La Maison 1888

The Verdict

La Maison 1888 occupies a dedicated three-storey building on the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, at the north-facing tip of the Son Tra peninsula, twenty minutes from central Da Nang by the resort's private funicular. The restaurant was designed by Bill Bensley as a theatrical 19th-century French family mansion — 'the home of Madame de la Maison' — and every detail, from the trompe-l'œil library staircase to the painted ceilings to the dessert-cart library in the top-floor pavilion, is part of the fiction. The South China Sea is visible from every window.

The kitchen has run under several French-trained head chefs since opening, most recently a former Pierre Gagnaire protégé. The tasting menu is contemporary French with careful central-Vietnamese inflections — Song Thu Bay lobster with local lemongrass, Central Highlands wagyu, foie gras torchon with palm-sugar caramel, and the spiced chocolate dessert that closes the evening. The Michelin star (awarded in the 2023 Vietnam guide) reflects both the cooking and the overall production value.

Pricing runs VND 4,500,000–5,800,000 per person for the tasting menu with paired wines. The wine list is the strongest in Vietnam — 600+ labels, strong on Burgundy and Bordeaux. Arrive via the resort's funicular from the beachfront lobby — part of the theatre, and a required reservation if you are not a hotel guest. Dinner only, 6pm to 10pm, Tuesday to Sunday.

Why It Works for Proposal

La Maison 1888 is the room where most visitors to central Vietnam propose, and for good reason. The Bensley design — a three-storey whimsical 'French mansion' of trompe-l'œil walls, painted ceilings, and a dessert library — creates a setting no other restaurant in the country attempts. The funicular arrival up the Son Tra peninsula is part of the staging. The Michelin recognition (one star since the guide launched in Vietnam) confirms the cooking is serious.

Signature Dishes

Tasting menu of French classics with central-Vietnamese ingredients; foie gras torchon; Song Thu Bay lobster; Bensley signature dessert cart.

Also in Da Nang

For the broader Da Nang picture, see our full Da Nang dining guide. Related rooms at this level: Madame Lân (Traditional Vietnamese) and Nén Danang (Modern Vietnamese / Tasting Menu). For the proposal cross-city picture, see our Proposal directory. Travelling on? Consider Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, or Bangkok for your next leg.