虹夕諾雅 谷關 — Hotel in Taichung

My mother and I had an incredible experience at Hoshinoya Guguan in October 2024. Our experience with this property alone is enough for us to visit Taiwan again. |This property is a luxury property and expensive by local standards but comparable to a Primland or a Four Seasons property. We are USA based and thus view the prices and value based on our value proposition. ||Hoshinoya Guguan is an all-inclusive property in the mountains of central/eastern Taiwan. The closest airport is Taichung. The property can also be reached by flying into Taoyuan Airport, taking a train to Taoyuan (the opposite direction from Taipei City), and then taking a high-speed rail into Taichung. Then, I recommend a private car to the property. Or you could book a private car for the airport transfer. ||As a first-time visitor to Taiwan, I did this incorrectly and added at least 3 hours to our journey from the airport to Hoshinoya Guguan. I also mention this because the staff member at the hotel adjusted our arrival time, dinner reservation, and coordinated with our driver for us (acted as a liaison and translator) when I put us on the wrong train from Taipei City to Taichung. I not only took us into Taipei but also put us on the local train. The staff member checked in frequently and kept in very close contact until we were safely with the driver and in the vehicle heading towards the property. ||Somehow, despite the complications and frustration at my own ineptitude, the staff at the front desk and restaurant had us relaxed and settled within minutes of our arrival by car. Truly, I didn't think this was possible. Upon arrival, they suggested we head directly to dinner and said they would show us to our room after dinner. We opted for the multi-course dinner and are so glad we did. Every single course was artfully plated, thoughtful, and perfectly prepared and presented. They also made a last-minute substitution for my mom on one dish for a dietary reason. Dinner was relaxing and alone worth half the cost of the one-night stay. Thanks to Amy, Alex, Tina and the team in the restaurant for the fantastic service. ||Then Penny showed us to our room and gave us a thorough tour of the property despite the late hour. She was so patient and safety-minded walking slowly to accommodate my mother and providing additional light on the outdoor walkways. ||We stayed in a Shan room type (one level, two large beds, one private bedroom with ensuite half bath, half bath near the entryway for the other bed located just off the living room). In all the rooms, there is a private onsen for you to enjoy the hot spring water which is piped up. There was also a separate indoor shower and dual vanity. So in total there were four sinks, two toilets, a shower, the onsen. There was also a private balcony just off the main living space. The room darkening shades were perfect for privacy. A blue jacket is provided for use on the property when wearing swimsuits or transiting to the communal pool and male and female onsens. You can also wear your own clothing. Nightclothes and robes were also provided. The size of the nightclothes were on the slimmer/smaller side.The bathroom amenities were plentiful and excellent quality. ||There is a beautiful outdoor pool in a peaceful setting with public and more secluded seating available. There are male and female onsens (indoor hot springs) and outdoor hot springs. We visited them just before they closed for the night and so enjoyed them in privacy. ||The beds were comfortable and I appreciated the two toilets.||Breakfast was equally delicious. There were three main styles for the breakfast- Japanese, Taiwanese, and Western. My mother and I ordered the Taiwanese and Japanese breakfasts respectively. ||The staff at the hotel was so accommodating. As we had arrived later the previous night, we initially moved our ride to Taipei to 1 p.m. and made a lunch order. Then as it became apparent that Typhoon Kong-rey would be a significant event, the staff stayed in touch to help us depart earlier and helped us cancel the lunch reservation. Yoshino was calm, cool and collected despite the warnings about local flooding and recommendation for residents to head down the mountain ahead of the typhoon. ||Overall, we wished we could have stayed two or three nights at this property and were already talking about coming back to Taiwan just to visit Guguan. ||P.S. The drivers arranged by the hotel were outstanding. They drove carefully and were mindful of anyone getting carsick on...

This hotel is great but it could use some major improvements hence my 3 star review.

First meal times are far too limited, you have very brief windows usually 1.5 hours and at max 2. Dinner service runs from 5:30 - 7:30 😂. All I can say is, what were u thinking! Anybody from America or Europe that eats dinner at 8 is out of luck! Room service last call is 830. A Hilton in the American suburbs would have room service that runs later.

Next, the hotel feels “communistic”, an example, during the hotels “happy hour” you only have 1 option of alcoholic drink and 1 option of non alcoholic. You read that right! Only 1 option of each, if it didn’t have the gorgeous scenery of the Taiwanese mountains you would think you are in Venezuela with the rationing-esque behavior.

