Tống Tùng, the owner of the motel in central Đà Nẵng City, visits a guest at his motel. Women with children under six months old will be given special offers on rental prices. Photo Thái Bá Dũng

Thái Bá Dũng

ĐÀ NẴNG A motel in central Đà Nẵng’s Lê Quang Định Street has become a destination for young poor parents and single mothers who need somewhere to live at affordable prices.

The newly-built motel looks just like other places in the city, but behind the doors there is a difference, as this is where there are special offers for disadvantaged people.

A small paper sign is attached to the entrance of the motel, which says single mothers will get free rent and support for raising children. And couples with new-born babies will get a 50 per cent discount for six months.

Nguyễn Thị Khánh Hòa, a 24-year-old mother, and her husband Nguyễn Ngọc Huy Hoàng told Tuổi Trẻ (Youth) newspaper they were so happy to be informed that they would have the rental price discounted after Hòa gave birth to her first child.

Hòa said she rented a room at the motel as it was clean and well-equipped. It was also a convenient place to look after her baby while her husband worked.

However, the rental price of VNĐ2.2 million (US$94.6) per month was such a large amount the young couple were not sure if it was right for them.

“We are so surprised when the landlord told us that he would reduce half of the price for us until the child is six-month-old,” Hòa said.

Now Hòa only paid VNĐ1.1 million ($47.3) per month for her family’s accommodation.

Phạm Ngọc Hân and Phạm Hoàng Tú is another couple enjoying the special offer from the motel’s owner.

The owner even helped Hân complete the birth certificate for the child when her husband was busy working.

“It’s hard to believe, but it’s true,” she said.

For some women who have got into trouble with their marriage, the motel is a safe shelter.

A single mother, who wished to remain anonymous, said she had been abused and beaten by her husband for a long time. 

She was so frightened that she ran away and asked for a temporary accommodation at a pagoda in Đà Nẵng City. She was introduced to the motel.

“I don’t have to pay for the rent, either electricity and water bills. The landlord even gave me a fridge so I can preserve the food for my five-year-old daughter,” she said.

The motel’s owner Tống Tùng said he had given the land of 780 square metres to his five children several years ago.

They agreed to build a motel on that land. His youngest son, Tống Phước Tuấn, who works as a lawyer at HCM City, spent more than VNĐ10 billion ($430,000) to build 34 rooms for the motel.

Apart from the special discount, young couples at the motel said the new-born babies and children have been given presents on their birthdays from the landlord. On special holidays, a bag of rice and fish sauce would be given to poor couples.

Tùng said he wanted to help disadvantaged people just like people helped him years ago when he was at college. VNS