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TPGtv Episode 18: Staying at the Park Hyatt Saigon and Making My Acting Debut

June 14, 2016
•
3 min read
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
TPGtv Episode 18: Staying at the Park Hyatt Saigon and Making My Acting Debut
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I'd started off my first-ever trip to Vietnam by spending a few nights checking out the nightlife and learning to cook my favorite dish in Hanoi, then flew by seaplane to Ha Long Bay for an overnight cruise. Now it was time to head south to Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City, as it's called today, where I stayed at the Park Hyatt Saigon and got a rare chance to participate in a play at a local theater. Check out the video, below, to see how it went!

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My TPGtv crew and I stayed at the Park Hyatt Saigon, a category 4 property with rates starting at $202 or 15,000 Hyatt Gold Passport points per night in June.

I'd originally booked us three standard Park King rooms through the American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts site — just one of the many perks of having The Platinum Card from American Express — for about $250 per room per night. Thanks to a special promotion where Hyatt Gold Passport offered limited-time Diamond status matches to Starwood Preferred Guest Platinum members with at least 20 nights of stays last year, I was able to cash in one of my Hyatt Diamond Suite Upgrades and stay in a luxurious Park Suite King room instead — without the upgrade, this would have cost me $290 more per night! With my 30% Diamond bonus and a 1,000-point Diamond welcome amenity, I ended up earning a total of 13,744 Hyatt Gold Passport points for our entire stay.

I enjoyed my stay at the Park Hyatt Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City.

I also got a chance to make my acting debut in a local Vietnamese-style folk opera production at the Kong Nhan Theatre. Wearing a traditional costume and face paint really helped me get into character, plus, I had a great teacher — the best actress in the house, pictured below. If you're ever in the area and want to check out a show, click here to see the theater's schedule. I highly recommend it.

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Making my Vietnamese acting debut at the Kong Nhan Theatre was something I'll never forget.

This video marks the end of my Vietnam adventure. We hope you've enjoyed TPGtv so far and are excited for the launch of TPGtv in Japan, which will premiere in a few weeks with a whole new format, so stay tuned. As always, I'd love to hear from you — send me an email with your feedback anytime!

Can’t wait to see what I’m working on next? Follow along with all my travel adventures on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat for a behind-the-scenes look at what’s coming up on TPGtv, and don’t forget to subscribe to The Points Guy on YouTube — you’ll be notified as soon as each new episode appears.

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

American Express® Gold Card

TPG Editor‘s Rating
4 / 5
Go to review

Rewards Rate

4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.