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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 elsewhere next time.