One of the most unique hotels in Taiwan and the only luxury hotel open in Taroko National Park, Silks Place Taroko has to be one of our most memorable stays ever.
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A 5* hotel in an incredible natural setting, escape the city and get back to nature (but with all the comforts) at Silks Place Taroko.
From the rooftop pool to the fantastic facilities, wonderful food to the outdoor cinema, there is much to enjoy here – and some of the rooms even have terraces directly overlooking Taroko Gorge.
Here is our review of Silks Place Taroko – we stayed in early February 2026.
Disclosure – our stay at Silks Place Taroko was complimentary.
Silks Place Taroko overview
With Taroko National Park now partially reopened, there is no better time to escape Taipei and spend some time in one of Taiwanโs most beautiful settings.
Whether you intend to drive yourself or make use of the complimentary hotel shuttle from Hualien, your magical adventure starts as you enter the national park via mountains, valleys and rivers.
A stay at Silks Place Taroko can be as relaxing or as busy as you like, whether you join in the various hotel workshops, hike in the hills around the property or just relax at the indoor or outdoor pool and hot tubs – you can even indulge in a spa session or take part in yoga.
There are several restaurants on site (more on this later) plus a free โsocial hourโ every evening where you can enjoy wine, whisky, snacks and good conversation.
Go for a drink on the rooftop at night or enjoy the rooftop cinema – all this whilst enclosed by one of Taiwanโs most iconic locations.
Getting to Silks Place Taroko / Taroko National Park
Many travellers to Taiwan donโt realise that Taroko NP has now partially reopened after a period of total closure following the 2024 earthquake.
Whilst many of the walking trails are still closed and rebuilding work continues on some of the roads / tracks, visitors are allowed to access Highway 8, the main road that goes through Taroko from Hualien.
Silks Place Taroko guests can drive themselves (Highway 8 opens for certain periods daily between 6.30am and 5.30pm)ย but perhaps the simplest and safest way to get there is to jump aboard the shuttle buses for hotel guests (there is a small cost to book the shuttle bus unless it is included in your package deal).
Silks Place Taroko shuttle buses depart from Hualien Station daily at 12pm – the journey takes around 1 hour (but it seems much shorter as you will be continually gasping in awe at all the stunning scenery).
The shuttles will also return you to Hualien Station on your day of check out, leaving the hotel at noon (check out is 11am).
First impressions
After a relatively quick bus journey, we arrived at Silks Place Taroko around 1pm and were warmly greeted by staff as we got off the bus (it felt very โWhite Lotusโ).
The first thing that you notice is just how unique the location is – the hotel is literally a small speck in the middle of this giant natural canvas.
The hotel is right next to the famous gorge plus you can see the nearby Xiangde Temple and Tianfeng pagoda looking out across the water from on top of the hill.
We also spotted Tarokoโs famous monkeys as we first drove in (who seemed rather nonplussed) – so cool to have such nature and wildlife on your doorstep – donโt worry, the monkeys keep themselves amused away from the hotel but best not to leave any food out on your balcony.
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Check-in and activities
At check-in, we were given warm ginger tea and our bags were taken to our room.
Silks Place Taroko offers a wide variety of workshops and activities every daily, starting with yoga every morning at 8am (and moonlight yoga at 9pm), childrenโs activities, aroma wellness and a variety of craft classes and wilderness walks and workshops.
You can see the full Silks Place Taroko activity list here which changes regularly.
At check-in, we were given an overview of the hotel plus informed of the daily โsocial hourโ at 4.30pm to 5.30pm in the downstairs lobby.
Hotel guests can enjoy free wine, soft drinks and snacks plus try a wee dram of Wildmoor whisky. We thought this was a warm and welcoming touch and it was nice to see fellow guests chatting and having a relaxing time with wine and nibbles.
In your room, there is also a laminated map with all the trails which comes in useful if you want to explore the local area.
We explored just before sunset and walked to the nearby Xiangde Temple just across the bridge, as well as the local Catholic Church and Wen Tianxiang Park.
Note that at the time of our stay in February 2026, most Taroko trails are still closed so whilst you can explore the local area freely, you can only do small hikes nearby; this will change as the park starts to reopen.
Each night, there is also an outdoor cinema that takes place underneath the stars on the rooftop – guests can lie on pool loungers with blankets enjoying complimentary tea and watching films on the big screen.
