The sea breeze cannot disperse the charm of the South Seas, Malacca Da Hua Hotel
Malacca Da Hua Hotel, although it cannot compare with other famous antique hotels in Southeast Asia, is also one of the charming labels in this small heritage city. It stands quietly at the winding part of the Malacca River, with its own garden courtyard. The light mint green teak shutters hang on the milky white old house with South Seas charm, making people fall in love at first sight.
The old house, which is the main body of the hotel, has been transformed into a retro-style and flower-filled public reception area. The first floor is the lobby and bar, while the second floor is the restaurant and library. All guest rooms are arranged in the newly built building at the back, connected to the old house through a corridor. In the irregular corner space between the two buildings, a long swimming pool and a fully glassed gym are squeezed in, both of which are generally functional but quite aesthetically pleasing.
The number of guest rooms is very small. Except for the two suites on the top floor, all other room types are exactly the same. Unfortunately, it coincided with Malaysia's National Day, and the hotel was fully booked. Not to mention an upgrade, there were no rooms on higher floors available.
The guest rooms continue the aesthetics of the public area, elegant, quiet, and classical, as if stepping into the private residence of a wealthy South Seas merchant. Dark wooden floors, diamond-patterned black and white tiles, four-poster teak beds, plum vase base lamps, silver clawfoot bathtubs, and chaise lounges by the window, along with the colorful old house roofs outside the window, all create a captivating scene.
But there is also a glaring flaw. The toilet is embarrassingly exposed without a door. Now I understand where the inspiration for the sliding partition to divide space in domestic Wan Feng hotels comes from. For me, this is a huge drawback. Not to mention that the sliding partition cannot achieve a tight seal, the most crucial part is that the partition itself is a louvered window with regular and large gaps. If one happens to be unwell while using the toilet and there is someone else in the room, even if it is a close loved one, it would be an agonizing experience.
In addition, there is a large hospital next to the hotel, with a group of taller buildings that create a strong sense of oppression, as if wrapping the entire hotel in its shadow. If you don't know, it's fine, but knowing it always feels a bit awkward.
The next day's breakfast has an à la carte menu with about ten options. I tried the Chinese fried rice noodles, Indian curry, and white rice cheese bread, all of which were mediocre. It seems that going out to eat brunch at an old Chinese shop might be better than eating here.
In summary, it has pure South Seas style, high aesthetic value, and is suitable for taking photos. As for staying, unless you are alone, I wouldn't come again.
Tips: This hotel belongs to a small hotel group, which abandoned Hyatt this year and turned to Hilton, directly raising the value of Hilton points, which are jokingly referred to as 'hell money'. For example, this Malacca Da Hua, using Hilton points for redemption only requires 20,000 points, and you can also enjoy member benefits, which is absolutely worth it.
Guest room information:
Room number: 0405
Official name: Deluxe King Room
Area: 35 square meters
Mattress: King Koil
TV: Sharp
Toilet: Manual TOTO
Hairdryer: VS Sassoon
Amenities: Large bottle Mangosteen
Electric kettle: Kinox
Capsule coffee: 2 capsules
Tea bag: Boh
Teacup: Moderne
Bottled water: Glass bottle customized by YTL Hotel Group
Mini bar: Chargeable