【Review】Dalat Palace Heritage Hotel, Vietnam

The Dalat Palace Heritage Hotel is a historic luxury hotel in the city of Dalat, Vietnam, built in 1922 and renovated many times since then, retaining its original charm and elegance. It is known for its stunning French colonial architecture and scenic location overlooking Xuan Huong Lake. The hotel is a popular choice for tourists seeking a luxurious and historic lodging experience in Vietnam.

Booking

I made a reservation at VND2.7m from Agoda after comparing prices on the official website and Agoda. If the room rate and offers from the official site and Agoda are almost the same, I try to use OTA. Because I don’t want to share my credit card information with many places when I make a reservation. However, if you book on the official site, benefits may not be listed as perks. This could be a room upgrade upon check-in, a welcome drink, etc.

Check-in

The Dalat Palace Heritage Hotel is located on a hill overlooking Xuan Huong Lake and begins with a wonderful green park as you enter the site. Lots of trees, flowers, and wildlife. And a beautiful hotel with art deco style. It may look a bit old, but the nature around you soothes you, and you don’t mind the small things.

When we arrived at the hotel entrance, a porter greeted us warmly and carried our luggage to the reception desk.

While checking in, we were given a welcome drink and small cookies. They also shared information about the hotel facilities and tourist attractions in Dalat. My first impression so far is perfect.

Our rooms are on the second floor, but there is no lift. Please note you have to go up many stairs, so it is not recommended for people with disabilities.

Luxury Room

I had booked a Superior Room, but luckily they upgraded me to a Luxury Room at check-in. Thanks for the warm hospitality.

We stayed in a Luxury room, 44 square meters in size and full of charm in an authentic colonial style.

The view is excellent with sweeping views of the Xuan Huong Lake and lush gardens. The lake in the morning sunlight was also impressive. If we had not been upgraded, we would not have had this view, so perhaps the original reservation should be for a room with a lake view.

Wooden furniture, fireplace, fabulous decor, vintage phone. This is what I came to this hotel for, with a decor that is truly worthy of a heritage hotel. This reminded me of an Eastern & Oriental hotel in Penang, but that one was cleaner and more sophisticated.

Even with many vintage furnishings, a modern coffee machine provides a comfortable start to the morning.

Although a bit dim, this bathroom also has a beautiful vintage design, highlighted by a large soaking tub. The good thing about this bathroom is that the shower and bathtub were separated, and each was large enough to fit.

Afternoon tea

I noticed that afternoon tea was included in the room package when I checked in. I didn’t look at the perks closely when I booked the hotel, so it was a fortunate mistake.

I love the vintage style of this hotel. In every room I go to, I come across a completely different design of vintage furniture that inspires me.

Afternoon tea was buffet style with many sandwiches and desserts. The desserts for afternoon tea were standard, not worth mentioning, but I came to enjoy the ambience of the room and the view from the terrace.

While enjoying the vintage furniture and ambience room is excellent, it’s hard not to go to the outdoor terrace. On the terrace, you can enjoy the view and be surrounded by nature, and the sound of wild birds makes it hard to believe you are in the city.

Spa

After sightseeing in Dalat, I got a massage at the hotel spa. The spa was on the hotel’s second floor, and the inside was dimly lit and seemed as old as the building itself.

I wanted to shower first, so I relaxed in the sauna and then went to shower. Inconveniently, the shower room was not in the same room as the sauna, and the shower had no hot water, which was very disappointing.

Essential treatments, such as acupressure, massage, etc., are available. I opted to have a Thai massage. However, perhaps because I was tired from sightseeing, I fell asleep as soon as the massage started. I regret that I honestly don’t remember anything because I fell asleep. I left the spa with a feeling of euphoria, thinking that my massage was that good and relaxing.

Garden

Don’t forget to walk in the garden at the hotel.

You can find all kinds of flowers, and you may want to take pictures with the lake in the background. Oh yes, the garden is enormous, so don’t get lost.

Breakfast

Breakfast was a la carte at Le Rabelais Restaurant, the same as afternoon tea. I expected a buffet breakfast, but there were not many guests, so it was understandable that it would be a la carte.

Breakfast choices included American breakfast, Vietnamese pho and Asian breakfast. The taste is standard and not worth mentioning, as well as the afternoon tea. It is a pity that the breakfast is so subtle for what is supposed to be a luxury hotel in Dalat City.

My Verdict

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Bottom line

I had a unique experience in the hotel where you can get in touch with history. The hotel is located in the middle of town, convenient to the night market and hypermarkets or to go for a walk along the lake. However, there is some room for improvement. First of all, the food does not meet the quality of a 5-star hotel. I am most concerned about the food quality when I stay at a hotel. I often have breakfast at hotels, and no matter how old the facilities are, if the quality of the breakfast is good, I have a good impression of the hotel. Also, there was no lift for guests, but I saw a lift for employees. I think if the hotel also provided lifts for guests, it would attract more guests and make the hotel more lively. The garden was well-maintained and very clean. I hope the problems will be remedied.

Have you stayed at the Dalat Palace Heritage Hotel? If so, please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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