day pass is now USD 37.00 and an 3-day pass USD 62.00.

[Dangerous Dave]

*ugh*

[bolueeleh]

In Ho Chi Minh City we need a hotel near Pham Ngu Lao and, for whatever reason, he prefers those that include breakfast (whereas I'm of the opinion that you pay for it either way). His budget is $25 - $40 per night, single occupancy,

sunny, new pearl, dragon palace I & II, gia vinh hotels which i think its good and within your budget, as for breakfast im not too sure coz i never eat BF in the hotel as there are too much to eat out there

walk till the end of pham ngu lao there is mediocre pho shop called quynh, if not walk to nguyen trai street (abt 20mins stroll) for pho ong (one of the best in HCM)

if not walk to the other end of pham ngu lao (where there is a big mobile phone shop) beside it there are few local shop that sells snails and local dishes that fits ur requirement of sitting in small plastic chairs by the roadside

[Anchor Moy]

We stayed here last time (March) at the Villa Sok San Square. It was fine. Close to Pub St. but not noisy, has a small pool. Between $20-40 if I remember. Don't know if breakfast is included but they have an ok restaurant.
http://www.thevillasiemreap.com/

They do tours for people short of time also, but I haven't used that.
http://www.thevillasoksansquare.com/tour-packages.html

[hanno]

We stayed here last time (March) at the Villa Sok San Square. It was fine. Close to Pub St. but not noisy, has a small pool. Between $20-40 if I remember. Don't know if breakfast is included but they have an ok restaurant.
http://www.thevillasiemreap.com/

They do tours for people short of time also, but I haven't used that.
http://www.thevillasoksansquare.com/tour-packages.html

Not bad at all. My girlfriend's brother works there and we go quite often to use the pool and get some food.