Is a perfume workshop worth it? Over 500 travelers across TripAdvisor, Klook, and Google have answered that question with a collective ★4.9 rating — and their reviews tell a story that no marketing copy could invent. NOTE – The Scent Lab is a perfume workshop in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, Vietnam, where you create a custom Eau de Parfum in 90 minutes guided by a trained workshop instructor. But whether it’s “worth it” depends on what you’re looking for — and the reviews reveal patterns that might surprise you.
I could write a thousand words telling you why the workshop matters. Or I could let the people who actually sat at the blending table — nervous, curious, skeptical, excited — tell you themselves. Their words are more honest than mine.
What follows is the unfiltered truth from 500+ reviews, organized by the themes that keep surfacing again and again. Not cherry-picked superlatives. Real stories from real afternoons in Saigon and Hanoi.
The Souvenir They Didn’t Expect to Love
The most common surprise in reviews isn’t about the workshop itself — it’s about what happens after. Travelers keep writing about the bottle. Not as a product, but as a container for something they can’t quite name. A memory in liquid form. A piece of Vietnam that doesn’t gather dust on a shelf — because every time they spray it, the trip comes flooding back.
“I have a beautiful souvenir to take home and every time I smell it, I will remember Saigon. Thanh was an excellent teacher.”
This theme appears in roughly one out of every five reviews. People come for an activity and leave with a custom perfume — a bespoke creation they made with their own hands, named with their own words, tied to a specific afternoon in a specific city. It’s not a fridge magnet. It’s not a T-shirt. It’s a personalized perfume that smells like the day they created it — their own signature scent.
“The workshop is very fun and enjoyable. We got to take home a little souvenir that reminds us Vietnam! The instructor is very friendly and answers our questions.”
If you’ve been searching for a unique souvenir from Vietnam — something personal, handmade, and genuinely useful — this is what 500 people are pointing you toward.
The Couple Activity Nobody Regrets
Date nights in Saigon tend to follow a pattern: dinner, drinks, maybe a rooftop bar. But couples who stumble into the workshop report something different — an experience that asks them to create together rather than consume together. Some make perfumes for each other. Some make matching scents. Some discover their partner’s taste is nothing like they assumed — and love that.
“Our workshop instructor instructor Nhi was amazing. I made my gf’s and she made mine.”
The “make each other’s perfume” approach is one of the most popular choices among couples. It’s a quiet, focused 90 minutes where you learn something about the other person through what they’re drawn to — woody and grounded, or bright and citrusy, or dark and resinous. No right answers. Just discovery.
“This is a must do activity for couples on a SEA trip!”
We’ve seen couples celebrating anniversaries, honeymoons, birthdays, and “just because” afternoons. If you’re looking for a couples’ activity in Saigon that isn’t another dinner reservation, this is what people keep recommending.
The Happy Accident — “I Wandered In”
A surprising number of five-star reviews contain the same confession: they didn’t plan this. They were walking past. They had a free afternoon. The original plan fell through. And somehow they ended up at a blending table, and it became the highlight of the trip.
“I wandered in — I was actually looking for a different store, but the ambiance was so nice I decided to just do the fragrance workshop. Vy and Sofia were very patient and helpful.”
At the Cafe Apartment location on 42 Nguyen Hue, District 1, HCMC, walk-ins are common. The building itself is a destination — a repurposed 1960s apartment block packed with cafes, galleries, and small studios. People come for coffee and discover perfumery. That spontaneity shows up in reviews as genuine delight — the best kind.
But here’s what the walk-in reviewers also say: they wish they’d booked earlier in their trip. Ninety minutes in the studio changes how you experience the rest of Vietnam. Suddenly you notice the lemongrass in a street stall differently. The jasmine along the river means something new. Scent becomes a lens. Online booking takes two minutes — instant confirmation, no deposit needed. Pay by card, bank transfer, or cash when you arrive.
The Last-Day Ritual
This one keeps showing up: travelers with a free final afternoon before their flight. The bags are packed. The museums are done. The itinerary has run its course. And they find the workshop — a way to compress their entire trip into a single bottle before they leave.
“This perfume will always remind us of this trip in Vietnam.”
The workshop takes 90 minutes. It’s indoors, air-conditioned, and centrally located at all three studios. It’s the kind of experience that works perfectly when you have a pocket of time and want to fill it with something meaningful rather than another lap around Ben Thanh Market. We wrote a full guide on what to do on your last day in HCMC — the workshop features prominently, for a reason.
The Staff — Why Every Review Mentions a Name
Read the reviews. Count how many mention a specific staff member by name. It’s nearly all of them. Vy. Zang. Cam. Ember. Chloe. Long. Sofia. Helen. This isn’t accidental — it’s the single strongest signal in the review data that something is working.
“Cam and her assistant Amber were absolutely wonderful. As someone in the beauty industry for over 20 years, I was extremely impressed by their knowledge and professionalism.”
The workshop instructors at NOTE aren’t reading from a script. They’re trained in perfumery fundamentals and — more importantly — in reading people. They notice when you wrinkle your nose. They suggest ingredients based on what you’ve responded to, not what’s popular. They teach without lecturing and guide without pushing.
“Sarah is patient and not pushy but gentle in guiding toward favorite scent.”
The word “patient” appears in 40% of reviews. “Knowledgeable” in 35%. “Friendly” in 50%+. But the real pattern is this: reviewers write about their workshop instructor the way you’d write about a good teacher. Someone who made them feel capable. Someone who turned confusion into confidence. That’s not a product. That’s a person.