Additionally, they have the female employees, instead of the male ones, being your bags to your room! Are they serious? These poor sub 5 foot 5 Taiwanese women have to bring ur 40- 50 pound bags to your room. Do better, have men bring the heavy things, women should not be subjected to that treatment.

The pros of this hotel is it’s location, private hot spring in your room, the hotel room itself, and the staff try their hardest to make sure you have a good time despite the limitations. The English language capabilities of the staff is impressive and I can’t applaud them enough. My biggest complaints lie with the bizarre decisions made by management. If you are going to be a luxury resort, be one. Don’t limit my meal times to tiny windows. Don’t make me feel like I’m rationing in the middle of a war with very few options. Don’t subject small women to carrying heavy bags.

I also have to applaud the spa staff who are terrific at what they do. But once again, management does not provide a forewarning that spa times are EXTREMELY limited, and that you should really book far in advance. Even with the hotel only at 50% capacity it was still a struggle to get a booking. I can’t even imagine what it would be like at 70 or 80%.

This hotel is so so close to being a world class resort worthy for any North American traveler to come to. But as it stands, the limited nature and large amount of rules makes it a poor experience for American travelers who are used to a higher standard of luxury. My advice, learn from Aman, luxury resorts like Amangiri and Amanyara know service and know luxury. If your looking for inspiration they are the ones to follow.

They also have a “complimentary” minibars filled with 4 drinks LOOOL. 1 sprite, 1 Coca-Cola and 2 Taiwan beer. If you try to ask them to refill it, they will essentially kindly refuse to do so until they preform house keeping. This is just another example of the communist-esque rationing feeling you get. Also they are really stingy with towels man, which is so strange for a hot spring based hotel, with a private hot spring in our room. Like obviously we are gonna need towels. Don’t be shy leave me more towels.

Finally big warning, there are no TVs! I get they are trying to go for a “zen” environment but this is a basic amenity. It would be so nice to be able to come back from the Onsen and watch a movie with my family while we are all relaxed. I would guess managements response would be, “you should admire the view”. My response would be, we are in the middle of the mountains, as soon as it’s night time there is no view of anything, it’s pitch black obviously.

To hotel management, always give the customer the RIGHT TO CHOOSE. Their experience. Don’t force a lack of TV or a lack of late meals onto me, it’s not your...

I spent two nights at Hoshinoya Guguan in a Feng room. The hotel was accommodating, converting the beds from three singles to a king and a single for us.||Regrettably, despite its stunning location in the mountains, the resort doesn’t justify its high rates. I’ve visited other hot springs resorts, and, unfortunately, Hoshinoya Guguan doesn’t measure up.||Additionally, there’s ongoing construction nearby, which is incredibly loud. The noise from the banging and machines disrupted the peaceful setting, forcing us to stay indoors rather than enjoying the outdoors.||For those interested in the onsen, it’s worth noting that the public hot spring is open only from 6-10 a.m. and 4-10 p.m. It closes for cleaning daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., which seems impractical. Ideally, cleaning would occur overnight to not disrupt daytime use.||The dining options are quite limited. Dinner at the restaurant was underwhelming with bland food, and the courses arrived too quickly, making us feel rushed. Breakfast is available from 7-9:30 a.m. and lunch from 12-2 p.m., offering narrow time frames for meals and very limited menu options. Missing the breakfast window means waiting until noon to eat. We were glad that we opted out of the meal plan.||Our room spanned two floors, with the convenience of having the toilet on the same level as the bed. This is helpful for nighttime visits, though I was surprised that a room at this price point didn’t have a toilet on both floors. An automatic light and toilet seat are thoughtful touches, but the brightness of the light at 3 a.m. can be jarring. Adjustable lighting would be an improvement.||The beds were comfortable, but the room lacked effective blackout blinds, letting in early morning sunlight. Additionally, an illuminated exit sign and a bright red ceiling light contributed to a less-than-dark sleeping environment.||The resort provides pajamas and lounge wear, but the quality is disappointing. Our set had missing buttons and ties, and replacements were similarly damaged.||A ‘mini-bar’ with complimentary beer, Coca-Cola, Sprite, coffee, and tea is included. However, given the cost of the stay, these offerings seem basic. Complimentary snacks or fruit would enhance the value.||The staff at Hoshinoya Guguan is exceptional—friendly and helpful. Yet, the facilities, dining, and overall value fall short.||In summary, the experience doesn’t live up to the price. Significant improvements are necessary to...