Updated October 2026
NOTE – The Scent Lab has three perfume workshop studios in Saigon where you can blend your own perfume: 42 Nguyễn Huệ, Floor 2 (District 1, 09:00–22:00, up to 8 seats), 26 Lý Tự Trọng, Floor 3 (District 1, 09:00–22:00, up to 12 seats) and 34 Nguyễn Duy Hiệu, Thảo Điền (08:00–18:00, up to 15 seats). All three run the same 120-minute session at the same price, from $25.92 for 10 ml (VAT included), and every seat is booked on the9base.com.
So the question is not which studio is “better”. The session, the materials and the bottle are the same. What differs is the room, the neighbourhood, the hours and how many people fit around the table. This guide helps you match the studio to your day.
How many perfume workshop studios does NOTE have in Saigon?
Three, all in Ho Chi Minh City: Nguyễn Huệ and Lý Tự Trọng in District 1, and Thảo Điền across the river to the east. All three are open every day, teach in Vietnamese and English, and run the same 120-minute guided session with one serial-numbered bottle per seat. 9base is the name of our custom perfume studios and the site where you book them.
Each room has the same cabinet: more than 30 raw materials organised into nine scent families. Each session sets out three of those nine families, and an instructor stays with you from the first blotter to the sealed bottle. Your formula is saved, so you can re-order it later, with refills at 20% off.
NOTE has no studio outside Ho Chi Minh City.
How do the perfume workshop studios in Saigon compare?
In short: Nguyễn Huệ is the smallest and most central, on the walking street; Lý Tự Trọng is a mid-sized room near the Opera House with four fixed session times including 19:00; Thảo Điền is the largest and quietest, open earliest but closing at 18:00. Prices and the session itself are identical. The table below sets out the details.
| Nguyễn Huệ | Lý Tự Trọng | Thảo Điền | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Address | 42 Nguyễn Huệ, Floor 2 (Cafe Apartment), District 1 | 26 Lý Tự Trọng, Floor 3, District 1 | 34 Nguyễn Duy Hiệu, Thảo Điền |
| Opening hours | 09:00–22:00 daily | 09:00–22:00 daily | 08:00–18:00 daily |
| Seats per session | Up to 8 | Up to 12 | Up to 15 |
| Session times | See booking page | 10:00 · 14:00 · 16:30 · 19:00 | See booking page |
| Setting | Second-floor window over the walking street | Third floor, one block from the Opera House | Quiet riverside neighbourhood east of the centre |
| Getting there | On foot from central hotels; lift or stairs to Floor 2 | On foot; parking at Vincom Đồng Khởi across the street | Ride-hail (Grab, Xanh SM) or Metro Line 1 |
| Language | Vietnamese & English | Vietnamese & English | Vietnamese & English |
| Session length & price | 120 minutes · 10 ml $25.92 · 20 ml $47.52 · 30 ml $58.32 · 50 ml $69.12 (VAT included) | ||
Sources: the studio pages on the9base.com/stores and the pricing page, checked October 2026.
Which studio is best if you are staying near Nguyễn Huệ walking street?
Choose Nguyễn Huệ. It is inside the Cafe Apartment at 42 Nguyễn Huệ, right on the walking street, open 09:00–22:00, so you can walk there from most central hotels and fit a session around the rest of your day. It is also the smallest room, with up to 8 seats, which suits solo travelers and couples who like a close table.
The room is calm and a little cinematic — lit for the work, not like a shop floor — with a window over the boulevard. One practical warning we repeat to every guest: go to Floor 2, not Floor 4. The building has many floors and it is easy to climb one flight too far. If the door is closed, ring the bell.
“Good price, high quality material. Very well trained staff. Highly recommended” — Chanya, review platform
Planning the rest of the evening around it? See our guide to Nguyen Hue at night, or the Cafe Apartment floor-by-floor guide.
Which studio is best near the Opera House, or for a fixed time slot?
Choose Lý Tự Trọng. It is on the 3rd floor of 26 Lý Tự Trọng, one block from the Opera House, with four set session times — 10:00, 14:00, 16:30 and 19:00 — which makes it easy to plan around a flight, a tour or dinner. With up to 12 seats, it also fits a small group of friends or family together.
This is our newest room: one shared table, the same wall of materials as the other studios. The studio has no parking of its own; most guests who drive park at Vincom Đồng Khởi, right across the street. The 19:00 session suits travelers who spend the day elsewhere and want a focused stretch before a late dinner.
If you are deciding on the spot in the city centre, our guide to two free hours in District 1 shows how a session fits around the post office and Book Street.
Which studio is best for groups or a quiet daytime session?
Choose Thảo Điền. At 34 Nguyễn Duy Hiệu it is our largest room, with up to 15 seats per session around a long blending desk, and our quietest, in a leafy riverside neighbourhood. It opens earliest, at 08:00, and closes at 18:00, so it suits morning and early-afternoon plans — not evenings.
