Rex Hotel Rooftop Bar

Rooftop bar where US military briefed the press during the Vietnam War — the 'Five O'Clock Follies'

The Rex Hotel on Nguyen Hue Boulevard is one of the most historically resonant buildings in Ho Chi Minh City. During the American War, it was the billet for senior US military officers and the site of the daily military press briefings that journalists nicknamed "the Five O'Clock Follies" for their relentless optimism.

The rooftop garden bar is still operating and is one of the classic Saigon experiences — a cold beer under the fairy lights, with views down Nguyen Hue Boulevard toward City Hall. It is expensive by Vietnamese standards but the history and atmosphere justify the price. The lobby and public areas of the hotel are worth wandering through even if you don't stay.

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A story

The daily US military press briefings held at the Rex Hotel were nicknamed "the Five O'Clock Follies" by the American press corps, who grew increasingly sceptical of the optimistic reports about the war's progress. The briefings — held in the Rex's rooftop ballroom — became a symbol of the credibility gap between the military's claims and what reporters were actually seeing in the field. The phrase "Five O'Clock Follies" became a term for any government press briefing perceived as misleading.

☰Rex Hotel Rooftop Bar

Rex Hotel Rooftop Bar