Khách sạn Dalat Palace — Hotel in Da Lat City

Dalat Palace Heritage Hotel It’s true that the last time we stayed at the Dalat Heritage Hotel was years back. It had a different name then too, when it was, we believe, under a different management. The place was beautiful, with vanished wooden floors, beds with canopies and bath tubs on steady golden legs. Golden taps and fresh looking bathroom tiles. Most importantly, it was clean, the cushioned chairs felt firmed, the rooms & bathrooms brightly lit. It was an equivalent if not better than the Raffles in Spore. We decided in our latest trip to stay at the now Dalat Heritage Hotel for two nights, 23 & 24 July 2025 . We learnt that it had changed hands and while we expected it to have aged, we thought most hotel managements, would have done some upgrade, some renovation some replacements of essentials. Sad to say, our stay was a tremendous let down. I’m trying not to use the adjectives “traumatising experience” and will not offer photos, so that the hotel has an opportunity to spruce it up and bring it to its former glory. The property has too much potential & history to be abandoned by visitors to Dalat. We stepped into a an old, tired looking lobby. Waited a long time to register and was told to expect welcoming drinks which never came. We girls had to use the “ladies. ” another disappointment. It was old, the flush was a pull up lever which almost didn’t work. The taps were tarnished. We finally got into our rooms. The floors were scratched, not quite the varnish, but we thought, it’s ok, a little authenticity, somethings must age. The beds still had its canopy, but the linens looked worn, tired. The little table with its two cushion chairs were well placed, but the cushions were totally worn, we could feel the base of the seat. There was a dressing table, thoughtful… but then there was no light for any lady, vain or otherwise, to apply her war paint. The room was badly lit, no extra lights at the dressing table or anywhere. The stand alone cupboards were large, but dark as well. I almost missed the black hair dryer kept in there, and we couldn’t find the room slippers and had to ask for help to locate it in the cupboards.The most disappointing was the bathroom. It was badly lit as well. The taps were all tarnished and without my glasses, I could see the bits of mould growing around the base of the tap. There was also limescale deposits. The floor tiles were badly worn, and I wish I could say it gave the bathroom a feel of the grandeur of yesterday years ageing gracefully, but hygiene is too important here to do so. The highlight was when we took a shower and stepped into the bathtub supported by “stone legs.” It wobbled continuously and made such a lot of noise that kept the user on edge. Then, we saw it all, the grouting of the wall tiles were caked with black moulds. To top it all, the bathroom had a stench of clogged pipes. It stayed with us like a faithful friend that won’t leave even if we tried pushing him out the door!! Did I mention the mosquitoes that bunked in with us? They bit my friend on the face & eye lid which swelled for 2 days. In the mornings, they sounded the wake up calls around our faces. If it had been possible, we would have cancelled the wake up calls. Breakfast was good. There was a good spread and the chefs behind the counters were friendly and all smiles. However much could be done to train the waitresses, who hid in corners. I asked one of them where the toaster for the bread was, she said there was none. I found it on the second morning. It was there all along. I guess her English needs polishing. Luckily, the porters were friendly and quite quick with umbrellas as it rained the whole 2 days we were there. On the whole, the hotel had a handful of local guests while we were there. I hope they chip in, in encouraging the hotel to relook at its offerings. We would really like to go back, but perhaps, only if someone wrote a review that...

