Seeking the heat: the best winter hotels in Taiwan for a warming vacay

Prefer to spend winter snuggled up in bed with a book and hot chocolate while raindrops tip-tap on the windows? Spend a night in urban comfort in one of the best design hotels in Taipei. Keen to lie on the beach soaking up that midday sun while sipping a cocktail? Head to Taiwan’s tropical south. Want to warm your body and feed your soul at a mountainous wellness retreat? Journey to one of the island’s many natural hot spring valleys. The country’s unique beach-to-peak geography means that you can find winter hotels in Taiwan to satisfy every preference. (Psst… these properties are just as good in warmer weather too.)

The best winter hotels in Taiwan

1. HOSHINOYA Guguan | Guguan, Taichung County

Named among the most exciting hotel openings in 2020, HOSHINOYA brings the luxury of a Japanese onsen resort to the thermally-heated mountain valley of Guguan in Central Taiwan.

HOSHINOYA Guguan is the luxury hotel chain’s first offering in Taiwan. The company selected Guguan for its remote natural setting deep in the Taiwanese mountains, rich traditional rural culture, and the abundant hot springs–which easily rival Japan’s most famous hot spring locations.

Each room has an endless supply of warming thermal water that feeds into a semi-open-air private bath. Have food brought to your room or enjoy a shabu-shabu (Japanese hot pot) of locally farmed sturgeon fish at the resort’s spacious restaurant.

Looking to partake in some shinrin-yoku (Japanese forest bathing) alongside your hot spring soak? Head to the terrace of the organically landscaped Water Garden for a meditative Taiwanese tea ceremony. Those more athletically minded can take a core strengthening “Wind and Forest Exercise” movement class led by a traditional master.

Soak your cares away at HOSHINOYA Guguan

2. Brighthouse | Suao, Yilan County

Brighthouse is nestled into a pristine cove in Taiwan’s untouched northeast. This gleaming white tower–once a working lighthouse–is flanked on one side by Neibi Beach and another by a picturesque traditional Taiwanese fishing village. To its back are the towering mountains and cliffs for which this remote part of the island is renowned.

Every room in Brighthouse has an unimpeded, private view of sea, harbour, or mountain. From the warmth of your king-sized bed or your spacious bathtub, watch birds dive, fish jump, or take in the orange-and-pink-hued sun as it rises over the wild blue Pacific Ocean. It’s also one of the only luxury hotels in Taiwan offering an exclusively vegetarian breakfast menu.

There’s a lot to do in Suao, even in chilly winter months. Head to the nearby working fish market to dine on seafood pulled from the ocean that same morning. Visit the Cccb Coral Museum to learn about the local art of coral carving. Take advantage of the hotel’s free bike rental and cycle up to the Nanfangao Observation Deck for stunning panoramic views.

Get close to the ocean at Brighthouse or Book through Booking.com

3. Gloria Manor | Hengchun, Pingtung County

Kenting Peninsula, the southernmost point of Taiwan, sits below the Tropic of Cancer, where the rays of sunlight stay warm even in the winter months.

The resplendent Gloria Manor graces the shores of one of the area’s most famous bays, Dawan Beach. Due to its south-facing design, all of the sixty rooms in this luxury resort offer stunning ocean views through purposefully large windows. Soft lighting, green-tone colour palette, and transparent balcony fencing encourage close contact with the natural coastal landscapes just outside.

Take in the views of the uniquely peaked Mt. Dajianshi in one direction or crystal sanded Dawan Beach in the other while snuggled up in bed. Settle into the Mu Lounge’s sunken seating with a good book, a warming pot of oolong tea, and light snacks crafted from local ingredients.

Interiors are filled with traditional Taiwanese design features–from the woven bamboo ceilings, crafted by a local weaving master, to the contemporary cast-iron Chinese lanterns in the lobby.

