Accomodation / Business Visa

As an American citizen I have obtained visa on arrival (DN business visa) at the airports, several times. Passport photo, pre-approved letter and US dollars to pay fees are required.
If you have the time and are near a Vietnamese Embassy you can get the visa now. It will save you from dealing with the visa on arrival officials and you can go straight to the stamping booth. Because sometimes there are many people at the VOA area, and waiting after a long flight is never enjoyable.
I cannot speak from experience in HCMC, but hotels elsewhere often will rent rooms by the month. Usually at good rates. No worries about rental contracts or dealing with middlemen.
I wish you success with your potential business dealings in Vietnam.

My recommendation is that you get a DN visa from your home country before travelling. VOAs are OK too but you could have a nasty wait at the airport for the actual visa, then another wait at the Immigration desk. No fun after a long tiring flight.

As for accommodation, my recommendation is that you get a decent $15-$30/night B&B for a week or two, then get a serviced apartment if you wish. There are plenty around listed on this site (see Housing) in D1 or D2, even D3. The more central  (in D1) you are, the less time you will waste walking to meetings, or in taxis, etc. Once you get you bearings location-wise, you can literally just walk the streets and find suitable, safe, quiet places.

Find some place quiet (noise & scooter traffic can rob you of precious sleep); forget about the view (it's pretty much all the same in central HCMC). In any events, once you get your business deals set up, then scale up you lifestyle, housing, location, as your budget permits. Make the most of your time in the 2 months that you have.

If you need any assistance, preferably ask a Westerner who has experienced it, rather than a 'local' who might want to steer you THEIR way for a handful of money (ie. the walking ATM-Foreigner theory). Remember, lower Pasteur Street for cheap drinks and the best Western expat street-intel around ...

Hi everyone

Thanks for the information.

I have contacted the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK so I think it is probably best to arrange a business visa before I arrive. 

Appreciate all the advice and if anyone is around HCMC from mid October to November I would be happy to buy them a beer.

Thanks

Chris