Wm & S - Hostel

It’s a quiet little town, and this is a handy base for seeing Taroko Gorge. You can get to the beach and a few restaurants by bike or even on foot. The hostel had free bicycles, rain gear, and a guest washing machine, plus free toast with peanut butter or Nutella and oats. I stayed in the female dorm and was the only guest, so I had a private room with AC, a fan, a little couch, and a dresser. There was a full washroom on that floor, with a separate toilet and two showers downstairs. The homestay is simple and feels homey, but there’s more space than it looks like from outside. There are two lobbies, one for hanging out, breakfast, and the front desk, and another mostly for storage, joined by an outdoor sitting and eating area.

This feels like a hotel aimed more at backpackers. There wasn’t a window in our room. Our room was on the second or third floor, and there’s no elevator, so you have to manage your own bags. Someone came to help when we called after arriving to an empty reception, but when we left there was nobody, and we had to carry everything ourselves. At 67, taking 20+ Kg down three flights was difficult. We were given two tiny towels, about 30x50, and only got proper ones after asking. The shower was good, but breakfast was very poor, if it even counts as breakfast. It was self-service bread, peanut spread, and something like chocolate. We found jam in the fridge, but there was no milk and the coffee was really bad. We were also told to take off our shoes before entering the room area and wear plastic flip-flops used by many previous guests. We found that unsanitary and inappropriate, given the possibility of infections or skin diseases from other people’s feet.

For a simple room near Taroko, this is an easy place to stay. The rooms are decent, and there are free bikes for getting around town or reaching the bus station. The boss is friendly and has good suggestions. There’s free coffee and tea, and fresh fruit in the common area, which is decorated with indigenous art. I’d recommend it.

Taroko is easy to visit from here, and the location is close to the beach as well as a 10-minute walk from the train station. It’s a quiet area, with a spacious communal room and free water and tea. The room and bathroom were basic but clean, and the cats are the sweetest. A lovely place to stay.