Yawan Spa Hotel

We arrived around 18:00 and were checked in within five minutes. The room looked old at first, with just two electrical outlets, both at least two meters from the bed. But it was very clean, and the sheets were cleaner than at other places we’ve stayed. The bathtub was a bit out of shape. The hot springs were scenic and relaxing, with a cool breeze. That night, five hot springs and one cold spring were open. The kids liked the large pool, especially the giant dump bucket like the ones at water parks. The food was mixed. The rice was mushy and below average, while the deer soup was good, with little carrot bits, turnip chunks, and three pieces of deer meat that weren’t chewy or too slimy. The pork and peppers had too much sauce and hardly any peppers, but the mountain pork was chewy with just the right amount of fat. The steamed shrimp was absolutely delicious, a 6.7/10 from me, which is a very high rating. I really liked the stay and would come back. I’d recommend it.

The kids were sad when it was time to leave, and we all enjoyed our stay. During the week it was quiet, the spa area was clean and maintained, and the staff were friendly and helpful with the kids around the pool. Besides the hot pools, there’s a big cool pool with shallow water by the slide for little ones and a deeper end for swimming. Our family got a half-price summer deal on the hotel’s website, so it was great value. Breakfast was very basic but enough for us. The rest of the hotel is older, and the room and bathroom could use refurbishing, so it may not suit someone expecting everything to be new. Staff came to clean our room each day when we asked. It’s a five-minute drive to Zhiben for meals and 15 minutes to Taitung for more options. Nearby there are seaside parks, a National forest park, and the museum of prehistory.

The price was amazing, but then we found out all the hot springs were turned off. I wish we’d been told before booking. It’d probably be much nicer in high season.

It’s quiet at night and conveniently placed for most of the hot springs in the area. Still, the hotel is pretty old, the pool area is small compared with other hot spring spots, and staff don’t engage unless you ask them something. If you stay here, I’d suggest going elsewhere for a soak. Just an average experience.