We had originally planned to try Hoshinoya Guguan last November for Baby Em’s 1st birthday celebration, but were dismayed to find out the earliest availability was the following February (yes, it is that popular). This delay, however, turned out to be quite serendipitous, as we ended up visiting during the coldest day of the winter – perfect, for staying at a hot spring resort.
這個冬季最冷的那幾天，我和 A 帶著 Baby Em 去了虹夕諾雅 谷關。去年十月初預定時，最快的空房已是今年二月底，從訂房到入住隔了快五個月，以至於啟程前一天還覺得有點不可思議（咦，真的是明天嗎？）。
This was to be my first time staying at a Hoshinoya Resort. The closest experience I’ve had before was perhaps at Kai Aso, a hot spring resort in Kyushu, Japan, operated by the Hoshino Group, and it was spectacular. Naturally, I had high expectations for Hoshinoya Guguan, which also happens to be the group’s first outpost in Taiwan.
谷關是星野集團首次在台灣設點，也是我個人的虹夕諾雅初體驗。數年前曾去過星野在日本九州經營的 Kai Aso（界 阿蘇），是至今讓我難忘的溫泉體驗，所以對於定位高階的虹夕諾雅更是期待萬分。
We drove from Taipei to Taichung, and meandered up the mountainous roads of Guguan. We passed by several nondescript hot spring hotels along the way before arriving at a manicured bamboo grove and understated stone wall – before I even saw the logo, I knew I had arrived. In retrospect, the bamboo grove almost felt like a force field that separates Hoshinoya from the outside. By crossing it, we were entering another world of its own…
谷關是溫泉勝地，車子在群山環繞的山谷中延綿向上，一路經過不少溫泉飯店，但抵達虹夕諾雅時能瞬間感受到它的與眾不同。先映入眼簾的是一排竹林和素雅石牆 ，在還未看到低調的 logo 之前我就知道 – 不會錯，就是這裡了。沿著竹林緩緩進入飯店，心也隨之沈靜。這排竹林就像某種結界一般，將飯店和外界區隔開來，形成獨立的世外桃源。
We were welcomed warmly by the staff and led directly to our room for hot tea and welcome snacks. Check-in was done efficiently with a quick signing in the comfort of our living room.
從踏入飯店一開始，許多貼心的小細節就一一浮現，比如 check-in 手續不是在大堂櫃檯辦理，而是直接在要入住的房裡，邊喝茶吃小點、邊順手完成。
Hoshinoya Guguan has 49 rooms in 5 different room types. We stayed at YUE, which is 107sqm in space divided into two levels – an upper level with living room and bedroom, and a lower level with a semi-outdoor hot spring area, day bed, tatami room, and bathroom (toilets are available on both levels.)
虹夕諾雅 谷關共有49個房間、5種房型。我們入住的 “月見” 有107平方米的寬敞空間，分為上下兩層。上層是臥室和客廳，下層則有半室外溫泉、榻榻米休息室、浴室（上下層皆有洗手間）。
I loved the floor-to-ceiling windows on the upper level, which allows us to take in the view in its entirety, as well as the lounge area next to the windows, where baby Em spent much time crawling and tumbling around.
上層有整面的落地窗，讓薄霧瀰漫的山谷風景盡收眼底。窗邊的臥榻區是 Em 的最愛，在上面爬行翻滾，玩得不亦樂乎。
All room types at Hoshinoya Guguan come with a hot spring set-up, but YUE’s hot spring area is especially spacious, with an extra large tub and a day bed for relaxing. Having the hot spring within the comfort and convenience of our room was ideal, as we were able to enjoy a good soak without being too far from the napping baby upstairs. (Having said that, the public bath hall is not to be missed – more on this later.)
下層有半室外溫泉，對於帶了小寶寶、無法隨時離開的我們來說，在房間就能輕鬆泡到溫泉實在是完美的設計。抵達谷關時正下著大雨，當下不免覺得天氣有些掃興，事後才發現我們其實非常幸運 – 那幾天正好是這個冬季最冷的時候，在陰冷雨天裡泡溫泉，別有一番幸福滋味。
There’s also a large tatami area, perfect for resting or reading a magazine or drinking ice cold beer after the hot tub.
