December 2025
Our eldest J wanted to experience hotsprings during this trip, so we checked out of Silks Place Yilan and took a taxi up north to hotspring town, Jiaoxi. We booked two rooms at Just Sleep Jiaoxi.
A 7-minute walk from Jiaoxi train station, this is relaxed, contemporary hotel with hotspring facilities. It offers both indoor and outdoor hot spring-fed pools where guests can soak in warm spring water, and each guest room also has its own private hot spring bath.
From the minute we entered, the staff was amazingly professional and friendly. They helped us with the check-in and arranged for our luggages to be stored while we waited for the rooms to be ready. We asked if the kids could just take a dip in the pool while we waited, and they said we were welcome to do so!
We had to observe our four-year-old carefully and reminded him to come out of the pool every 15 minutes or so. He actually turned as red as a lobster because of the higher temperatures! But otherwise, they really enjoyed the free floaties and throwing the yellow duckies all around!
While the kids had the pool to themselves, we grown-ups helped ourselves with complimentary coffee/tea and crunchy snacks at JustCafe.
Tiny room but spacious bath
The room was clean and functional, with the bathroom taking up almost half the space! We absolutely loved the shower facilities and tub, which reminded us of onsen hotels in Japan. There is a separate toilet. The bed was a Japanese floor-style double bed, which proved to be a squeeze for two grown-ups and a four-year-old who sleeps like a starfish.
We love the simple, streamlined aesthetic of the room, but the space was unbelievably cramped. There was barely any space to put our giant luggages. We placed one larger-sized luggage on the rack next to the door, but the catch is that the door would be blocked if we open the luggage to retrieve our things. Before check-out, I had to push the entire luggage out to the corridor to be able to pack properly!
But we did really enjoy the private hotspring! We took turns to soak for as long as we want, and it was such a new experience for all of us. One good thing about having a private hotspring is that we could adjust the temperature of the water. For YB, we didn’t want his water to be too hot and we could add cold water accordingly.
The hotel also has indoor hotspring for both men and women, and we were also provided with robes and slippers for the experience. We did not try these because we were happy with the private hotsprings!
We also learnt that Jiaoxi’s hot spring water is considered special because it’s a rare clear, odourless, alkaline sodium bicarbonate spring found on a flat plain. Naturally rich in minerals such as potassium, calcium and carbonates, the water is known for being gentle on the skin, often leaving it feeling smooth after soaking.
This has shaped Jiaoxi into a distinctive hot spring town, with easily accessible foot baths, public facilities and a wide range of resorts. The mild nature of the water has long been associated with beauty and wellness, which is why Jiaoxi remains one of Taiwan’s most popular and family-friendly hot spring destinations.
Kid-friendly communal rooms
On Level 2, there are two kid-friendly zones: Grandma’s Stationery Store and Kids’ Zone.
At Grandma’s Stationery Store, there are shelves of Chinese books, stationery and art materials, as well as space for Lego-building. Our kids enjoyed this space the most because one liked building and one liked drawing.
At the nursery, it felt like the good old times as the space featured not just a hopscotch but also an old Taiwanese classroom. They pretended to be teacher and student for a while, then hopped around. There were also wooden toys that suited younger kids.
Tangweigou Hotspring Park
After we refreshed ourselves, we were ready to take an evening stroll down to Tangweigou Hotspring Park. The reception staff showed us a map and told us it was just an 11-minute walk away. Not far or difficult at all. She even told us that there would be pretty lights once night falls and told us not to miss it.
Tangweigou Hot Spring Park truly comes alive at night with a small but lively night market atmosphere. Lined with casual eateries and snack stalls, it was an easy place to wander without feeling overwhelmed — perfect with kids in tow. The highlight for many visitors is the free public footbath, where you can soak your feet in warm spring water while watching the world go by. It’s very local, and very much part of Jiaoxi’s everyday rhythm.
We wandered around and spotted a number of fish spas. Our private driver from the day before had mentioned that these are generally quite hygienic, as the pools use constantly flowing water, so we decided to give it a try. It was J’s first time, and she was incredibly courageous — starting with the smaller fish before working her way up to pools with bigger and bigger fish that frankly looked quite scary to me (I stayed in the “kindergarten fish” pool throughout!).
We also spotted this lovely shop selling soya beancurd and couldn’t resist popping in for a bowl. The interior was really cramped, but once you ordered, they would get a seat for you. We got one of their signatures: soya beancurd with grass jelly and crushed peanuts, adorned with a single coriander leaf. So pretty, super yummy and perfect as a winter dessert!
Buffet breakfast at JustCafe
The next morning, we went downstairs to the cafe for the breakfast. Unfortunately, the cafe was full and we had to queue and wait for our turn. We also had to share seats with another family at the long communal table. This gave me some anxiety, as our kids can be a little fidgety — I worried about them dropping things, bumping into others, or generally being louder than ideal in a shared space.
After Silks Place Yilan, it was hard to be impressed by this buffet spread. It featured all the basics and a little more, like braised pork and traditional farmer’s rice. Nothing to shout about, but enough for a quick breakfast before we check out and hit the road.
Despite that small hiccup, we had a lovely stay at Just Sleep Jiaoxi, with special mention going to the attentive staff and the amazing private hotspring tub — it was super shiok to soak and unwind after a full day out!
This Little Season 