Rex Hotel Explained

Hotel Name:Rex Hotel
Former Names:Ben Thanh Hotel
Location:141 Nguyen Hue Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Operator:Saigon Tourist
Floors:6

The Rex Hotel (Vietnamese: Khách Sạn Rex, French: Hôtel Rex de Saïgon) is a famous luxury and business hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. During the Vietnam War, the daily U.S. briefings at the hotel became known as "The Five O'Clock Follies".

The 286-room (as of 2024),[1] six-story building is located on Nguyễn Huệ Street in District 1 of the city.

History

Constructed in 1927, for French businessman Bainier, during France's colonial rule of Vietnam, the building started out as a two-story auto dealership and garage complex, called "Bainier Auto Hall". The building showcased Citroën and other European cars.[2]

From 1959 to 1975, Mr. and Mrs. Ung Thi renovated the building into the 100-room "Rex Complex" hotel, which featured three cinemas, a cafeteria, a dance hall and a library.[3] [4] The cinema was adorned with the most developed technology at the time, such as high-speed air conditioning, a 150-square-meter Todd-AO screen, and a stereo sound system to indulge up to 1,200 customers.[5]

Vietnam War

In 1960, the building was leased by the American Culture Centre and at that time the Abraham Lincoln Library was established on the building’s ground floor.[6]

The first guests in the Rex came in 1961, while it was still in its final construction phase. They were 400 U.S. Army soldiers.[7] [8]

The hotel was the site of the United States military command's daily press conference, derisively named Five O'Clock Follies by cynical journalists who found the optimism of the American officers misguided. The daily event was hosted by Barry Zorthian, chief spokesperson for the U. S. government in Saigon from 1964-68.[9] [10] [11] [12] In these briefings, United States, South Vietnamese military and civilian press officers would give a breakdown of the day’s hostilities, casualties and alleged successes.[13] [14]

Its rooftop bar was a well-known hangout spot for military officials and war correspondents.[15] [16]

At its height in the late 1960s, the Rex complex had around 600 employees and was frequented regularly by over 450 international journalists covering the US war effort.[17]

1975 to present

After the Fall of Saigon, the state's Saigon Tourism Bureau took ownership of the hotel and renamed it Ben Thanh Hotel in 1976.[18] [6] [19] In 1986, the hotel was renamed Rex Hotel.[20] [21]

