Da Lat is a hill-station retreat in the highlands (the Central Highlands) of south-central Vietnam. Opened up as a summer retreat during the French colonial era, it's called "the city of eternal spring" for its cool climate and its landscape of pine forests, lakes, and flower fields. About six hours by car from Ho Chi Minh City and popular for weekend trips, this town takes on a different feel depending on whether you stay in the convenient town center or unwind at a lakeside or suburban resort.
In this article, we split Da Lat's hotels into "around Xuan Huong Lake in town" and "Tuyen Lam Lake and resorts on the outskirts." For each area we lay out the options in a quick-reference table and cover the standout hotels one by one. Every place featured was chosen after checking its rating and operating status one at a time on Google Maps (star counts are as of July 2026). We don't include booking links — only links to Google Maps.
How to spend your time in Da Lat — light, laid-back sightseeing in a cool climate
Da Lat is a town made for relaxing in a cool highland climate. The usual plan is an unhurried mix of light sightseeing — flower fields, lakes, waterfalls, French-colonial architecture, and rounds of its famous cafés and night market. It's also popular for honeymoons and as a weekend retreat from the heat of the city.
Stay around Xuan Huong Lake in the town center and it's easy to reach cafés, markets, and flower gardens. If you'd rather have more peace and quiet, it's also worth spending time doing nothing at a resort on the outskirts, ringed by pine forest and the lake. This is a laid-back town for savoring the cool air and the scenery, not a trip built around constant movement.
1. In town, around Xuan Huong Lake ── enjoy sightseeing and café-hopping on foot
The area around Xuan Huong Lake, in the heart of town, is the base for sightseeing in Da Lat. Lakeside walking paths, the market, streets that still carry traces of the French colonial era, and stylish cafés are all within walking distance. At night it's a fun area to wander the night market in the cool air. The historic colonial hotels are clustered here too, making it a great fit for a trip centered on exploring on foot.
| Hotel | Type | Google Maps rating |
|---|---|---|
| Ana Mandara Villas Dalat Resort & Spa | Upscale (a pine-forest hill, 5 minutes by car to the center) | ★4.6 · about 2,530 reviews |
| Dalat Palace Heritage Hotel | Luxury (1922, lakeside colonial) | ★4.4, 1,464 reviews |
| Hotel Colline Da Lat | Mid-range (central, good value) | ★4.4 · 2,352 reviews |
| TTC Hotel Da Lat Ngoc Lan | Mid-range (central area overlooking Xuan Huong Lake) | ★4.3 · 619 reviews |
Dalat Palace Heritage Hotel — a 1922 grande dame overlooking Xuan Huong Lake
A colonial hotel opened in 1922, set on high ground overlooking Xuan Huong Lake. Its high-ceilinged classic rooms and fireplace-warmed lobby preserve the air of the era when the town thrived as a hill-station retreat. Here you can soak up the atmosphere of a historic building and enjoy strolls along the lakeshore.
Ana Mandara Villas Dalat — a resort of French-style villas dotting the hillside
A resort on a hillside overlooking the town, with guest rooms dotted among French-style villas from the 1920s and '30s. Surrounded by quiet pine forest, it's about a five-minute drive to the town center. Amid the atmosphere of a retro Western mansion, you can lose all track of time. Its rating is a steady ★4.6, too.
② Tuyen Lam Lake and the outlying resorts — quiet days surrounded by pine forest and water
If you want to get away from the town's bustle and be surrounded by highland nature, look to the resorts around Tuyen Lam Lake on the outskirts. Large resorts are scattered along the lakeshore amid pine forest, where you can while away time on the grounds with lake boats, golf, a spa, and more. It's 15 to 20 minutes by car from town, and that distance buys you quiet and clear air.
| Hotel | Type | Google Maps rating |
|---|---|---|
| Dalat Wonder Resort | Mid to upper range (suburbs, nature) | ★4.5 · 4,546 reviews |
| Terracotta Hotel & Resort Da Lat | Upscale (Tuyen Lam lakeside, large-scale) | ★4.4, 4,512 reviews |
| Swiss-Belresort Tuyen Lam Dalat | Upper range (lakeside, next to golf) | ★4.4 · 3,105 reviews |
| Dalat Edensee Lake Resort & Spa | Upscale (Tuyen Lam lakeside, large-scale) | ★4.4 · 1,986 reviews |
Terracotta Hotel & Resort Da Lat ── a large resort spread along the shore of Tuyen Lam Lake
A large resort on the shore of Tuyen Lam Lake, with rooms and villas that look out over the lake and pine forest. Lakeside walks, boating, a spa ── the appeal is being able to relax without leaving the grounds. It's ideal for a stay where you value quiet rest surrounded by nature over sightseeing in town.
Swiss-Belresort Tuyen Lam Dalat — a restful lakeside resort next to a golf course
A resort on the shore of Tuyen Lam Lake, right beside a golf course. In the clear highland air you can enjoy golf, the spa and the lake views. It suits both those who want to spend unhurried time a little way from town and those staying specifically to play golf.
Once you've settled on an area ── tips for choosing your Da Lat stay
Keep these three points in mind, including a few that are unique to Da Lat as a highland town.
- Town center if sightseeing comes first, outskirts if rest comes first: Choose by your goal and you won't go wrong ── around Xuan Huong Lake if you want markets, cafés, and strolling, or the outskirts by Tuyen Lam Lake if you want to hole up in nature.
- Read the star rating together with the number of reviews: Even a 4.9-star rating doesn't mean much if it's based on only a few dozen reviews. Hotels with a high star rating AND a large number of reviews are far less likely to disappoint.
- Bring warm clothes, as the nights get cold: Da Lat sits in the highlands, and nights get quite cold even by Vietnam's standards. Check the reviews for whether your stay has heating or blankets, just to be safe.
Note: the star ratings in this article were checked one property at a time on Google Maps as of July 2026. Before booking, follow the links to see the latest details to be sure. See alsoHo Chi Minh City hotel guideandA guide to Vietnamese foodis also worth a look.
Summary ── your Da Lat stay comes down to "in town or by the lake"
Choosing a hotel in Da Lat comes down largely to whether you stay around Xuan Huong Lake in the convenient town center, or by Tuyen Lam Lake in the nature-wrapped suburbs. Pick the center for strolling and café-hopping; choose a suburban resort for quiet time surrounded by pine forest and lake. Once you've chosen the area that fits your trip, all that's left is to pick a place that fits your budget.
Follow the map pins to find the one place that stays in your travel memories. Thank you for reading to the end.
Da Lat sightseeing guidecovers this city's highlights, sample itineraries, food, and the best season to visit. Use it as you plan your trip.
You might also like — Hotel guides for cities across Vietnam
- North：Hanoi ／ Sapa ／ Ha Long Bay
- Central：Da Nang ／ Hoi An ／ Hue ／ Quy Nhon
- South：Ho Chi Minh City ／ Nha Trang ／ Phu Quoc ／ Vung Tau ／ Mekong Delta