月見的溫泉區比其他房型寬敞許多，除了溫泉浴池比較大之外，還有可供兩人躺臥、能一邊感受清風吹拂一邊放鬆的沙發，和舒適的榻榻米休息區。
The bathroom has a well-thought out toiletries selection, much more complete than the usual ensemble, including items such as face wash, toner, facial lotion…etc.
盥洗用品非常齊全，連洗臉乳、化妝水、臉部乳液等都有提供。
Extra storage space in between the two sinks is a nice plus.
喜歡雙洗手台中間的置物櫃設計，空間充足，物品也不易被水弄溼。
Also found in the room: comfortable pajamas and hot spring robes. (Pictured below are the pajamas.)
還有提供舒適的睡衣和館內服。（下圖為睡衣，館內服稍後再分享。）
The resort had also prepared all the baby amenities we needed – bottle sterilizer, baby bath tub, toiletries, diaper pail, bottle detergent and brushes etc. The baby cot doubles as a play pen, providing parents some much appreciated down time.
飯店也準備了給 Em 的奶瓶消毒鍋、洗澡盆、尿布專用垃圾桶、盥洗用品…連奶瓶清潔劑、洗奶瓶的刷子都有，十分周到。嬰兒床也可作為遊戲床，讓媽媽在一旁喝杯茶、喘口氣。
Do note that the staircase can be a bit dangerous for kids, so don’t hesistate to ask the resort staff to set up a stair barrier if there’s any concern.
房內的樓梯對小孩來說也許有點危險，可請服務人員放置檔門防止意外。
For those traveling with kids and elderlies, the most ideal room type would be the single-level SHAN, but because there are only three rooms with this design, it’s very difficult to book (when we checked last October, the earliest available date was this May). Here are a few pictures of SHAN, snapped after a guest checked out early.
對於有小孩或老人同行的旅客來說，最適合的房型是無階梯、平坦樓層的“山霞” ，不過由於這個房型只有三間，所以非常難訂（我們去年10月查看時，要等到5月才能訂到山霞，只好作罷）。當天住山霞的客人 check-out 比較早，正好可以讓我們參觀一下，日後有機會再來住看看。
We decided to stay in the room for the rest of the day to fully enjoy the space and also let Emilia get acquainted with the environment (fingers crossed for a good night’s sleep). For dinner, we ordered a fish & vegetable hot pot and a wagyu rice set, both set up beautifully as room service.
第一天我們在 check-in 後就沒離開過房間，一來是因為空間舒適，二來是想讓 Em 適應新環境，晚上才能安心睡好覺。 晚餐單點了 “旬鮮馬告鍋” 和 “月見和牛套餐” 在房裡享用，雖是 room service，但排場非常到位，擺出來氣勢十足。
It was a rather light dinner, perfect to follow with a soak in the hot spring. It was still raining as I lowered myself into the water, the evening air damp and cool. I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths, feeling myself dissolve into the hot, soothing water…a moment of pure relaxation without having to worry about Em, who was already sound asleep upstairs.
晚餐的風味清爽無負擔，正好適合迅速消化後泡個溫泉。 將 Em 放倒入睡後，我和 A 溜到下層，享受（不用照顧寶寶的）完全放鬆時光。 外面仍下著雨，夜裏的空氣濕潤而清涼，我閉上眼睛，將山的氣息吸入身體深處。 因為實在太舒服了，我甚至忘記要和 A 聊天，很想就這樣融化在溫泉和風中。
The second day commenced with (yet another) soak in the hot spring, then, feeling warm and energized, we finally ventured out.
第二天早晨也是以溫泉開始，再暖暖地離開房間。
The path leading to the lobby / restaurant area is lined with bamboo and water canals, charming whether rain or shine.
從客房前往大堂的路徑是由竹林與流水組成的步道，不論在雨天或晴天都相當迷人。
The living room area with self-service coffee, tea, and books (also available for taking back to the room).
