Most Natural Hotspring Hotel

Really nice place. I enjoyed the spa, and the breakfast was great too.

The staff made me feel right at home. They were all friendly and polite, smiling or nodding whenever we caught each other’s eye. After we checked out at 11:00 PM, the place we were headed to wasn’t opening until 12:00 PM, so they kindly let us sit on the living room sofa and watch TV while we waited. Thanks to everyone at Zhuwan (Shanshuijian) for making my birthday trip so relaxing. The breakfast was delicious, with mountain views, and the rooms were incredibly clean. The sheets, carpet, and bathtub didn’t irritate my skin, which made me think they’d been cleaned very carefully. I’ve stayed in a lot of hotels and inns, and this is my favorite. The facilities and amenities were better than anywhere else I’ve stayed. There’s a private hot spring area, and the rooms also give you personal privacy. The owner showed us a map of nearby attractions before check-in and thoughtfully guided us to our rooms. There are three buildings, and the lobby, stairs, and guest rooms all have a relaxing feel. It’s so quiet at night, just what Taipei locals want for a break outdoors. The reviews on Agoda, Booking, and Google all started at 4.5 stars, so I had high expectations and wasn’t disappointed. I’m already thinking about coming back. Full marks for the surroundings and the staff!

It was hard to leave this place once we’d settled in. We wanted to soak in the hot springs, enjoy the scenery, listen to the birds, and even spotted a Formosan Blue Magpie. We barely wanted to go down for breakfast. It felt like a little home and made for a perfect vacation. The photos of Zhuwan Hot Spring Resort on the official website caught our eye, though we worried they might be misleading like pictures at other hotels and hot spring resorts. But when we arrived at Zhuwan, also known as Shanshuijian, it was just as beautiful in person as it looked in the photos. Everyone there was attentive and proactive, with a friendly, patient manner and lots of smiles. Guesthouses like this are meant to be close to nature and away from busy areas, so it makes sense that there aren’t shops nearby. There is one within a 10-15 minute walk, but we didn’t want to go out, which made lunch and dinner a bit inconvenient. The staff did their best to help by heating up our own food so we could relax and enjoy the stay. We really appreciated that.

The room smelled of smoke for a long time, possibly because someone had smoked in it. The DVD player’s remote had no battery, and the picture quality was poor. On the good side, the service and breakfast were great. The location was good, the room had everything we needed, and the bed, pillows, and soundproofing were comfortable. There was also a bidet toilet.