It was a dark and stormy night. No, really it was dark and stormy but late afternoon, when we finally arrived at Fuli Hot Spring Resort at Sun Moon Lake. We had driven 3.5 hours from Taichung in a relentless downpour, after days of floods and landslides all over Taiwan, so our driver was pretty worried. When the locals are worried is when you should start getting concerned. So initially our plan was to visit Alishan in the morning before checking in later in the evening to Fuli, but with the horrendous weather conditions, we decided to take our time instead and head to Fuli straight from our previous hotel. Best. Decision. Ever.
Okay, I know this photo is misleading BUT this is how Sun Moon Lake is supposed to look like 🙁 when it’s sunny 🙁 which we didn’t get to see…
When we pulled up at the lobby, the Fuli staff rushed to our aid with huge umbrellas to fend us from the billowing wind and rain. It was quite chaotic with 8 girls and 10 luggages but they got us settled into the nice warm lobby and after a quick chat with Jeff, Fuli’s marketing manager, we were on our way up to our room!
Can I just say how absolutely gorgeous Fuli’s rooms are? We got a luxurious family room with extra beds, which fit us all cozily, perfect in the rainy weather. I love the huge, fluffy beds!!
This is their Family Suite – beautiful glass screens, French windows and of course an inlaid Japanese bath tub all allow for an unobstructed scenic view in comfort.
The view from our private balcony is so reminiscent of rural Japan – not to mention the adorable Fuli adorned bathrobes and funky little slippers!
The best part of the room would definitely have to be the private hot spring sauna in our bathroom, large enough to fit us all for a lovely soothing soak in the cold weather. It was so warm and comfortable that it took us like an hour to convince ourselves to head out for dinner. Typing this now, I wish I was back in Fuli’s warm embrace 🙁
Hotel guests can also rent bicycles for free, to cycle around Sun Moon Lake. That would have made for an splendid adventure, to explore the beautiful lake at our own pace! Sadly, the rain foiled our plans 🙁 We tried out some of their bikes indoors, wandering around in circles waiting on the rain to stop, and these bikes definitely aren’t those shabby, run-down rental bicycles from East Coast Park! They were super lightweight but solidly built, to take on the hilly terrains around some portions of the lake. Such a pity 🙁
But Fuli had us covered for bad weather contingencies! We explored their huge underground leisure centre, which had everything from board games, mahjong, karaoke to Nintendo Wii, XBOX and a mini playground/ jungle gym for toddlers. I would have assumed Fuli Resort is more for couples to enjoy a romantic getaway, but it’s actually very popular with families as well because of the many activities available to keep the children occupied.
Because of the sulky weather, we didn’t have a chance to check out Fuli’s outdoor swimming pool as well but it looks fantastic! There were also water guns for kids (aka me) to play with at the pool, so thoughtful 🙂 To make up for our lost outdoor opportunities, Fuli kindly arranged for us to experience their massage and sauna in their inhouse spa.
We were promptly late for our massage, but we made it for the sauna yay and it was fantastic to be tucked away in our warm little hut amidst the billowing sheets of rain. Clearly we had our own fun inside – PARTYYYYYY IN THE SAUNAAAAA 🙂
I was SO GLAD we took a breather from our super packed itinerary to relax for a full day in Fuli! I always get overexcited and plan so much to do on my overseas trips (ahem kiasu) then realise that my ideal holiday is really just to chill… and do nothing.
I would definitely be back to Fuli Hot Spring Resort with Zac soon, cos’ it’s such a lovely, romantic place to unwind and soak in private hot springs, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of city life. One of my top recommendations if you are visiting Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan!
Note: This post is sponsored by Fuli Hot Spring Resort but all opinions are as usual my own 🙂