We first stayed at Dalat Palace Heritage Hotel in 2014 and fell in love with its French-colonial elegance—especially the thoughtful breakfast delivered to our room for leisurely enjoyment on the lake-view balcony (see my previous TripAdvisor review). Those misty mornings, sipping coffee amid the gardens, left us eager to return after all these years.||As a frequent guest at 5-star properties worldwide, I'm sharing this repeat-visitor perspective to help others decide if it's right for them. Unfortunately, our October 2025 stay revealed a property under new management that had lost much of its magic, turning a nostalgic escape into a frustrating ordeal from check-in.||Our room—a royal suite in the new 2017 annex—had a persistent sewer smell, likely drainage issues echoed in other recent reviews. The nauseating odor made the annex feel unclean and off-putting, clashing with our fond memories of fresh, inviting vibes. The new suites are ‘French themed’, a gilded version of the Ba Na Hills theme park, which clashed with the French-colonial art deco historical features retained in the historical wing.||Noise was relentless. External sounds and nearby music pounded through from late afternoon until well after 11pm nightly. The heavy bass rattled the windows—and my skull—robbing us of any chance to relax on that balcony or unwind. Soundproofing seems nonexistent, amplifying the chaos in this formerly serene lakeside setting. We escaped to a cocktail bar in town every night until it stopped.||Dining, once a highlight, was a major letdown. The breakfast buffet felt bland and uninspired—overcooked eggs, stale pastries, lackluster fruits—that paled against the personalized room service of 2014. Afternoon tea was a tepid and yet skimpy buffet, with forgettable snacks failing the hotel's "heritage" promise.||Dinner has regressed too. The lamb rack arrived untrimmed and underdressed; the French onion soup was chunky and odd. In 2014, we savored an impressive cellar, including a memorable 1985 Chateau Chalon (photo still in hand). Now? Just five crappy commercial wines, and they even ran out of their one Dalat sparkling option.||Compounding the frustration, a ceramic shampoo dispenser slipped off the sloped, slick, steamy shower shelf—setup begging for better grips—and shattered. An accident, sure, but we were still charged 500,000 VND for replacement. These oversights and the cheap pettiness that underscore how far the hotel has drifted from its elegant roots.||Dalat Palace still boasts stunning architecture and views, but urgent fixes to plumbing, insulation, and culinary standards are needed to reclaim its past glory.||Other frustrations mounted around staff communication: the language barrier felt wider than in 2014, and I had to chase follow-ups on requests two days after first asking.||This would’ve been a 2-star review had we not stayed here in 2014.||We'll cherish those 2014 memories, but will look...

Steer clear unless you fancy a colonial cosplay in a sewer.

We first stayed at Dalat Palace Heritage Hotel in 2014 and fell for its French-colonial elegance—savoring room-service breakfast on the lake-view balcony amid misty gardens. Those mornings hooked us for a return.

As a frequent guest at 5-star properties worldwide, I'm sharing this repeat-visitor perspective to help others decide if it's right for them. Our October 2025 stay under new management was a magic-less nightmare from check-in, shattering our nostalgia.

Stunning original architecture and views endure, but this relic begs urgent plumbing, sound insulation, and a new kitchen.

Our 'royal suite' in the new 2017 annex reeked of sewer on arrival—drainage issues echoed in other reviews.

The nauseating stench, plus the new annex's gilded French theme-park kitsch, clashed with the historical wing's authentic art-deco and colonial historical features.

Noise assaulted nonstop: thumping music and street din blasted through from late afternoon till past 11pm, rattling windows and my skull. Our serene balcony? Nope—we escaped to a cocktail bar in town every night.

Dining was subpar. Breakfast: overcooked eggs, stale pastries, limp fruits—eons from 2014's bespoke joy. Afternoon tea: a tepid buffet but stingy all at the same time.

Dinner has declined sharply too. The lamb rack was under-trimmed and underdressed, loaded with gristly fat we left behind. The 'French onion soup' was overly chunky and bizarre, which tasted like the chef had never tasted a real French onion soup. In 2014, we ordered from an impressive cellar, including a memorable 1985 Chateau Chalon (photo still in hand). Now? Just five crappy commercial wines, and they even ran out of their one Dalat sparkling option.

Insult piled on: a shampoo dispenser in the shower slipped off the steamy, slick shelf and shattered. Accident? Fine—but the 500,000 VND charge screams "cheapskate", underscoring how far this property has fallen.

Staff? Wider language gaps than in 2014 (despite Da Lat's tourism boom). I had to follow up requests 2 days after...