A rooftop pool hotel in District 1: swimming, sauna and gym at The Myst Dong Khoi

Six in the morning, and the lift doors open on the 15th floor. Nobody has touched the water yet. Down in the streets the traffic is only just starting, and the air on the roof is noticeably cooler than at ground level. Give it two hours and the city is hot and loud again. The short answer, then: The Myst Dong Khoi has a 24-metre infinity pool on its roof, open from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm, a sauna and steam room open from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm, and a gym for staying guests. There is no shared jacuzzi up top, because every room has its own soaking tub.

At a glance. The 24-metre infinity pool is on the 15th floor, 1.2 to 1.5 m deep and not supervised, open from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm. The sauna and steam room run from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm. The boutique gym is for staying guests only; visitors can buy a day pass for the pool and both heat rooms. ROOTY Bar, on the same floor, is open from 7:00 am to 1:00 am. There is no rooftop jacuzzi, but all six room categories have a private soaking tub.

What you will find on the 15th floor

Start with the pool. It runs 24 metres, sits between 1.2 and 1.5 m deep, and is built as an infinity pool, its outer edge designed for the water to spill over, so from inside the surface seems to run straight on into the sky. Swim to the far end and the city is in front of you, the river off to one side. The walls are lined with mosaic tiles from Bát Tràng, the long-established ceramics village in northern Vietnam, set piece by piece into patterns. The hotel’s design notes say the northern ceramics were chosen as a nod to a city that has always made room for people from every region.

The water in the distance is the Saigon River as it passes the city centre, a river 251 kilometres long that rises in south-east Cambodia and eventually meets the Đồng Nai. The Bạch Đằng riverside is only about a five-minute walk from the hotel.

ROOTY Bar shares the floor, open from 7:00 am to 1:00 am, with Saigon-inspired cocktails and light Vietnamese dishes; our guide to ROOTY, the hotel’s rooftop bar covers it properly. The gym and the two heat rooms are in the hotel’s wellness area. The gym is small and boutique in feel, with cardio machines, weights, a massage machine and a view over the city.

Opening hours and who can use what

Each area keeps its own hours and admits a slightly different mix of guests, so it is easy to get muddled. In one place:

Note the two-hour gap. The pool closes at 6:00 pm, but the heat rooms stay open until 8:00 pm, so a late return from the city still leaves time for a session before dinner. Gym hours can be adjusted, so ask at reception when you check in.

Not staying? A day pass covers the pool, sauna and steam room, though not the gym. The reservations team can quote the current price, and our article on the infinity pool day pass for non-residents has the details.

The best time of day to swim

Early morning, from 6:00 am to around 8:00 am, is the gentlest. The air is cool, the light low and the water calm. There is time for a few lengths and breakfast at The Nest on the 12th floor before a first meeting. Between mid-December and mid-March the sun rises after 6:00 am in Saigon, as late as about 6:18 am in early February, so a swim at opening time can catch first light.

Midday is best avoided. Saigon averages about 28°C across the year, and the midday sun bounces straight back off the water. If you must swim then, keep it short and wear plenty of sunscreen.

Late afternoon belongs to the sky. Being close to the equator, Saigon sees sunset shift by less than an hour through the whole year, from about 5:28 pm in mid-November to about 6:21 pm in mid-July. The pool closes at 6:00 pm, so the month decides whether you watch from the water or from the bar.

Times are rounded to the minute from astronomical tables for Ho Chi Minh City. The wet season usually runs from May to November. If dark clouds build or you hear thunder, get out of the water and go inside. The US National Weather Service advises keeping away from water during storms and waiting at least 30 minutes after the last rumble before returning to outdoor activities.

Sauna or steam room: how they differ

The names sound alike. Five minutes in each and you will not confuse them again. A traditional Finnish sauna, as the Wikipedia entry on sauna bathing explains, usually holds the air at around 75 to 100°C with low humidity, so the heat is dry and fierce and you sweat quickly. A steam room in the manner of a Turkish bath works the other way round: humidity approaches 100%, so the temperature is set far lower, around 50°C.

