I’m heading to Taroko in May and it looks like the Grand Formosa and the Leader Village cost the same.
Suggestions?
Grand Formosa: $4200 grandformosa-taroko.com.tw/h … fpkg-E.htm
Leader: $4300 ezhotel.com.tw/leader/eng/
[quote=“fishy76”]I’m heading to Taroko in May and it looks like the Grand Formosa and the Leader Village cost the same.
Suggestions?
Grand Formosa: $4200 grandformosa-taroko.com.tw/h … fpkg-E.htm
Leader: $4300 ezhotel.com.tw/leader/eng/[/quote]
The Leader, hands down. Stay up in a grassy meadow with only a ring of cabins and a small restaurant that serves excellent aboriginal food. No KTV or loud noises allowed at night. Little path out back with a troop of monkeys. Just pure mountain scenery all around.
The cabins are very lovely also. The Formosa is a bland 4-star. Generic as all hell.
What are the bathroom facilities like at the Leader place? It looked to me as if they were basically outdoors. If so, I’d say it was heavily overpriced. The place looked wonderful when I was up there a week or two ago, but the cabins definitely looked a bit on the shabby side.
The Taroko Regent might be generic in comparison but it sure looks to be a hell of lot more comfortable.
Buluoluan certainly has the edge in terms of rusticness, though. I loved it and can’t wait to stay there, but I’m a bit surprised it’s priced the same as the Taroko Regent.
[quote=“sandman”]What are the bathroom facilities like at the Leader place? It looked to me as if they were basically outdoors. If so, I’d say it was heavily overpriced. The place looked wonderful when I was up there a week or two ago, but the cabins definitely looked a bit on the shabby side.
The Taroko Regent might be generic in comparison but it sure looks to be a hell of lot more comfortable.
Buluoluan certainly has the edge in terms of rusticness, though. I loved it and can’t wait to stay there, but I’m a bit surprised it’s priced the same as the Taroko Regent.[/quote]
The cabins have nice bathrooms, smallish but good quality and the cabins are very comfy inside, with good sheets, good wood interiors, and the like. Did you look in any? They are not shabby.
I think on the outside they look a bit rustic but inside they are as nice as a good hotel.
I have stayed at both places, twice, and I am totally for the Leader Village instead of the Grand Formosa. The bathroom may be a bit smaller at the Leder village, and the room may be a little smaller too, but the beds are actually more comfortable, the food is better (but not as varied as the set menu does not change much), and the scenery is just majestic. It depend on what you prefer: a normal tourist-bus type of Taiwan hotel, or something a little different but just as good quality.
The Grand Formosa is better appointed (bar, pool, etc) and is located at an area that has more facilities (bus stop, tacky souvenir stalls, temple, police station, bridge for photos), but is more crowded (main road, tourist busses, mouth breathers). Totally depends on what you want from your time away. Leader village has a traditional arts and craft museum and store (great quality stuff though it’s not cheap) and Butterflies galore. Stunning.
One good idea is to skip the Leader village tribal music and dance presentation after dinner (all in Chinese, and has singing you can join in with) and go for a night walk to see monkeys, squirrels, maybe even muntjak and civets.
I’ll bow to personal experience then. As I said, we didn’t stay there but only visited. I loved the ambience and peacefulness of the place and it’s definitely where I’ll be staying next time I’m there as its much closer to what I’m looking for than the Regent. Cool moths there, too.
Not to hijack this thread, but did you find anywhere nice to stay last weekend?
A big thanks. Leader it is.
Not to accept your threadjack but no, it was a bit too last-minute. No matter. The link you provided has given us tons of interesting possibilities.
During week days … Sunday through Thursday the Taroko only charges 3,800 NT/room I believe, including free sauna, jacuzi, steambad, gym … swimmingpool indoors and rooftop, tennis … coffee and cake… I forgot if the real huge dinner and breakfast buffet is included or not …
The rooms are large with an oversized bathroom …
They also have and aborigine show every day during season …
free parking in the basement …
It’s close to a monastary you can just walk to … it’s close to a ‘hiking’ trail that will take you to an impressive waterfall and through a 100-200 or so meter tunnel …
BTW, wen shan hotspring is closed to public due to danger of collapse if I’m right …
Formosa Taroko is worth staying at, I’ve been 4-5 times … enjoying all the perks is nice at night …
They have some amusement … KTV, mini bowling, slot machines, kids games … but they are in the B2-B3 so no disturbance there …
On the plus side for the Grand Formosa, it does have a very good spa and the massage girls are/were absolutely lovely.
But I do like the look of the Leader, and will probably opt to give it a try the next time I’m out that way. Is there anywhere to swim nearby?
Catholic Hostel. Clean, simple rooms NT$800. Eat up in the Jiuguotuan restaurant.
There is a camp site too, bring your own tent …
The camp site is great, however you will have to bring your own food and beer, I think.
I thought Taroko was a land where the beer flowed like wine.
I thought Taroko was a land where the beer flowed like wine.[/quote]
Too bad the locals only drink millet wine - and that beer in Taroko is so damn expensive.
I prefer the Taroko grand farmosa over the Leader huts, I’ve stayed at g. farmosa 3 times and leader once.Both were nice but personally, I do think Leader is overpriced for what it has to offer.The amenities were OK and there’s a nice garden and all that but I so love the early morning walks down the gorge behind Grand Farmosa. I really much prefer the views from there.And yes, they also offer good massages.I booked my parents and cousins into both hotels ,each for 2 nights last summer,don’t know about my cousins but parents definitely preferred G farmosa.But again, to each their own.
To answer my own question…
Over the last couple of months, we have taken two trips to Taroko and had a chance to stay at both hotels.
Overall, I definitely preferred the Grand Formosa. Much nicer rooms, BIG bathroom with separate shower and bathtub, indoor and rooftop infinity pool, tv with more channels, and hikes easily close by. Certainly a bit more bustling and noisier, but not annoying when we went.
The Leader Cabin was a definitely more rustic. Mattresses on the floor, small bathroom with only shower, and a half-ass mowing job on the “lawn” between the cabins. We also had a bug or two in our Cabin and had to bath the baby in the sink. There was also really nothing to do at Leader other than a very short little nature walk. On the plus side, the Leader Cabin was very peaceful and a nice place to sip a few beers and shoot the breeze. We also saw a monsterous toad, geckos, and huge spiders.
Both places were a little hokey (e.g. tribal dance shows), with the Leader Cabins being a little over the top at times.
I loved just floating in G.F.'s infinity pool and staring up at the hills and blue sky. My 15 year old brother-in-law had a great time int he basement arcade. And the wife loved the nice walk up to the Buddhist temple and the lobby cafe. Baby loved the carpeting, tub, pool, and areas to stroller nearby. Plus, and I think this is a big plus, from G.F. you can actually see the river.
PS The hike listed in the LonelyPlanet up the road from the G.F. (through a cave to some waterfalls) is technically closed right now. They had warning tape across the cave entrance and a big closed sign because of a potential rockfall. We ended up going on through the cave (the signs didn’t seem to stop anyone that day), but it started raining so we didn’t make it to the falls. Looked like a nice little stroll.