Old Villas Amidst Flowers

The villas in the Dalat Cadasa Resort are in the French architectural style and they were the first built by the French in Da Lat. During the French domination they were the vacation homes of the southern Resident Superior, Emperor Bao Dai, and other mandarins. Before 1975, they were reserved for the senior generals in the former Saigon regime for their holidays. After 1975, these villas were abandoned and left to lie dormant like sleeping princesses in the forest. It was not until 2010 when the Da Lat authorities organized the Da Lat Flower Festival that “these princesses” were awakened.

The Cadasa Joint Stock Company has restored the villas and turned the area into the Dalat Cadasa Resort. During the process of restoration, the architects tried to preserve the villas’ original aura, a combination of the luxury of early 20^th century French architecture, the wildness of the hills and mountains in Dalat and the simple beauty of the countryside. Their new interiors are designed to fit into the general style of the villas. The pine forests around them have been retained and small grass lawns and paths bordered with wild flowers have been added to the gardens.

Dalat Cadasa Resort consists of 16 villas on six hectares on both sides of Tran Hung Dao Street. Situated on a hill near the old Prenn Pass (now called Mimosa Pass), Tran Hung Dao is one of the most beautiful streets in Da Lat. It is the gate to the city and leads to the romantic Xuan Huong Lake. From the resort, visitors can see the Lang Bian Mountains appearing dimly through the mist, open space because the walls of the old villas were demolished to make them feel closer to the wilderness. Every large bedroom has a fireplace and overlooks the garden.

Tran Thi Hong Phuong, Director of the Cadasa branch in Da Lat, said that after being restored and upgraded, the villas still maintain their original beauty. Visitors can see the typical styles of French architecture, such as the Colompage style from northern France (villas No. 14, 18 and 20), the Savoie from the Alpes region in southeastern France (villa No. 25) and the domed architectural style from northeastern France.

The splendid architectural complex is built with special materials. Unlike the heavy stone structure of the contemporary Spanish style, most of these villas were built with split stones and Indochina bricks made from lime and resin. Villa No. 16 is the oldest and one of the most beautiful buildings in Southeast Asia.

The villas in Dalat Cadasa Resort have created a specific charm in the highland city amidst the forests and flowers. The hills around each villa look stunning in the sunshine and magnificent in the mist at sunset. From the windows of the villas, people can see Da Lat’s mountains, hills and rooftops, and hear the ringing bell of a church far away…