圖書閱覽室有可自行取用的咖啡和茶，書能帶回房間慢慢閱讀。
Breakfast, available in three options – Taiwanese, Japanese, and Western, was a delight. My personal favorite was the Taiwanese breakfast set, which includes scallop chicken congee, an assortment of seven condiments, steamed chicken with scallions, fried aubergine, Hakka salted pork, and bean curd for dessert. Em loved the congee so much so that we forgot about the packaged baby food we had prepared, and simply fed her freshly made congee from the hotel kitchen.
早餐有台式、日式、西式三種選擇。我們試了台式和日式，都非常美味，以至於第三天早晨又選了一樣的套餐。 我個人最喜歡台式早餐，有干貝雞湯粥、七種小菜、油蔥蒸雞肉、炸茄子、客家鹹豬肉等，還附上豆花作為甜點，是令人相當滿足的組合。順帶一提，干貝雞湯粥的清淡鮮美滋味也適合寶寶，於是我們乾脆捨棄原本自備的袋裝粥，讓 Em 一起享用新鮮粥品，她一口接一口停不下來（台式早餐的粥和日式早餐的飯都可以無限追加，不用擔心不夠吃）。
On a related note, their table set up for the baby was also on point!
寶寶的餐桌擺設也毫不怠慢，全套的用餐道具都備好了！
After breakfast, a cup of coffee while gazing at the beautiful Water Garden just outside of the restaurant…
餐廳的窗外是美麗的水之庭院，飯後可以再來一杯咖啡慢慢欣賞風景。
A stroll after breakfast took us to “Tea Time” at the spa lounge, with staff on site pouring freshly pounded Hakka tea (lei cha), served hot and deliciously thick. In the summer, this would be changed to shaved ice with Taiwan pine, which sounds really delightful as well.
飯後隨意在酒店內走動參觀，碰上 “谷茶時間”。 據說天熱時提供的是五葉松剉冰，而我們在冬日造訪，得到的是現場研磨的客家擂茶，熱騰騰一杯喝下去，從肚子裡暖上來。
Later that day, A and I took turns going to the bath hall (while the other stayed in the room with Em). To get in the onsen mood, I put on the Japanese style robes and sandals provided by the hotel, and for a split second I really believed I was in Japan…
下午，和 A 分工合作，一人留在房裡陪 Em，另一人去試試大眾溫泉。 穿上飯店提供的日式服裝、踩著木屐喀啦喀啦前往浴場的路上，有種在日本的錯覺。
The baths are separated by gender and follow the Japanese onsen etiquette – to be enjoyed without swimwear. The indoor bath is bordered with aromatic cypress and offers a serene view, while the outdoor baths feature zigzag layouts that mimic natural formations, with indigenous plants lining the banks.
Like most city dwellers, I’m regrettably out of touch with nature. It felt strange and incredibly wonderful to be out there naked, feeling the raindrops on my head, the breeze against my back, the gentle thundering of waterfall reaching my ears…it was a feeling of liberation to savor.
I was also pleasantly surprised to see how empty the bath halls were given that the resort was at full occupancy. On one of the mornings, I even got the enjoy the entire space to myself, what a luxury!
(Note: photography / videography is not allowed in the bath halls, but I was able to snap a few photos during their cleaning hours at the permission of resort staff.)
大眾溫泉和日本當地的習慣一致，是男女分開的裸湯。 室內的氛圍寧靜優美，不過我更喜歡室外的空間。 和其他生活在城市裡的人一樣，我很少有機會以自己最自然的姿態接觸自然，有種久違的、擺脫了所有束縛的感覺，奇妙而舒暢。
我入住的這兩天飯店都是滿房狀態，但大眾溫泉絲毫不顯人多。 第三天一早去的時候甚至沒有其他客人，很幸運地獨享了這片靜謐。
（注：公共浴池內禁止拍照及攝影。我事先和飯店工作人員打過招呼，請他們讓我在11點做場地清潔時、沒有其他客人的情況下快速拍了幾張照。）
Dinner that evening was an elaborate 8-course kaiseki with sake pairing. Em didn’t nap that afternoon and was getting very fussy, and it was thanks to the wonderfully accommodating restaurant staff who supplied us with books and toys to keep her entertained, that we were even able to finish the meal.
