Jiufen Mountains Echoed

There's free tea and coffee, and the second-floor room has a good sea view. The single rooms seem clean, though small, and I found the bathroom the tiniest I've seen in Taiwan, with the showerhead almost over the toilet. It could rate four stars, but felt expensive for what it was. Maybe all of Jiufen is overpriced. I also had a lot of bites on my ankles. I can't say if they were bedbugs, since I had been out walking the evening before and they may have been mosquito bites. To reach reception, get off the bus by the 7-11 at the old street. Walk the length of the street past all the shops; at the end, the little road bends left and downhill to reception. The rooms are another five-minute walk uphill, just behind the only temple on that hill. The only breakfast spot is 30 metres up the road from the 7/11.

We checked in quickly, and the staff gave directions before one of them walked us to our room, about three minutes away. The room matched the pictures, with simple decor, lots of space, and a king bed made from two singles pushed together. It was humid, so we appreciated having a dehumidifier. It filled fast and had switched off by the time I woke at 5:30 AM, but emptying it was easy, and it came back on once the water bucket was in place. There was a wide open window and a roomy balcony with two chairs. Rain, wind, and cold kept us from seeing the view at its best, but the ocean and mountains through the rainy fog were still cool to see. I was disappointed by the so-called vegan breakfast. It was the same as everyone else's, just without the ham and with the egg cooked hard. When I told a staff member we'd requested vegan food, so she wouldn't have to remake our meal, she answered curtly in Chinese, “I know, I know, you want vegan.” I saw how sweetly she spoke to other guests as they left. When we passed her, I said thank you and got only a silent smile. That interaction ruined my morning, but I don't want to give the hotel and its other staff a bad rating over one incident. Jiufen is a nice place to visit for its history, nature, and hipster vibe. If you're staying overnight, this hotel is as good as any to try, as long as you get a room with a view.

The staff were very kind and helpful, but we weren't happy with the place itself. We booked two basic rooms for one night. The mattresses were on the floor, there was very little space, and we had trouble getting warm water in the shower. With no heating in the rooms, winter was uncomfortable; there were only blankets. Plan to sort out breakfast yourself. What they delivered was just two slices of bread, one milk, and one egg.

We couldn't ethically accept how this was handled. After the earthquake in hualien, we called the Airbnb to explain that northbound road closures meant we couldn't get to Jiufen the next day, and asked for a refund because of this unforeseen situation. The owner told us to cancel through Agoda but didn't refund us. We contacted the owner several more times on Agoda and got no response. It just doesn't feel right to do business this way.