The tall and narrow Thang Long Hotel is one of the cheapest options for those wishing to be just a few minutes from the centre of the action, somehow managing to resist the price hikes that have effected the vast majority of city centre hotels in 2008. The rooms here are clean and well looked after but you'll not be seeing any decor awards behind the lobby desk -- the Thang Long is strictly a functional affair. What you could see though are a few awards for friendliness, as we found the staff here to be cheerful and very helpful. The cheapest rooms are totally forgettable no-window standards, but the superiors and suites are far better fare and those on the upper floors get a glimpse of the Saigon River thrown in. For those who don't penny up for a view, the top floor restaurant also has some pretty handy vistas. Rooms are well equipped -- in-room ADSL internet access, international cable TV, IDD telephone and clean, hot water bathrooms. One feature we'd not seen before is the emergency escape pipe...