The studio also has a small boutique corner with finished bottles, open to drop-in visitors without a booking. Getting there from District 1 is easiest by ride-hail; Metro Line 1 also stops at Thảo Điền station. Our article Is Thao Dien worth visiting from District 1? helps you decide whether the trip across the river suits your plans.
“Loved the peaceful ambience. Recommend this perfume-making workshop for team-bonding — was grateful for the super helpful staff” — Trang C, review platform
For larger groups and team events, see our page on group perfume workshops in Vietnam.
Is the perfume workshop the same at every studio?
Yes. At all three studios you get the same 120-minute session, the same cabinet of more than 30 raw materials in nine scent families, an instructor beside you the whole time, and one serial-numbered bottle per seat. The prices, the saved formula and the 20% refill discount are identical. Only the room, the hours and the number of seats change.
Here is how a session runs, wherever you sit. You start by smelling, not mixing — three of the nine families are laid out, and your instructor explains what each material does. Then you blend, test on a blotter, adjust and test again. At the end you seal your own bottle; it carries a serial number and is yours to keep.
“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!” — Michael, review platform
If it is your first time, our guide to what to expect at a perfume workshop in Saigon walks through each step, and our beginner’s guide answers the usual nerves.
How do you choose a studio by time of day?
Mornings: any studio works, and Thảo Điền opens earliest at 08:00. Early afternoon: one of the District 1 studios keeps travel short if you are staying downtown; on the hottest days, a late-afternoon or evening session is the more comfortable choice. Evenings: Nguyễn Huệ or Lý Tự Trọng, both open until 22:00 — Thảo Điền closes at 18:00.
- Before a flight, with bags at the hotel: a District 1 studio close to your hotel; Lý Tự Trọng’s 10:00 session is easy to plan around.
- Hottest part of the day: keep the walk short with a District 1 studio, or move your session to late afternoon or evening — see what to do on a hot afternoon in Saigon.
- A slow day away from the centre: Thảo Điền, ideally starting by early afternoon.
- After dark: Nguyễn Huệ, on the walking street, or Lý Tự Trọng’s 19:00 session.
How much does it cost, and how do you book a studio?
One price list covers every studio and every session time, VAT included, and it follows the bottle size: $25.92 for 10 ml, $47.52 for 20 ml, $58.32 for 30 ml, $69.12 for 50 ml. On the9base.com/booking you pick the studio first, then the date and session. Moving your seat is free up to 24 hours before; cancelling at least 48 hours before returns 80%.
The workshop is rated 4.9 from more than 2,300 reviews, whichever room it was. If you are buying the session for someone else, there is a page on the perfume workshop gift card in Saigon. Otherwise, pick the studio that fits your day and book a seat.
Three rooms, one city, the same two hours. One has a window over the walking street, one sits a block from the Opera House, one listens to the trees across the river. Pick the light you like — the bottle you carry out will smell of your choices, not of the room.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I make my own perfume in Ho Chi Minh City?
NOTE – The Scent Lab runs perfume workshops at three studios: 42 Nguyễn Huệ, Floor 2, and 26 Lý Tự Trọng, Floor 3, both in District 1, and 34 Nguyễn Duy Hiệu in Thảo Điền. Each session lasts 120 minutes and you take home your own bottle.
Which perfume studio in Saigon is open in the evening?
The two District 1 studios, Nguyễn Huệ and Lý Tự Trọng, are open 09:00–22:00. Lý Tự Trọng has a 19:00 session. The Thảo Điền studio closes at 18:00.
Which studio is best for a group?
Thảo Điền holds the most people, up to 15 per session, followed by Lý Tự Trọng with up to 12. Nguyễn Huệ is the smallest room, with up to 8 seats.
Is the price the same at all three studios?
Yes. Per seat, VAT included: 10 ml $25.92, 20 ml $47.52, 30 ml $58.32 or 50 ml $69.12, at every studio and every session time.
Can I re-order my perfume later?
Yes. Your formula is saved, so you can re-order it later, and refills are 20% off.
Which floor is the Nguyễn Huệ studio on?
Floor 2 of the Cafe Apartment at 42 Nguyễn Huệ — not Floor 4. Take the lift or the stairs and look for the 9base studio door.
Does NOTE have a perfume workshop in Hanoi?
No. All three NOTE studios are in Ho Chi Minh City.
Where are NOTE’s studios in Ho Chi Minh City?
- Nguyễn Huệ — 42 Nguyễn Huệ, Floor 2 (Cafe Apartment), District 1 · 09:00–22:00 · studio details and directions
- Lý Tự Trọng — 26 Lý Tự Trọng, Floor 3, District 1 · 09:00–22:00 · studio details and directions
- Thảo Điền — 34 Nguyễn Duy Hiệu, Thảo Điền · 08:00–18:00 · studio details and directions
Information in this article was accurate at the time of writing. Opening hours, session times and availability may change — please check the9base.com before your visit.
You can also see prices (VAT included), book a seat and find a studio on 9base.
