The newly constructed Le Méridien Hualien Resort will finally begin to welcome guests towards the end of 2022 after almost five years of delays due to Covid-19.
Taiwan has recently reopened its borders to international tourists following the Covid-19 pandemic, and the new hotel, located in the eastern Taiwanese city of Hualien, is currently adding the finishing touches ready to welcome travellers. Construction of the hotel originally began in 2017 with an expected opening date in 2018, however, logistical issues followed by the worldwide pandemic continued to delay the opening date until 2022.
The hotel is owned by the international hotel group Marriot and will be their latest hotel opening in Taiwan, following the success of others, including Le Méridien Taipei and Le Méridien Taichung. As a six-star property, guests can expect luxury facilities such as an indoor hot spring, fitness suite, complete spa complex, outdoor swimming pool and an entertainment centre. The hotel will also be equipped to host large events, encompassing a business centre, wedding and dinner venues and extensive parking. Le Méridien Hualien will also have its own shopping mall and multiple dining establishments.
The resort will have two hundred and sixty rooms ranging in price from the simplest ‘Classic’ to rooms offering views over the ocean or mountains in their Classic Ocean and Classic Mountain suites. Families will also be accommodated in their King Suites. At the top end, the hotel’s Deluxe Connecting Spa and Deluxe Panoramic Spa come with separate living rooms, two smart TVs, sweeping views and easy access to the on-site spa facilities. The hotel will also incorporate Le Méridien’s well-known ‘Hub’, in which they have redesigned the lobby space to allow for cosy co-working, coffee with friends or an evening cocktail.
The hotel is conveniently located for those looking to stay in Hualien and is approximately 270km from Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport, while the local Hualien Airport is just seven kilometres from the property. Within Hualien, the hotel is perched just a few streets back from the waterfront and only six hundred meters from the city’s popular Dongdaemun Tourist Night Market.
Hualien is best known for being Taiwan’s gateway city to the famous Taroko Gorge, one of Taiwan’s nine spectacular national parks, home to hiking trails, waterfalls and remote temples. This makes Hualien one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations. However, the city also features plenty of alternative attractions for visitors. The area has a range of hot springs, including the Ruisui and Antong Hot Springs, which are in the greater Hualien area. With the region’s mountainous and coastal topography, adrenaline sports are also popular here, with paragliding, river rafting and kayaking on offer outside the city, in areas such as Liyu Lake or by the coast at the towering Qingshui Cliffs.
