White House Beach Hotspring Resort

The room was nice, and the balcony with its stone table and stools was great. There were free snacks and noodles, plus a hot pot for making coffee or boiling water. The private beach is right outside the lobby, and the spa has strong jets and is family friendly, so swimsuits are fine. We were there during a major windstorm, though, and the walk about 400 meters down the road for dinner felt like an adventure. For the price of $300 a night, I found the place seriously overrated. The hot spring itself was just okay, and mineral residue made the floor slippery. I nearly fell stepping down the four inches from the bathroom. At check-in, staff asked if we had a reservation even though the place was sold out, then asked to see it while I was trying to unload all our bags. I raised my hand to ask her to wait, and she asked for my passport. I said I could only do three things at once, and she laughed. Nobody helped us get our luggage to the room. I was just told where it was and felt like a number, not a guest. There was no hand soap in the room, and they charged 35 cents for a tiny packet when I asked for some. I used the translator to tell them that was ridiculous, especially with free noodles, drinks, and snacks provided. Customer service was the bare minimum. The restaurant only opens for the free breakfast, so we had to walk to an expensive seafood place for dinner. We should've eaten the free ramen. Disappointing, with no hand soap, no dinner restaurant, and poor service.

The 300nt entrance gets you into both the hot spring spa and swimming pool. There's also an air-conditioned room with tables, chairs, and lockers for your valuables. Drinks and chips are sold in vending machines, and there's karaoke if you feel like singing. You can head to the beach too, though there are no lifeguards. After swimming, an outdoor shower station lets you rinse sand off your feet.

I only went for the 300ntd day pass, so I can't comment on the rooms or other services. The pass includes the hot spring swimming pool and spa, but the steam room and sauna weren't open because of the hot weather. There's an outdoor area connected to the public beach. The beach is pretty and free to visit. For a quiet, relaxing time, a weekday might be worth it, but I'd avoid the weekend if you want to get away from noisy kids. There isn't a sunset view, and after 5pm it's cooler. A direct bus from Taipei Main Station to Wanli is a convenient option if you don't drive. The staff were kind.

For 300 TWD, you get the basics you need: showers, a wood sauna, jet pools, access to the beach and beach showers, plus volleyball courts and hammocks.