The hotel’s rooms may be set differently, so ask the staff if you want numbers. If you like dry heat and a quick sweat, choose the sauna. If dry heat feels harsh, try the steam room, where the air is thick enough to leave you damp within minutes. On tiered benches, the lower one is cooler.

A simple swim, heat and rest routine

Move first, heat second, rest last. The two versions below are built around the opening hours.

A 90-minute morning for business travellers

1. 6:00 am. Twenty to 30 minutes of light gym work if the gym is open; otherwise go straight to the pool.
2. 6:30 am. About 20 easy minutes of swimming.
3. 6:50 am. Rinse off, dry and take roughly 10 minutes in the sauna.
4. 7:00 am. Drink water and sit until you have cooled down.
5. 7:30 am. Change, then breakfast at The Nest.

A late afternoon of about two and a half hours

1. 4:30 pm. A few relaxed lengths, then rest by the pool.
2. 5:15 pm. In the months when the sun sets before 6:00 pm, the sky starts to turn about now.
3. 6:00 pm. The pool closes. Shower, then 10 to 15 minutes in the steam room.
4. 6:20 pm. Two or three glasses of cool water, sitting quietly while your heart rate settles.
5. 7:00 pm. A warm soak in your room, or a call to KL Spa about an evening appointment.

On a longer stay, spread it out: swim in the morning, heat rooms in the evening.

Pool and sauna safety in brief

The pool has no lifeguard on duty, so keep an eye on anyone who is not a confident swimmer, and on children in particular.

A sauna feels restful, yet Harvard Health notes that heart rate can rise by 30% or more and that a short session can cost about a pint of sweat. The Harvard Health guidance on saunas comes down to a few general points, which are no substitute for medical advice.

• Keep each session to 15 to 20 minutes at most, and less if you are new to it.
• Drink two to four glasses of cool water afterwards.
• Avoid alcohol before and after, since alcohol and some medicines impair sweating and can lead to overheating. Save that ROOTY cocktail until you have fully cooled down.
• Cool down gradually. Going from the heat straight into cold water puts considerable stress on the circulation, even in healthy people.
• Skip the sauna when ill, and leave at once if you feel dizzy or unwell.
• If you have heart disease or uncontrolled high blood pressure, check with your doctor first.

At the pool, keep young children within arm’s reach. And if you have had a few drinks at the bar, leave the swim for tomorrow.

What to bring to the roof

• Swimwear, and sandals for the wet deck.
• Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat for afternoon visits.
• Goggles if you plan to swim lengths.
• A water bottle, especially if the sauna is on the list.
• A waterproof pouch, so your phone survives the poolside photos.

Ask the staff on the roof about towels and somewhere to leave your things. Day-pass visitors should ring ahead to check what to bring.

No rooftop jacuzzi, so where do you soak?

The roof has the infinity pool and the bar, and no shared jacuzzi. For a warm soak, go back to your room: all six room categories, from the 40 m² Saigon Balcony to the 70 m² The Myst Suite, have a private balcony and a deep jacuzzi tub. The Myst Suite adds an outdoor bathtub on its balcony, overlooking the city and the river.

One tip from the hotel’s guest information: fill the tub until the water covers the jets before pressing the button, and call reception if you need a hand. Coming straight from the steam room? Cool down first and keep the water warm, not hot.

After the pool: spa or bar

If your legs and shoulders are still complaining after a day on foot, KL Spa is inside the hotel and open from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm; book ahead on +84 909 375 438. Or sit on at ROOTY Bar on the 15th floor until 1:00 am, starting with something non-alcoholic if you have just left the sauna.

Frequently asked questions

Keep a morning free for the 15th floor

A night at The Myst Dong Khoi gives you the pool, the heat rooms and the gym, with a soaking tub waiting in your room. Book direct, choose your room and set an alarm for a 6:00 am swim above the city.

→ See the hotel’s facilities

→ Book a stay with an early swim

Curated by Silverland Hospitality.