In 2003, the hotel underwent extension and renovation works in its architecture, interior design and engineering services. It is owned by the state-owned enterprise Saigon Tourist.[22] [23]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rex Hotel . . August 27, 2016 . January 17, 2024 . January 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117102019/https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/lifestyle/20160827/rex-hotel/12223.html . live.
  2. Web site: Icons Of Old Saigon: Établissements Bainier Auto Hall . Tim . Doling . . January 20, 2015 . January 17, 2024 . January 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117102517/https://saigoneer.com/saigon-heritage/3697-icons-of-old-saigon-etablissements-bainier-auto-hall . live.
  3. Web site: Lịch sử Rex . vi . Rex Hotel in Ho Chi Minh . January 17, 2024 . January 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117121658/https://www.rexhotelsaigon.com/vi/rex-development/ . live.
  4. Web site: Rex Hotel - Vietnam's Home to Foreign Tourists . Thanh Dat . Nguyen Vu . . June 6, 2013 . January 17, 2024 . January 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117122514/https://vietnam.vnanet.vn/english/tin-tuc/rex-hotel-vietnam39s-home-to-foreign-tourists-44057.html . live.
  5. Web site: The Cinemas Of Old Saigon . Dang . Bui . . September 4, 2014 . January 17, 2024 . January 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117073211/https://saigoneer.com/saigon-heritage/2630-the-cinemas-of-old-saigon . live.
  6. Web site: Rex Hotel - Vietnam's home to foreign tourists . . February 10, 2014 . January 17, 2024 . January 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117080509/https://vietnamnet.vn/en/rex-hotel-vietnams-home-to-foreign-tourists-E90912.html . dead.
  7. Web site: War Tourism In Vietnam: A Guide To The Top Vietnam War Sites . Rainforest Cruises . June 11, 2020 . January 17, 2024 . January 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117124519/https://www.rainforestcruises.com/guides/vietnam-war-sites . live.
  8. Web site: Vietnam War sites in Saigon: Exploring places related to the US-Vietnam War . Mark . Kathmandu & Beyond . April 2, 2016 . January 17, 2024 . January 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117130622/https://www.kathmanduandbeyond.com/vietnam-war-heritage-ho-chi-minh-city-saigon/ . live.
  9. Web site: The Press: Farewell to the Follies . . February 12, 1973 . January 17, 2024 . January 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117082540/https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,903831,00.html . live.
  10. Web site: Famous hotels: Soft beds and hard battles . . November 30, 2011 . January 17, 2024 . January 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117074555/https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/famous-hotels-soft-beds-and-hard-battles-6269552.html . live.
  11. Web site: Fighting to preserve commercial rebirth; Vietnam: After rallying from a decade of centralized economy, Ho Chi Minh City’s revived business sector is again under siege. . . February 23, 1999 . January 17, 2024 . January 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117131033/https://www.baltimoresun.com/1999/02/23/fighting-to-preserve-commercial-rebirth-vietnam-after-rallying-from-a-decade-of-centralized-economy-ho-chi-minh-citys-revived-business-sector-is-again-under-siege/ . live.
  12. Web site: 5 Reasons to Visit Ho Chi Minh City Now . Clay . Dillow . . June 29, 2017 . January 17, 2024 . January 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117092327/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/what-to-do-ho-chi-minh . live.
  13. Web site: Hong Kong now has its own ‘Five O’Clock Follies’ media cabaret as press briefings stretch public credulity beyond breaking point . Jason . Wordie . . October 10, 2019 . January 17, 2024 . January 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117095449/https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3032334/hong-kong-now-has-its-own-five-oclock-follies . live.
  14. Web site: Footloose on the Busy Streets of Saigon . Barry . Zwick . . March 10, 2002 . January 17, 2024 . January 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117125827/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-mar-10-tr-vietnam10-story.html . live.
  15. Web site: The Vietnam War Tour . Bill . Allison . The Cultural Experience . January 17, 2024 . January 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117092553/https://www.theculturalexperience.com/tours/vietnam-war-battlefield-tour/ . live.
  16. Web site: U.S. Forces Out of Vietnam; Hanoi Frees the Last P.O.W. . Joseph B. . Treaster . . March 30, 1973 . January 17, 2024 . January 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117125057/https://www.nytimes.com/1973/03/30/archives/u-s-forces-out-of-vietnam-hanoi-frees-the-last-pow-war-role-is.html . live.
  17. Web site: In Search Of Saigon’s US Vestiges: Part 2 . Tim . Doling . . April 22, 2015 . January 17, 2024 . January 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117083025/https://saigoneer.com/saigon-heritage/4290-in-search-of-saigon-s-us-vestiges-part-2 . live.
  18. Web site: Ho Chi Minh City Journal; A Haunt of Old Saigon Gets New Life . Barbara . Crossette . . January 30, 1988 . January 17, 2024 . April 9, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230409192818/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/01/30/world/ho-chi-minh-city-journal-a-haunt-of-old-saigon-gets-new-life.html . live.
  19. Web site: Khách sạn 5 sao gần 100 năm tuổi ở trung tâm Sài Gòn . Mai Ny . vi . . October 26, 2018 . January 17, 2024 . January 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117142039/https://vnexpress.net/khach-san-5-sao-gan-100-nam-tuoi-o-trung-tam-sai-gon-3829202.html . live.
  20. Web site: Những cột mốc phát triển của khách sạn Rex trong 90 năm . Bảo An . vi . . July 12, 2019 . January 17, 2024 . January 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117093627/https://vnexpress.net/nhung-cot-moc-phat-trien-cua-khach-san-rex-trong-90-nam-3951423.html . live.
  21. Web site: Theo dòng lịch sử: Rex Hotel, khách sạn 5 sao có tuổi đời gần 100 năm ở TP Hồ Chí Minh . Hoài Thương . vi . VietnamFinance . November 1, 2020 . January 17, 2024 . January 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117093624/https://vietnamfinance.vn/theo-dong-lich-su-rex-hotel-khach-san-5-sao-co-tuoi-doi-gan-100-nam-o-tp-ho-chi-minh-20180504224245596.htm . live.
  22. Web site: Cablegate: Saigontourist: State-Owned Enterprise Syndrome . Scoop Media . . November 9, 2004 . January 18, 2024 . January 18, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240118021234/https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WL0411/S00260/cablegate-saigontourist-state-owned-enterprise-syndrome.htm . live.
  23. Web site: Vietnam's three top travel agencies to equitise soon . . September 2, 2019 . January 18, 2024 . January 18, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240118022118/https://vietnamnet.vn/en/vietnams-three-top-travel-agencies-to-equitise-soon-564318.html . live.

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