Jia Bin Ge Hotspring Resort Hotel

The area was lovely to wander around, especially along the shady riverside paths fed by natural hot springs. They were peaceful, scenic, and well maintained. The main sights are close by, including Thermal Valley Geopark, the wooden Beitou Library, and the restored Japanese bathhouse. It's an easy walk from Xinbeitou MRT Station, and the staff were warm, organized, and a big help since I don't speak Mandarin. My room was clean and comfortable, with a private hot-spring tub that felt wonderful after a day out. Breakfast and tea were fresh, plentiful, and had lots of choices. I loved my stay here and highly recommend it.

The hot spring water in the toilet was great, and the high tea and breakfast were nice. The hot water pressure was a little low, though. It's not very soundproof, and the window rattled lightly when the wind blew because it was a bit loose. The location is fairly good, though not right by the metro. A nearby bus stop can take you to the hot springs in the mountains.

The breakfast spread was the one good part, and it was substantial. The rest of the stay was frustrating. We came as a family of three and booked two rooms, but each room had only one key card. When we asked for another, reception had to check whether there were extras, though they eventually found one per room. Check-in at 6pm is absurdly late, and they warn that arriving late could mean no parking. That leaves a narrow 5:30-6:30 window, so guests all crowd into a tiny reception area, and the lift lobby is cramped too. It didn't feel like they cared about guests' comfort or safety. The tea-dinner voucher sounded nice until we saw the meager spread. With check-in at 6pm, they should serve dinner instead of calling it tea/dinner. The only hot food was red bean soup and watery century egg pork congee, with unhealthy cakes and crackers for the rest. After coming to soak for good health, being served what felt like pretty-looking “poison” was disappointing. You only have until 8pm to eat it. The room was dimly lit when we arrived after sunset in December, making it hard to find our way around with luggage. Maybe the dim lights also hide the dust on the fittings. The bathroom was poorly designed: just bath gel, no hand soap, and the gel was more than an arm's length from the sink. There was no shower curtain, so towels and clothes could get wet. The bathroom wall also had obvious mould. The room heater didn't work, so be ready to sleep in warm clothes. On our second night we chose the light dinner after a heavy lunch. They'd run out of cups, so we had to wait while they washed some. The cups were also used for congee and red bean soup, and they didn't provide bowls.

We booked two hours but left after one because the place was so uncomfortable. The private hot spring was tiny, and I couldn't even stretch my legs in it. The room was dark, smelled bad, and didn't feel clean or relaxing. The receptionist wasn't friendly either. Afternoon tea was just okay, with a few scones and otherwise basic self-service food. In the restaurant, the staff member was chatting in the kitchen and ignored us when we came in. Then she shouted twice, asking who had just arrived, and only wanted to tell us each to take a plate for the buffet. Afterward, we had to return our own plates and utensils. The food and service weren't worth the money, and I wouldn't recommend it.