An Tong Hot Spring Hotel

We got there around midday and had the outdoor spring to ourselves, which I loved. We also tried the private bath, but I liked the outdoor one best. The bathroom and changing room are old but clean. The toilets are squat style, which I’m not a fan of, but the place was relaxing and well worth trying. It’s 350 NTW per person and gives you access to all the hot spring facilities.

The staff were very friendly, and the meal was hearty home cooking rather than anything lavish. The seafood was the best I’ve had in Taiwan, right by the harbor where you can get the day’s catch, and it was a bargain. The hotel feels like a little jewel far from a big city. I still don’t know what therapeutic effects the spring water may have, and I wish there were more ways to get there.

After a long drive, soaking outside was hard to beat. In January, we found the Taiwan weather balmy enough to use the outdoor pools, with a hottest pool, a warm one and a cold one. There are slides into the warm and cold pools. We couldn’t work out how to use some of the spa features. You can also choose the indoor pools. The hot spring and hotel made a nice stop on our road trip. Our room was a little dated but clean, and the bathroom could have looked cleaner. There was some mineral buildup, though that’s understandable with spring water used for the hot water.

We came on a cycling trip and wanted a hot soak to recover. There were enough pools to explore, good spa facilities and an onsen as well. But the bed was a letdown. Both my boy and I woke up with bed bug bites. That’s not acceptable for a hot spring resort. I’d have given it 4.5 stars if they cleared up the bed bug problem.