九份山午 · 輝明民宿 — Hotel in New Taipei

This a very simple and basic homestay. Once you arrive, the owner will settle you to check in then sit with you for a while to explain the surrounding area and point to a map (which readily he prepared) the different “tourist spot” in Jiufen.||||- We took a cab from Ruifang to reach the homestay and it costs us 200 NTD||- If you decide to take the local bus to Ruifang, you can alight at the bus stop opposite Juifen Post Office and walk towards the homestay.||- We booked a simple room with just enough space for our luggage.||- There is a television, electric kettle and free bottled water, and instant coffee and tea.||- The attached bath/toilet in our room had a very bad smell of urine coming out of the floor trap. We tried washing and flushing the floor trap with detergent but the smell persisted even when we kept the toilet door closed. We resorted to using cologne to mask the odor. It was a good thing we were packed with activities and out the entire day!||- The bed position is a bit odd, and the bed itself is a bit hard.||- We stayed for two nights and most of the day we are out exploring Juifen and nearby towns so we only stayed at the homestay to sleep at night.|||| ||||+ Away from the noisy crowd of the old street but easily accessible.||+ Near a bus stop, if you decided to take the bus to and from Ruifang||– The smelly toilet||– Hard bed||– No english website||*No provisions...

My wife and I had the large, four person room, which was very roomy and nice. The shower system was primitive, just a hose/shower head on the wall in the bathroom, but at least there was hot water. Some of the lights bulbs were out, so the room was a bit dark. The biggest problem with our room, perhaps not others, was the VERY VERY HARD BED, worse than sleeping on the floor. I've slept on more comfortable park benches. My wife and I both prefer a harder bed to a softer one, but this was ridiculous. The hardest bed I've ever slept on and I've been to over 70 countries and thousands of lodgings. Neither of us barely got any sleep and were both sore and tired in the morning. I used different clothes/items to try and get settled but really to no avail. A thick cushion placed over the bed, or better, an entirely new bed, would be the best solution. Until then, I would AVOID this so-called "homestay" because it is not a "homestay" and it's not a place to get any sleep, we learned to our regret. Sleep...

The homestay is located within 5 minutes walking distance from the old streets. Our stay at Hui Ming Homestay features a nice view from the room 301. The room has comfortable twin bedding and a big balcony. The stay was comfortable and check-in and check-out process is fast and fuss-free. Owner is a helpful young man and fast in responding our queries. His mom gave brief and useful information on how to navigate the old streets of Jiufen and which location have the most scenic views that features in postcards of Jiufen. However, the our room does not have an attached bathroom and the homestay does not provide breakfast. These information are well informed on their website. Just an advice, should you decide to spend 1-night in Jiufen, do book a place that provides breakfast as most eateries open at 10 a.m. Unless you don't mind getting your breakfast fix from the...