The Skeptic Converts
“I’m not really into perfume” appears in more reviews than you’d expect — followed immediately by enthusiasm. The workshop doesn’t require you to be a fragrance person. It’s designed for people who have never thought about perfumery and wouldn’t normally choose it. And somehow, those are often the people who love it most.
“I ain’t the best at smelling but the shopkeeper helped superbly and I made really nice perfume.”
Why? Because the workshop isn’t about perfume expertise. It’s about self-discovery through scent. You don’t need to know the difference between vetiver and patchouli to create something you love. You just need to be willing to smell, respond honestly, and follow your instincts. The workshop instructor handles the rest.
The Return Visitors — “I Came Back”
Perhaps the most telling signal: people who come back. Not tourists who visited once — travelers who returned to Vietnam and made the workshop their first stop. Some come back to improve their original formula. Some bring friends. Some just missed the process.
“Did this workshop before in 2022, came back 3 years later and improved.”
“My daughter took a similar class in Singapore but this is at a different level. We learnt about sensory moods and smells. We will definitely come back!”
NOTE saves your formula permanently. When you return, you can pick up where you left off — or start fresh with new knowledge and new instincts. Your second perfume is always better than your first, because your nose has been trained. That’s the hidden gift of the workshop: it changes how you smell the world.
The Families — “My Daughter and I”
Family reviews carry a specific warmth. Parents writing about doing something creative with their children. Kids old enough to choose ingredients and young enough to be amazed that they’re making “real perfume.” Multigenerational groups bonding over scent rather than screens.
“Such a beautiful experience. My daughter and I did a spontaneous perfume making workshop here today.”
Children ages 8 and up are welcome (8-10 with a parent present). The workshop adapts — younger participants often gravitate toward bright, fruity top notes, and their creations tend to be bold and unapologetic in ways adult perfumes rarely are. If you’re traveling Vietnam with kids and want an activity that’s creative, indoors, and genuinely engaging, the reviews are clear.
The Numbers — What 500+ Reviews Tell Us
Beyond the stories, the aggregate data paints a picture:
| Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | ★4.9 / 5.0 |
| Total reviews (TripAdvisor + Klook + Google) | 500+ |
| 5-star percentage | ~95% |
| Most mentioned positive | Staff quality (mentioned in 80%+ of reviews) |
| Top review themes | Educational, fun, unique souvenir, patient staff |
| Repeat visitors mentioned | ~5% of reviewers |
| Negative reviews | Extremely rare; usually about wanting more time |
The single most common “complaint” — if you can call it that — is wanting the workshop to be longer. That’s the kind of problem most experiences wish they had.
So — Is a Perfume Workshop Worth It?
Here’s what the reviews consistently say. Not what marketing says. Not what the website says. What hundreds of strangers, writing independently, keep repeating in their own words:
- It’s worth it if you want a souvenir that actually means something
- It’s worth it if you want to learn a new skill in 90 minutes
- It’s worth it if you’re looking for something to do with a partner, a friend, a parent, or by yourself
- It’s worth it if you have a free afternoon — especially your last one
- It’s worth it if you’re not a “perfume person” — maybe especially then
The workshop is open daily at three locations across Vietnam. The studio at 42 Nguyen Hue (Cafe Apartment), District 1, Ho Chi Minh City is the original. 34 Nguyen Duy Hieu in Thao Dien is the newer, light-filled flagship. Lotte Mall Tay Ho in Hanoi serves travelers in the north. Booking online takes two minutes. And if you decide it wasn’t worth it, you’ll be the first in 500 reviews to say so.
For a deep dive into exactly how perfume is made — the science, the ingredients, the craft — read our full guide. And if you’re curious about NOTE’s ready-to-wear fragrance collection, the same artistry lives in every bottle at the retail studio.
We watch the light shift across the worktables every afternoon — golden at 3pm, amber by 5, and by evening the street musicians start below.
Book Your 90-Minute Perfume Workshop →
These are just a few of the 2,400+ reviews. Read more on TripAdvisor, Klook, and Google Maps.
Follow the journey at @note.workshop — daily scent stories from Saigon and Hanoi.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a perfume workshop worth the money?
Based on 500+ reviews averaging ★4.9/5, the overwhelming consensus is yes. You leave with a custom Eau de Parfum, new knowledge about fragrance, and a sensory memory of your trip. The most common “regret” mentioned in reviews is not booking it earlier in the trip.
What do you actually do at a perfume workshop?
Over 90 minutes, you learn about fragrance families and notes, smell 30+ professional-grade ingredients, design a personal concept, blend your perfume drop by drop with a workshop instructor, and take home a finished bottle with your name and formula saved permanently.
Is a perfume workshop good for couples?
Couples are one of the most common groups. Many choose to create perfumes for each other — learning about their partner’s preferences through scent. Reviewers frequently call it one of the best couple activities in Saigon and Hanoi.
Do I need to know about perfume before going?
No experience needed. The workshop is designed for complete beginners. Scent artists guide you through every step. Multiple reviewers who describe themselves as “not perfume people” rate it 5 stars.
Can kids do the perfume workshop?
Children ages 8 and up are welcome (8-10 with a parent). Family reviews highlight how engaging the experience is for younger participants, who often create bold, creative blends.
How do I book a perfume workshop at NOTE?
Book online at workshop.thescentnote.com/book/ for any of three locations: Cafe Apartment (District 1, HCMC), Thao Dien (HCMC), or Lotte Mall Tay Ho (Hanoi). Walk-ins accepted but booking ahead is recommended during peak season. Follow @note.workshop on Instagram for availability updates.
Practical info: how much it costs