Explore Gloria Manor’s luxury stays or Book through Booking.com

4. Villa 32 | Beitou District, Taipei City

Nestled in the heart of the delicately forested Beitou Geothermal Valley, Villa 32 offers an unparalleled trifecta of winter warmth. Boutique, private luxury hot spring bathing, fine dining with a focus on local delicacies, and misty mountain landscapes. And it’s all mere minutes from the bustling city streets of Taipei.

In addition to the Green and White sulfur spring waters Beitou is famous for, Villa 32 sits atop the attractively named Azure (chloride sodium bicarbonate), Jade (a mix of carbon, hydrogen, calcium, and sodium), and Crystal (golden yellow dolomite) hot spring sources. Uniquely, these naturally cycled, 60-degree-plus hot springs contain minute traces of immune system-boosting radium.

With only five guest rooms, you’re guaranteed dedicated service during your stay. The three European-style suites, named after the three hot spring types, have two floors of private space, designer furnishings, and open-air, marble-lined hot and cold bathing pools. Book into one of the two Japanese rooms, Matsu and Sakura, for a more traditional hot spring experience, complete with Shōji paper sliding doors and a private garden.

Before you leave, take a minute to peruse the owner’s wine collection. On display in the corner of the lobby, this ode to red wine houses several thousand bottles, including rare vintages like the large-format Mouton Rothschild 1945 and the Château d’Yquem 1865, from the collection of the Imperial Family of Russia.

Delve into Villa 32’s luxurious accommodation options or Book through Booking.com

5. amba Hotels | Songshan, Zhongshan, and Ximending Districts, Taipei City

amba’s three boutique luxury hotels are centrally located in bustling Taipei hubs–perfect for those seeking an escape to a decidedly more urban jungle.

Netflix and chill in a chic teak-furnished, artwork lined room replete with HD Internet TV, high-speed WIFI, and wireless Bluetooth speakers. Admire towering Taipei 101 from amba Taipei Songshan while towelling yourself down with a fluffy organic cotton bath towel after your dual rainforest and power massage shower. Or simply brew yourself a steaming cup of traditional Taiwanese tea, grab your favourite magazine, and curl up on your bed with an eco-friendly headboard while the winter winds howl through the skyscrapers.

If you’re not in the mood to brave the cold and crowds of Taipei’s bustling city streets for a bite to eat, amba has you covered. Those staying in amba Zhongshan (or in the Zhongshan district full-stop!) can head to Buttermilk for elevated American-style comfort food and people watching or down a speakeasy-chic cocktail or three at the top-ten rated MUD Bar.

Treat yourself to a capital city trip with amba Hotels

6. Silks Club | Qianzhen District, Kaohsiung

Silks Club is the luxury stay you need to get your cafe and bar-hopping, city night market-strolling fix–even in the dead of winter. In tropical Kaohsiung, the highs hover around 25 degrees Celsius throughout the cold season.

Even the hotel’s most affordably priced rooms offer visitors a premium experience. Snag a drink from the complimentary mini bar and sink deep into the spacious KOHLER Volute bathtub. Nestle into the premium Italian handmade Falomo mattress fitted with locally-crafted 400 thread-count Kuan’s Living linen while sipping on a freshly brewed, piping hot Nespresso.

The pool might not be open during the winter months, but the sauna is. With everything from dry saunas and steam rooms to phytoncide therapy on offer, relaxation is guaranteed.

If you happen to have a hankering for some world-class teppanyaki or kaiseki, Silks Club is the first overseas location of the Michelin-starred Japanese chain, UKAI. Nothing gets you toastier than sitting in front of the sizzling hot plate at Ukai-tei Kaohsiung as a teppanyaki chef wows you with their grilling skills.

See what Silks Club offers discerning urban travellers or Book through Booking.com

But wait… there’s more

• Find out why we’re obsessed with Studio Allston Hotel in Boston
• These are the best boutique hotels in Tokyo
• And these are our favourite travel pillows to stay comfy on the move