Vic C.
Yelp
This review is for the property itself (as a hotel), its hot spring facilities, and the restaurant. You can visit Villa 32's public hot springs for the day, but I highly recommend staying here.
Centrally located in Beitou - just a short walk from the Xinbeitou MRT station, and about 30 minutes from downtown Taipei - Villa 32 offers an incredible, peaceful retreat from the bustle of urban Taipei. My husband and I only stayed at Villa 32 for a few nights during our honeymoon, but wish we stayed longer. A perfect spot for a couples getaway, the property exceeded our expectations in all aspects - from service, design, amenities, to food. Honestly, I'm a bit hesitant to write this review lest this property becomes too popular.
Service: Service throughout our stay - in the restaurant, in the hot springs, and in the spa - was attentive but not overbearingly so. While dining for dinner, even though the restaurant was quite empty, the waitstaff did not hover, but was quick to acknowledge any summons.
One important note - we found that the staff to have limited English abilities. My husband (who doesn't speak Mandarin) struggled to communicate with many staff members; I found it much easier to talk to them in Mandarin.
The property: The entrance is a bit hidden - a discreet walkway next to the Royal Seasons with just '32' on the facade, opening up to a beautifully manicured space. With only 5 suites available, this property is serene and intimate - and at least during our stay, we felt like we had the place to ourselves almost. We stayed in the Jade Suite - one of the 'western' style rooms. The room was modern, clean and well-designed with thoughtful touches such as 3 separate thermostat controls for each part of the room, built-in speakers to listen to music, and flameless candles in the bathroom that were lit each night.
Amenities: While we took advantage of our private hot springs bath - especially since it was a chance for my husband and I to soak together - we also took advantage of the public hot springs. While they may be public, the hot springs felt exclusive. Men and women have separate facilities - since the hot springs do not allow for clothes, but both areas have 8 different pools of varying temperatures that were incredibly well-maintained. Since we stayed during the week, the pools were often empty when we visited.
Food: Food during our stay was excellent. We loved the in-room breakfast options and we dined at the property's restaurant twice. Food was excellent but a bit pricey - it's definitely a fine dining. Offering Italian fusion cuisine (fused with some Taiwanese influences), flavors are delicious and the chef introduces some local flavor and ingredients into the dishes. The restaurant is definitely fine dining and offers unique complimentary amuse bouches and dessert bites.
All in all, we loved our stay in Villa 32 and can't wait to return again soon.