Le Méridien Hualien Resort

We stopped in for food during a rainstorm but didn’t stay overnight. The bar food was quite good, and the lobby is gorgeous and very quiet. The staff were incredibly friendly, and the hotel is right in central Hualien.

I’ve never had a feature quite like the mineral water spa bath in our room, with its ocean view. The hotel itself is gorgeous and brand new. I also liked being able to refill the in-room bottles with free sparkling or still water from the hallway, which felt eco-friendly. We got complimentary high tea and a drink each day, and Louis provided the extra service we needed. Amazing, fabulous service.

The breakfast buffet was wonderful, and there’s a well-equipped gym plus a Kids Club where children can spend a few hours. The resort is spotless, with thoughtful decor in every corner, and it’s not far from the downtown night market. It’s a solid five-star hot spring resort. One drawback: there’s no elevator access to the hot spring pool on the 7th floor, and the outdoor pool isn’t illuminated. Seniors may need to take that into consideration.

Check-in took much longer than I expected, which was the only thing I didn’t like. The rest was lovely: there’s a nice pool and a clean kids’ room with lots of cute stuffed animals. My son enjoyed the cars and my daughter loved the slide. Since it was her birthday, they sent a small cake to our room. Breakfast was good too, especially the beef soup.