Yue Lake Backpackers

I’d definitely tell people to avoid this place, especially women and anyone concerned about safety. My biggest problem was the bathroom. Its window is see-through, the shutter seemed broken and wouldn’t close, and the room is right beside a street. Cars and big vehicles can’t use it, but passersby can, and the window isn’t very high. At night the street is dark while the room is lit, so I was afraid someone could see inside. I didn’t dare use the bathroom unless I turned the lights off, and even then I was scared in the pitch darkness. Other things bothered me less, including the room’s bad smell and condition, the long difficult walk that’s not suitable with luggage, and the lack of an elevator. I also had to wait a long time with heavy bags in the middle of the road because of poor service. I wasn’t expecting anything close to four stars, and those issues alone wouldn’t have mattered much to me. The only things I liked were the walkable distance to the bus stop and the cats.

The wooden huts don’t block much sound, so I could hear a noisy child next door in the evening. Still, I slept well. I’d booked a single room and was upgraded to a three-person one. The team were friendly and showed me to my room at the back of the reception area. I used the single bed, and the bathroom had shower gel and towels. I was told breakfast would be at 07.30, but after waiting 15 minutes with no sign of it, I left. If breakfast is offered at a set time, it should be ready then. The place itself was great, and parking is available for TWD 200, while down the road it costs TWD 100. They also offer bike hire for TWD 100, though I ended up paying TWD 500 and honestly don’t know how the ticket works.

The rooms felt cozy and the atmosphere was nice, but they seemed a little see-through at night. Breakfast was alright. There were ants everywhere, a ton of them.

We ended up extending our stay from one night to two because the whole place felt relaxing and worth what we paid. It’s about a seven-minute walk from the bus station and visitor information center. Tina at reception greeted us warmly and was very helpful. The room and bathroom were clean, and I loved the shower’s strong water pressure. Breakfast was healthy and satisfying.