By MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Team
Famous for its hot spring resort hotels, Japan’s Hoshino Resorts has brought its luxury accommodation brand “Hoshinoya” to Taiwan. The brand, which previously operated in Karuizawa, Kyoto, Teshima, Fuji, Tokyo, and Indonesia, will now open its first resort in Taiwan at Guguan, known as the hot spring town of Taichung, in June 2019. Reservations opened in April.
Concept poster for Hoshinoya Guguan. (Photo / Hoshinoya Guguan, the same below)
Hoshinoya Guguan is situated on a highland formed by the winding flows of the Dajia River, offering distant views of the Guguan town and the Central Mountain Range. Passing through a bamboo path leads to a futuristic reception area, while stepping into the resort reveals a world where lush greenery blends seamlessly with the surrounding majestic mountain scenery – an experience that separates you from daily life yet connects you with nature.
The reception area showcases the beauty of nature.
The building’s exterior, made of overlapping glass and wooden latticework, harmonizes with the verdant mountains and merges with Guguan’s natural landscape. The guest rooms are exquisitely simple and elegant, filled with the pleasant aroma of wood. Nearly all guest rooms feature a loft-style design, with the living room and bedroom located on separate floors from the dedicated hot spring area. Floor-to-ceiling windows in the living and bedroom areas offer sweeping mountain views that shift with time and light like a living screen.
Nearly all guest rooms feature a loft-style design.
There are only 50 finely appointed guest rooms, each with its own natural hot spring. All hot spring baths are gender-segregated and clothing-optional. The indoor hot spring area is infused with the soothing scent of Hinoki cypress, and the smooth, mildly alkaline sodium bicarbonate spring water nourishes the skin. The design of the outdoor hot spring baths, with their winding layout, allows guests to enjoy seasonal scenery up close, such as cherry blossoms in spring and maple leaves in autumn.
The hot spring baths in the guest rooms are paved with comfortably textured light blue tiles, and the design of the louvers ensures privacy while allowing fresh air to flow through.
Japanese kaiseki cuisine is part of the hot spring bathing experience. The dishes incorporate ingredients commonly found in Taiwan, such as local tea leaves and fruits, presented in the style of Japanese kaiseki. The tableware is carefully selected from renowned pottery regions across Japan, presenting a version of Japanese kaiseki with Taiwanese flair.
Japanese kaiseki cuisine with a Taiwanese touch.
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