Chingjing Florence Holiday Villa

The restaurant staff were kind and helpful, but I can't say the same about the counter staff. As others have mentioned, they didn't seem very hospitable, just businesslike and matter-of-fact. I've met rude, unfriendly staff in many parts of Taiwan, from Taipei to Kaohsiung, at train stations and restaurants, so service really depends on the individual. This is basically a highland chalet with breakfast and dinner included. The exterior looks European, and the room was decent, though the toilet setup was minimal. There's no lift, and the restaurant is a few floors below the lobby. You can walk down the steep slope carefully, but my elderly mother needed buggy assistance.

The balcony had a fantastic view across the mountains, and the room was spacious and tidy, with a clean, comfortable bed. We also appreciated the welcome soft drinks, snacks, and chocolate box. Reception service was especially good at night. Ask directly about the dinner buffet with steak, which costs an extra TWD 500 per person. Both the buffet dinner and breakfast were good, with plenty of choices for families. Staff helped carry our luggage since there is no lift, and a daytime shuttle is available, though some farther destinations cost extra. There are only stairs, though not many, and the road outside is very steep, so older visitors should take care. The bathroom drainage needs serious improvement: draining the bathtub brought up smelly dirty water with lots of unpleasant floating bits. There's no shuttle at night, so you're limited to your room or the buffet. Starbucks and convenience stores are a bit far, and getting there means walking along a very dark road at night. Also, the clown drawings on each floor were really creepy when passing them at night. Could they be changed?

Dinner and breakfast came with our package. The main course at dinner was average, but the side dish buffet made up for it, and breakfast had a simple spread. The mountain resort was beautiful, especially the view from our room. The staff were polite and friendly. They offered to take pictures for us and checked that the meals were going well.

We had an enjoyable stay in a very spacious room with all the usual bathroom amenities. Take the drive slowly and carefully: there are lots of resorts in the area, and the road is extremely narrow and winding. I'd recommend entering from the crossroad behind the starbucks.