We watched โSupermanโ whilst cosying up on a double lounger with the gorge as a magnificent back-drop. Movies change each night.
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Our room
Silks Place Taroko has 160 rooms and we were fortunate enough to be staying in a Double Room with Gorge View with a king size bed (click here to book on booking.com).
Even though the hotel has been around for a while, our room felt modern and immaculate as do all the facilities here.
Our 40 square meter room was a good size with ample storage, plug sockets, pod coffee machine, complimentary soft drink mini bar and several snacks in a cute basket.
The Wi-Fi was strong and the bathroom had a separate shower / bath area with a dressing table and large mirror in the middle and a toilet cubicle.
Best of all, our room had a small balcony terrace that looked out directly over Taroko Gorge and the nearby Xiangde Temple; this was a โpinch me, Iโm dreaming momentโ – a great place to enjoy your coffee or snacks whilst looking out over the water.
After weโd unpacked, we grabbed our in-room bathrobes and slippers and headed straight up the rooftop.
Silks Place Taroko rooftop area / other facilities
This is likely the area where we spent most of our stay, be it swimming in the day-time or enjoying hot tub / jacuzzis (49ยฐC – nice) and the outdoor cinema at night.
There are ample sun loungers here and as well as a huge centerpiece pool (unheated), several side pools and relaxation areas are at your disposal.
Honestly, until you see the setting with your own eyes, our photos wonโt really do it justice – just take our word that you will be blown away by the panoramic views, especially if you are sitting in the hot tub at the same time.
At night, there are several fire-pits lit up and on a clear evening, you can see all the stars light up – there is next to no light pollution (and the gorge itself is lit up until around 10pm).
There is a small bar serving cocktails, craft beers and hot drinks.
Other sporting and fitness facilities (which we didnโt make use of) include a fully equipped gym with amazing views, an indoor heated pool with lots of loungers, a yoga studio and a tennis court.
There is also a huge children’s activity area which we didn’t get a chance to check out, but a member of our Taiwan Travel Tips (TTT) Facebook group said that the facilities are excellent with a climbing wall, small cars you can ride in, table tennis and a small pool with rubber ducks!
A common question in our Taiwan Travel Tips Facebook group is asking for hotels that have washing machines – so we are pleased to say there are self-serve laundry facilities too if you want to wash your clothes whilst you are here.
Food and drink at Silks Place Taroko
There are several restaurants and dining options at Silks Place Taroko – and note given the remote location, there is nothing else to eat around here so make full use of their restaurants (you can bring snacks and drinks if you like from Hualien if you want something in particular).
We had dinner and breakfast served at the Wellesley Buffet Restaurant – there was so much choice with several hot food stations, plus salad bar and a team of chefs to help serve you.
Our evening dinner at Wellesley Buffet Restaurant was wonderful with a small carvery (beef and pork), lots of salad, cold meats and cheeses plus a huge array of local and western style dishes including noodles, dumplings, fish, seafood and a substantial vegetarian and vegan section.
Desserts were plenty too and there was a fridge stocked full of included soft drinks next to the coffee machines – alcoholic drinks are available (charged separately).
We returned in the morning for breakfast and it was equally good with lots of choice including an egg / omelette station, lots of boujee bread products and loads of traditional trappings as well as favourites like bacon, sausage, salmon and eggs.
Other onsite restaurants and eating establishments at Silks Place Taroko are:
Lan Yu – a la carte dining consisting of noodles, sandwiches and other hearty bites. Halal options are available.
Retreat Lounge – offered to Retreat Guests serving breakfast, drinks and snacks throughout the day with a great view of Taroko Gorge.
Snacks and beverages are also available from the small onsite shop.
Summary / Silks Place Taroko review
A truly unique Taiwan hotel set in a beautiful location, Silks Place Taroko is a memorable stay, from the gorge-ous views balcony views to resplendent rooftop pool and hot tubs overlooking the valley.
A way to get close to the parkโs nature and scenery whilst still having a luxurious stay, here you can totally relax or combine with it nature hikes and onsite classes and activities.
We also think staying a night or two at Silks Place Taroko is an easy way to see the magic of Taroko National Park, by making use of the free shuttle buses they offer guests.
So head on over to Hualien from Taipei, escape the city and combine the best of Taiwanese hospitality with one of Taiwanโs most beautiful national parks.
Check out Silks Place Taroko rates and availability on the following booking websites:
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