posted about 7 months ago by DaveM
about the venue: Homespec

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I've seen an agent for this company plugged several times on this site (eg http://newhanoian.xemzi.com/aska/answers/qid/488 )and thought I should add that my experience with him/them was... different.

Pleasant enough fellow, but...

1. Given plenty of time, no very specific preferred location, and a $700 max rent per month request, he could only produce three places, two of which were a joke.

2. He told me a number of things that turned out not to be true. Including that the rent on the place I did take was "negotiable." He seemed more interested in just selling the place and saying "yes, no problem" to any questions/concerns I had than telling the truth, or at least being sure.

3. His company's business card says it does renovations and home decorating. I was interested in this and asked about it. "Oh no," he said, "my boss put that on the card but we don't really do it."

I've used similar companies in the past that I found better than this.

posted about 9 months ago by DaveM
about the venue: Vu Nhat Camera

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Had a good experience here looking for a particular model of SLR lens for my camera. Phoned and asked if they had it, staffer with good English said they'd have it within two days and offered to call me when it arrived, ended up calling me three days later (explaining later that the product got delayed at the airport, not that I was complaining). Genuine made-in-Japan lens, price equivalent to that available anywhere else. Good selection of cameras, videocams, accessories etc and they could probably order anything they don't have on hand. Would upgrade to 5 stars if I have a similar experience a second time.

posted about 12 months ago by DaveM
about the venue: Amazon Bar

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I'm an old denizen of the former location across the street. Just (Jan 08) went to the new one for the first time and came away quite unimpressed.

There was only an open space on the second floor where I thought the pool table was supposed to be.

And where the staff at the old place were very friendly, giving the little spot a real warm and lively atmosphere, the night I went to the new one the staff were quite stand-offish in the classic fashion of too many Hanoi joints. Two staff behind the bar looking glum and not talking to anyone, and the pretty one who was supposed to be working the floor schlepping drinks, but actually was more interested in watching the movie on TV.

About all I could say for it based on that is, there's a big table overlooking Bao Khanh on the second floor that might be good to target if you're going out in a group and intend to gab amongst yourselves.