Cherng Yuan Hotel @ Sun Moon Lake (日月潭澄園渡假旅店) [Taiwan]

When faced with a whole list of accommodations on the web, i am often stuck in the quandary on which one to select as my designated choice for an overseas stay. 

Budget is definitely high on my priority but i would still require an air-conditioned room with attached bathroom and service that does not piss me off. Online reviews help somewhat although i have to admit you could never confirm anything until you are physically experiencing the hotel yourself.

Accessibility is another critical factor i consider and that was probably the main reason why i eventually clicked on the "book it" button of Cherng Yuan hotel (Sun Moon Lake) on Agoda.com; it was only a few minutes' walk from Itashao Pier!  

Friends have asked why i didn't chose Shuieshe Pier, which is the main gateway to other parts of Taiwan and definitely more vibrant than Itashao. Honestly, i just wanted a place that wasn't too crowded and noisy. Anyway, back to Cherng Yuan hotel.  

The immediate thought i had when i first stepped into the hotel was how different it was from conventional hotels! 

Its setup was almost like a tea house and the decoration exuded a sense of familiarity and calmness. Hell, even the gentleman manning the counter had an almost peaceful disposition.

It's heartening to note that there were loads of international fans; judging from the many round discs of various sizes filling up the wall facing the lift! It was only much later than i realised this is a minsu! 

By the way, check in, as usual for hotels in Taiwan, was at 3pm. We collected the room key (room 302) after a few hours of fun at Formosa Aboriginal Culture Village. Time to check out the room and have a badly needed shower!

It was huge for two persons! No complaint about the bed although i had to comment that this was the only hotel in Taiwan where i managed to get a really restful night! Maybe it helps that the temperature in Sun Moon Lake wasn't as chilly as Cingjing Farm. 

The dressing table was pretty small and there wasn't a study table for me to blog! I am a traditionalist and would prefer a table to place my laptop rather than risk having neck and back pain by blogging on the bed! 

Decent sized television with cupboards on the sides that didn't serve any purpose for two men planning for just one night stay in Sun Moon Lake. If i bring my teddy bear, i might just put it on the glass display area right above the television. 

Love the remote control that has the divine ability to control the lights in the room! 

Free in-room wifi that wasn't very stable, resulting in frequent search and switch to a wifi network on a different level. Something to do with too many users accessing the same network. 

Bathroom was at a standard comparable to many good starred hotels and mom would have no problem blowing her hair using the hair dryer provided (her pet peeve whenever she is overseas). 

I was more excited to see the rain shower! 

Online reviews for the hotel often mentioned about the fabulous view of sun moon lake from the room! The view i got was of two persons kissing in the hotel room right opposite us. Oh well, having a free show might not be so bad after all! 

The next morning, the lift took us up to the top level where we shall have our complimentary breakfast. When the lift door opened, we were greeted by the above scene that could only be described as so Zen!

There was even an outdoor section where guests can appreciate a cuppa freshly brewed tea while enjoying the scenic waterfront lake view! My dad would have loved to spend a few hours there! 

Coffee House with both indoor and outdoor seating.

With such great scenery and nice temperature, it simply didn't make sense for us to stay indoors! Contrast this to our breakfast at Misty Villa where we were adamant that nothing, absolutely nothing, could entice us to eat our bread and toast in the freezing outdoors! 

Itashao pier was right in front of us! This picture is testament to the proximity of Cherng Yuan hotel to the area where you can take your ferry back to Shuieshe pier.  

Coffee and toast station! 

Breakfast choices weren't elaborate and there wasn't any description on any of the dishes. From the ingredients, i could roughly gather what they were and none really appealed to me. 

I had to rely on basic rations then; toast with jam. :(

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Location

No.117, Wenhua Street,

Itashao, Yuchi Township, 

Nantou, Taiwan 555

Map 

As above.

Website (in Chinese)

http://www.cherngyuan.com.tw/

Price

S$110.75 via Agoda.com

For an overview of my 9 Days, 8 Nights Taiwan Trip [Cingjing (清境) - Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) - Taichung (臺中) - Taipei (臺 北)], click HERE.