Cảnh báo
As you all may know, May De Ville Hotel Chain which currently has 05
branches, are becoming very popular within the circle of tourists and
travelers owning to its outstanding location. May De Ville Hotel Chain
decoration, top quality services and facilities served by the
professional staff. That results too many recommendations from one
traveler to another visiting Hanoi to come to our hotels.
However, some travelers reportedly had trouble with the taxi
transportation from Noi Bai Airport to our hotels. Sometimes the driver
purposely tried to scam guests by sending them to a certain hotel with
an inconspicuous signs. There, upon arriving, some man quickly came out,
with an , May De Ville Hotel Chain cards in hand and told the
passengers that they did arrive at the Hotel but it was full at the
moment. He then said that they had a "sister hotel" just a few blocks
away. Then, passengers are sent to a different hotel of lower standard
where the driver gets some commissions from that hotel owner. No one can
eventually guarantee the service of the latter hotel, or predict what
scam will come next.
As such, it is highly advisable that every traveler to Hanoi in general
and to, May De Ville Hotel Chain in particular should be alert not to
totally depend on either the taxi driver or hotel staff that he
recommends. Instead, it should be required that the street and hotel
signs be pointed out to the traveler by the driver so that one knows
whether s/he is being transferred to the right hotel.
As our private airport transfers are available, we recommend our guests
to take further preventive measure by contacting us in advance for our
airport pickup service.
Last but not least, for the benefit of all, we would like to call for
all astute travelers and any travel-related businesses to raise the
awareness of this sort of scam and to help eliminate such wrongdoing by
circulate this message to anyone traveling to Hanoi.
* PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED BY VISITORS TO HANOI
So far there have been many tourists being cheated so that this is very
good information for travelers to avoid the troubles when you are
traveling in Hanoi or in Vietnam. This information is written by my
experiences and some travelers who had been cheated. You should take a
look and print it out to bring with you while traveling in Vietnam!
- Problem 1
There is not enough information available to first time travelers to Ha
Noi either on Vietnam Airlines or at Noibai airport. Thus, travelers are
not aware of their options for getting to Hanoi from the airport, what
such a trip should cost, and who are reliable drivers.
+ Solution 1
Brochures with this information in many languages can be printed and put
in seat pockets of all Vietnam Airlines planes; these brochures should
also be made readily available at the airport.
- Problem 2
Frequently visitors have trouble finding legitimate transportation from
Noibai International Airport to their hotel in Ha Noi. Sometimes they
are driven by minibus drivers who promise to take them to a specific
address in Ha Noi. However, instead of being delivered to the requested
hotel they are delivered to a different hotel where the bus driver has
friends. They are frequently then overcharged at this hotel.
+ Solution 2
Travelers to Vietnam should be warned in advance or at the airport not
to depend on either the airport driver or hotel staff that he
recommends. In addition it should be a requirement that the street signs
be pointed out to the traveler by the bus driver so that the traveler
knows whether s/he is being delivered to the correct hotel.
- Problem 3
Another problem arising for travelers from Norbai is that the price
quoted for transportation from the airport normally includes the road
tax. However, upon arrival, travelers are charged for the road tax
again.
+ Solution 3
Travelers should be made aware by information available at the airport
of standard prices for transportation and the fact that these prices
already include the road tax.
- Problem 4
Travelers are frequently led to foreign currency exchange venues by
airport bus drivers. At these exchanges they are given a poor exchange
rate, e.g., VND15,000 to US$1 rather than the standard rate at
http://www.vietcombank.com.vn/en/Exchange%20Rate.asp.
In addition the driver receives a commission from the foreign exchange seller.
+ Solution 4
Travelers should be encouraged to exchange money at the airport or at
foreign exchange sellers recommended by legitimate hotel owners.
- Problem 5
Be aware of the denomination of Vietnam Dongs which consist of too many
zero (0). Some unscrupulous drivers try to rip you off by adding one
more zero to your fare OR cheating that your VND500,000 note is only
VND50,000. i.e overcharges you 10 times higher than actual cost.
+ Solution 5
Distinguish Vietnam Dong notes and the exchange rates. Be alerted and
stand firmed if the driver asks for more notes. Call local reliable
sources (hotel staff, policemen, local people) for assistance if you
feel unsure of the situation.
- Problem 6
The first person a visitor meets is frequently the boy selling
postcards. These sellers frequently cheat the visitor either by
overcharging for the cards or by asking for VND 5,000 but extracting VND
50,000 from the confused traveler.
+ Solution 6
Travelers should be encouraged to purchase cards, maps and other such items from bookshops rather than street vendors.
- Problem 7
Even enterprising visitors who find a hotel on their own frequently find
that a person claiming a commission has followed them to the hotel.
+ Solution 7
The receptionist should ask travelers whether such a person helped them to obtain lodgings or not.
- Problem 8
Travelers are frequently sold tickets by travel agencies for tours of
local sites. They are frequently promised small group tours and good
train seats. After paying, they find that either the tour does not exist
at all or that there are very many people on the tour, that the quality
is very bad and that they have paid for good train seats but received
inferior ones.
+ Solution 8
Once they are in a legitimate hotel, travelers should be able to rely on
hotel staff to advise them on tour agencies that are reliable and
honest. In addition, it may be better to charge for the tour after it
has been taken in order to guarantee that the visitor is satisfied with
its value.
- Problem 9
Tourists are prey to pickpockets when they travel to the market.
+ Solution 9
Tourists should be advised to leave their valuables and extra money in the hotel safe.
- Problem 10
There are imitated VND notes printed for ritual purposes like votive
papers, but some taxi drivers will cheat you by giving these notes back
as small changes.
+ Solution 10
Tourists should be advised to check the notes carefully. The right notes
should always have the imprinted words Ngan hang nha nuoc Viet nam
(means `The State bank of Vietnam`) & the picture of the later
president Ho Chi Minh.
