Northern Taiwan’s Luxury Hot Spring Duo: Lihpi’s Highest Skyline Onsen vs. Kagaya’s Most Japanese-Style Butler Service

▲ Lihpi Hotel boasts the highest open-air suite onsen in all of Beitou, offering breathtaking views. (Photo / Reporter Huang Kexiang)

Reported by Chen Ruizhong / Taipei

Beitou is Taiwan’s renowned hot spring town, home to dozens of hot spring hotels, homestays, and bathhouses, with prices ranging from as low as a few dozen NT dollars for open-air hot springs at the Hydro Park to tens of thousands of NT per night at top-tier hotels. Among those famed for their “premium” pricing,Beitou Lihpi Hot Spring HotelandNikko Shisei Kagayastand out as representatives.

▲ Kagaya’s interior is built using the shoin-zukuri concept, creating a room-within-a-room design. (Photo / Provided by Kagaya)

Both Beitou Lihpi Hot Spring Hotel (hereinafter referred to as Lihpi) and Nikko Shisei Kagaya (hereinafter referred to as Kagaya) feature high-end facilities and use the lightly colored and flavored White Sulfur Hot Spring. However,Lihpi’s biggest highlight lies in its “lofty elevation,”，while Kagaya prides itself on its “butler-style service,”each attracting their own dedicated following.

Due to Taiwan’s more conservative social norms and emphasis on personal privacy, nude bathing is mostly limited to private baths or indoor pools. But the Lihpi Suite on the 6th floor of Beitou Lihpi Hotel, being thehighest-altitude hot spring room in all of Beitou,not only includes a double bed, a lounge seating area, and a bathroom equipped with both hot and cold soaking tubs, but also featuresa spacious balcony with a private open-air bath.Guests can soak in the“highest-altitude sky hot spring in Beitou”within semi-transparent glass walls, taking in views of the hot spring area and the Beitou Cultural Artifacts Museum, along with the natural beauty of Guanyin Mountain and Danfeng Mountain in the distance.

▲ Lihpi Hotel offers an outdoor bath where swimsuits are permitted. (Photo / Reporter Huang Kexiang)

One of the greatest features of open-air baths is the interplay between air and temperature. The scent of White Sulfur Hot Spring’s faint sulfur in cool air often stirs the desire to soak; when a cool breeze passes and you can immediately submerge yourself in the hot spring, that warm feeling on your skin brings a deep, contented sigh — a natural pleasure you can’t experience in enclosed bathhouses. That’s why, the colder the weather, the more people love open-air baths.

▲ Kagaya’s female attendants help guests change into yukata and serve tea. (Photo / Reporter Xu Wenbin)

Compared to the joy of soaking in an open-air bath in the cold wind,Kagaya emphasizes the warmth of “heartfelt hospitality.”Approaching the entrance of Kagaya, you’ll see a row of attendants dressed in kimono ready to welcome guests. Kagaya’s attendants carry on the okami (female innkeeper) culture upheld by the second-generation owner of Japan’s original Kagaya, Kosuke Oda, adhering to the spirit of “heartfelt hospitality” and the belief of never saying “it can’t be done,” striving to provide assistance and service to guests upon check-in.

▲ Kagaya uses White Sulfur Hot Spring water filtered through three stages, resulting in nearly clear and odorless water. (Photo / Provided by Kagaya)

After the butler greets the guests, they assist with luggage, check-in, and then lead the guests to their rooms while helping them get acquainted with the surroundings. The butler also helps guests change into yukata, serves matcha, hot towels, and wagashi, and records the time for in-room dining. Once in their yukata, guests can freely roam the premises or take outdoor photos.

▲The highest-tier Lixi Suite features Western-style design, offering views of the outdoors from the room. (Photo / Reporter Huang Kexiang)

Watching the kimono-clad female butler kneel to slide open the Japanese shoji doors, then expertly serve tea and assist with changing clothes, truly evokes the same sense of ease and tranquility as being in Japan—warming the heart naturally.

Currently, Yuyuan has 40 butlers, each of whom chooses their own "Genji name" (similar to a stage name) and undergoes at least three months of training, covering topics such as wearing kimono, grooming, flower arrangement, and tea ceremony.

▲A Yuyuan female butler serves tea and wagashi to guests.

To provide a homely experience, Yuyuan trains its butlers to use their imagination. Butcher Dōko from Yuyuan explains:Even for first-time guests, they imagine them as family members they haven’t seen in a long time.When the “family” is about to leave, they want to clean the house, prepare delicious sweets, and stand at the door waiting eagerly. During the stay, they chat with guests to learn their preferences and offer thoughtful service. Dōko also reveals that because of this emotional connection to each guest, it’s actually quite hard to say goodbye when they leave.

▲Lixi offers 8 private hot spring rooms, starting from NT$2,300 each. (Photo / Reporter Huang Kexiang)

Similarly service-oriented, Lixi Hotel states that it operates as aprivate club,emphasizing guest privacy, comfort, and an overall relaxing vacation vibe. Blending Taiwanese and Japanese spirits, it serves 66 rooms with nearly 200 staff, aiming to deliver a homely experience.

In terms of facilities, Lixi benefits from its proximity to the spring source, resulting in mineral-rich waters maintained at 55°C year-round. Its elevated location keeps it away from the hustle of the hot spring district, adding a touch of natural greenery. In addition to 66 guest rooms, the hotel features outdoor baths, open-air baths, and 8 private hot spring rooms. Entry-level rooms start at NT$14,000, open-air baths cost NT$1,600 per person, private hot spring rooms start at NT$2,300 each, and the highest-end open-air hot spring suite in Beitou, the Lixi Suite, is NT$35,000 per night.

▲A special room in Yuyuan adorned with many traditional Japanese crafts, priced at NT$120,000 per night. (Photo / Provided by Yuyuan)

Designed with the concept of a Japanese sukiya-style building, Yuyuan emphasizes a “no right angles” design throughout the property for a rounded, soft feel. It also houses 850 pieces of art, including works in Wajima lacquerware, Kutani ware, and gold leaf, allowing guests to appreciate the beauty of traditional Japanese craftsmanship.

Yuyuan has 90 rooms across 7 types, with prices starting from NT$12,000. There are also 17 private hot spring rooms and 2 public baths. For art enthusiasts, Yuyuan has designed a “Special Room Suite,” a 32-tsubo space decorated with exquisite Japanese lacquerware and artworks—the most luxurious room type in the property, priced at NT$120,000 per night.

▲Lixi’s open-air bath features a blend of Taiwanese and Japanese design, with men’s and women’s sections switching daily.

Although these two top-tier hot spring hotels in Beitou may be pricey for the average traveler, both Lixi and Yuyuan note that during the annual Taipei International Travel Fair (ITF), they offer promotions on hot spring vouchers and stay-and-dine packages—perfect opportunities for hot spring lovers.

Beitou Lixi Hot Spring Hotel
Address: No. 30, Youya Road, Beitou District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2898-8888
Accommodation Rates: NT$14,000–35,000 (plus 10%)
Hot Spring Rates: Public bath from NT$1,600 per person, private hot spring rooms from NT$2,300

Yokusenka Yuyuan
Address: No. 236, Guangming Road, Beitou District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2898-5555
Accommodation Rates: NT$12,000–120,000 (plus 10%)
Hot Spring Rates: Public bath NT$1,500 per person, private hot spring rooms from NT$2,000