Chief Spa Hotel

The hot spring was lovely, breakfast was great, and the front desk staff were wonderful. The place feels a bit dated, but it was clean and comfortable.

The only things I liked were the small hot spring area and the early morning guided tour. I’d avoid staying here altogether, though the area has very few hotel options, which may be why they get away with so much. Dinner was expensive and plain. The fish was cold and didn’t look fresh. The bedding was dirty, with dried blood stains. Staff insisted that all bedding and comforters were washed and denied the stains even after I showed them evidence. The worst issue was cigarette smoke coming through the room’s AC throughout the night. I could barely breathe. Taiwan law prohibits indoor smoking, including in hotels, but there was clearly no separate ventilation for “smoking rooms.” When I told the lobby staff, they said they couldn’t do anything if guests smoked in their rooms. That sounds like a serious health and fire safety hazard and defeats the purpose of Taiwan's Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act. I’m not sure where the four or five star reviews come from.

The rooms were clean, well maintained, and nicely furnished. Dinner had a good range of choices and tasted good, and the owners and staff were friendly and professional. It’s a good hotel, perhaps the best nearby.

You can take in the surrounding mountain scenery easily from this hot spring spot, one of the best in Eastern Taiwan.