BonBon Residence

BonBon Residence
2C8 Trường Sa Street
P. 19, Bình Thạnh District

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Let’s get this out of the way right up front.  I hate the name BonBon Residence.  Sounds like an assisted-living home for expired frozen treats.

And, I want to be clear that Eating Saigon! is not in the business of reviewing the Saigon hotel/housing market. Not only because we’ve been too busy looking for good food and consuming it to worry about scouting out good local residences, but because Hai and I have lived in Saigon either with family or in our own long-term apartment for years. So, luckily we haven’t needed to search out accommodations.

 

However, this year after spending many months in California, we returned to Saigon in a need of a place to stay. Lucky for us, our good friend, Lisa, was staying at the BonBon Residence and convinced us that this is where we had to stay – directly across the hall from her (she did disclose her personal conflict-of-interest in that she wanted us to drag her to all our favorite Saigon street food vendors.)

It turns out that Lisa gave us some good advice!

BonBon has a lot going for it, if not its name. Located on Trường Sa Street, it’s quite challenging to access by car or, even motorbike. And, if you do find your way in, the street doesn’t particularly take you anywhere. Thus, there’s almost no vehicular traffic. A real treat in a neighborhood close to Saigon’s tourist center!

 

And yet, the location of this brand new, nicely designed and well-appointed six-unit building provides easy access to almost everything that most folk visiting Saigon might want to access.

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    Our dining table and work desk – with a view of the canal!

     

    

    Dinette, stove, sink, microwave, all-new bath, loft and CNN!

     

    Walk out your front door and you’re at a recently improved and landscaped canal walk — enjoy the locals exercising, dancing, fishing and strolling along the canal walk;

    

    A lovely canal-sided stroll right outside our apartment

    

    Hai made lots of new friends along the canal each morning 🙂

    

    Goodies from the country-side arrived each morning just outside of our apartment door

     

  • Look out from your apartment’s balcony and see giraffes and elephants enjoying their morning feeding at the Saigon Zoo directly across the canal;
    

    Watching for the giraffes and elephants to come out for a stroll

     

  • Stroll 15 minutes and find yourself in the excitement and chaos of Saigon’s Districts 1 and 3 tourist centers;
    

    Just a 10-monute stroll over the bridge and find yourself in Saigon’s tourist center.

     

  • Walk just two blocks and be in the midst of slithering seafood, live poultry, and fresh vegetables at the local market – one of the best that Hai and I have scouted.
    

    Filled with fresh produce, meats, poultry and complete with “slithering things”

     

  • In the true Eating Saigon! tradition, wander through the local streets and alleys to enjoy some truly authentic local eateries here (more on this in a future blog).
  • Or, just stay in your apartment and enjoy the passing thunderstorm from your balcony!

The staff here at the BonBon Residence also go out of their way to be helpful and supportive. The bi-weekly cleaning,  in-house laundry service, and arrival greetings from the friendly receptionist – anytime day or night – are real perks! It’s been a joy staying here.

No question when Hai and I might need a place to park ourselves here in Saigon in the future, BonBon will be near the top of our list – assuming this blog posting doesn’t book them completely full for years to come!

So, thanks Lisa, for the BonBon Residence recommendation … oh, and also thanks for the margaritas (yes, yet another future posting!)

BonBon Residence
2C8 Trường Sa Street
P. 19, Bình Thạnh District