Having lost everything, he learned to cherish and give back even more: Yang Boliu says building a hotel is a social responsibility

▲ The Jinlian Century Hotel is the newest large-scale resort hotel in the Zhiben area. (Photo / Reporter Chen Ruizhong, same below)

By Chen Ruizhong / Special Report

The five-star-standard Jinlian Century Hotel officially opened in September in the Zhiben Hot Spring area. The launch of this hotel has brought renewed vibrancy to the long-dormant Zhiben Hot Springs. But many travelers may not know that this seemingly new hotel was once an abandoned building that had been left unused for over 20 years—until Yang Boliu, Chairman of Mihoyo Four Seasons Travel & Shopping...Yang Boliu...invested in it and gave the derelict structure a new lease on life.

"Only after tearing down the old walls could we see the original structure underneath, so we had to redesign everything. Renovating an old building is actually more troublesome than building a new one!" Yang Boliu recalled the process of constructing the hotel with deep emotion. "Back then, I was at the construction site supervising from nine in the morning until almost eleven at night. By the time I got home, I’d fall asleep in three seconds." In addition to overseeing construction, Yang also frequently discussed interior decoration details and building materials with designers.

▲ Yang Boliu, Chairman of Mihoyo Four Seasons Travel & Shopping.

For example, the wall decorations in each room, made from driftwood and stone, are a major feature of the Jinlian Century Hotel. Yang believes that while every hotel can hang paintings, his is the only one that uses driftwood as decoration, which better highlights the characteristics of eastern Taiwan. But figuring out the best way to arrange them was something he and the designer agonized over, even replacing them several times before finally being satisfied.

In the past, the family started their business in Lushan, where Yang Boliu helped his parents run a small hot spring inn with just eight rooms. After years of effort, the small inn expanded into a hotel with 150 rooms. But man proposes, God disposes—a devastating Typhoon Morakot struck Lushan, instantly plunging the family’s hotel business into a slump.

Looking back, Yang Boliu can only describe it as “losing everything, going bankrupt.” But that typhoon actually woke him up from a comfortable life, making him more grateful and hardworking. After seven years of operations, starting with restaurants in Puli, Chiayi, and Kenting, gradually solidifying the foundation, he later chose Taoyuan as the base to restart the hotel business.

Yang Boliu redefined the business model, focusing the hotel’s clientele on “group travelers.” Not only were the room types and facilities designed specifically for groups, but operating hours were also aligned with tour group schedules to reduce utility and staffing costs. These strategies allowed Yang Boliu to taste the joy of success once again.

▲ With some indigenous-style decorations and artworks made from driftwood on the walls, Yang Boliu hopes to give guests a stronger sense of an eastern Taiwan vacation experience.

From Yang Boliu’s observation, eastern Taiwan’s coastline is beautiful, and Zhiben is a well-known hot spring destination. With the added accessibility brought by the Puyuma train, Zhiben is no longer far for people from northern Taiwan. However, Zhiben still lacks one key element: new hotels.

Taiwan isn’t a big place, and many people have already visited all the popular spots. But even old attractions paired with new hotels can often give travelers a fresh holiday feeling. Therefore, Yang Boliu believes that new hotels can definitely boost Zhiben’s tourism industry. Although his strength lies in operating three-star hotels for group travelers, Yang understands that only large five-star resort hotels can create buzz, attract more visitors to Zhiben, and also expand the local job market. This led to the creation of the Jinlian Century Hotel.

%The design of the public areas adopts a fashionable style. (Strong>