It was not easy to concentrate on the food while taking care of a restless baby, so I can’t recall the details of each dish, but it was an overall very enjoyable meal. If you are also staying at Hoshinoya for two nights, it’s a good idea to try a la carte one evening and kaiseki set menu the other. I also heard that the resort’s new executive chef has just arrived from Japan, and look forward to trying his cuisine on another visit.
泡完湯後的晚餐是8道式的會席料理另加清酒搭配。 當天 Em 因為完全沒午睡，所以到了晚餐時刻已開始鬧脾氣，感謝貼心的餐廳服務人員拿來了布書和各種兒童湯匙給她玩耍，讓爸媽能吃完這一餐。
邊照顧哭鬧的寶寶邊吃飯實在很難專心，無法一一回想起料理的細節，但總體印象是美味的。 若你也是在飯店住兩晚的話，不妨也一晚單點、一晚試試會席料理。 飯後聽工作人員提到他們新的日本料理長剛抵達台灣（隔離剛結束，恭喜恭喜），很期待下次造訪能嚐到他的作品。
After two days of nonstop rain, we woke up on the third day to sunshine, and took advantage of the beautiful weather for a walk in the Water Garden. It was really worthwhile to join the garden tour led by the resort’s head gardener, who told us fascinating stories about the local ecology and plants, some of which date back to Japanese colonial times.
All the while, I was taking lots of deep breaths, filling my lungs with more of the deliciously refreshing air of Guguan before we had to head back to the city.
第三天醒來，天空放晴，一切都閃閃發光。 趁著最後的半天，逛了之前因為大雨而沒能逛到的水之庭園。 自由閒逛是一番樂趣，也可參加早上的 “草花散策”，聽工作人員介紹當地的生態和植物，我和 A 都覺得非常有趣，Baby Em 似乎也很喜歡。
谷關的空氣清新，晴天和雨天的風味不同，各有各的美味，讓人像在吃飯時忍不住再添一碗般，深深呼吸、呼吸、呼吸，終於心滿意足。 雖然陽光燦爛，但風仍是清涼的，拂在臉上極是舒服。
Beautiful reflections…like Monet’s paintings.
倒影裡的花草樹木，如莫內的畫一般。
Glancing back at the resort buildings from the garden, one could tell that the designer chose materials and colors that are in sync with nature, so the buildings blend smoothly into the surroundings.
從庭院回頭望，會發現虹夕諾雅谷關的建築外觀由玻璃與木格子交疊構成，身在山林中毫不突兀，是與大自然相互共鳴的用心設計 。
After checking out, we decided to stay for lunch (udon and curry, both simple and hearty), then took yet another stroll in the garden before we reluctantly departed from Hoshinoya Guguan.
中午 checkout 後，在餐廳吃了簡單而美味的咖喱飯和烏龍麵午餐，又在庭院散步一圈後，才依依不捨地離開。
As we were driving away from the resort, I looked back and saw resort staff waving at us until we were no longer in each other’s sight, an example of Hoshinoya’s Japanese roots shining through in its staff training. Amidst the Japanese politesse, however, I also sensed a soft, a more approachable character typical of the Taiwanese, which I personally really appreciate.
The drive back to Taipei was smooth, and we were back home in no time. But all I could think of, really, was to have the trip start all over again.
駕車離開時，回頭瞥見酒店人員一直揮手到我們消失在彼此的視線中，果然是日式服務的風範。 不過在入住的這三天兩夜中，感受到在日式服務的禮貌之上，又多了一份台灣人特有的親切，比如第二天在餐廳接待的人員，知道我前一晚跟客房服務拿了耳塞，特別問候我是否有睡好，讓人倍感貼心。
回程一路順暢，兩個半小時即回到台北的家…而這時的我唯一能想到的，是重新再開始一次這趟旅程。
P.S. Due to adverse weather, we weren’t able to try some of the activities such as morning yoga on the terrace, the outdoor pool, the scenic hiking trail…good excuses to revisit again soon.
P.S. 這次因為天氣關係所以沒能體驗一些飯店的活動，比如早晨的森呼吸、室外泳池、全長 1300 公尺的步道…留點遺憾，下次再來。