The resort divides its public hot springs into men’s and women’s areas, as guests bathe in the nude. Each side has four outdoor and four indoor pools of varying temperatures and pH levels (temperatures range from 42.5°C to 39.1°C for the warm pool and 31°C for the cold pool; pH levels vary from 1 to 7).
There are several lounge areas, both indoor and outdoor, with complimentary Evian water and extra towels readily available. Bathers can replenish afterwards with a shower (either Japanese or Western-style) and an assortment of skin-care products from L’Occitane, also complimentary, in the grooming and changing room.
As for privacy, the service staff knew when to hit the notes. They seemed to be on hand when needed and out of sight otherwise. With just one other person at the public hot springs on my visit (just before noon on a Thursday), I felt like I had the entire place to myself. The resort also offers private hot springs rooms for 90 minutes for NT$2,000 on weekdays and NT$3,000 on weekends.
The resort takes its pampering seriously. Overnight guests are assigned a personal valet (they call them “butlers”), who handles everything from mundane chores to out-of-the way requests. They are encouraged to go to great lengths to please guests. A Villa 32 staff member offered an example: one staff member overheard a Japanese guest lamenting that he wanted to try the dumplings at Din Tai Feng (鼎泰豐) but didn’t have the time to make the trip to Taipei. The next day, the guest had a surprise meal delivered to his door — the valet had traveled into the city to bring back dumplings from the restaurant.
Villa 32 has received rave reviews from luxury travel magazines such as Conde Nast Traveler, which listed it as one of the world’s “hottest” hotels in 2006. Located just a 10-minute walk from Xinbeitou MRT Station (新北投捷運站), the resort makes the perfect getaway for Taipei residents who want to forget but don’t want to go far.
Next Saturday, the Taipei Times visits VVG BB+B, a boutique bed and breakfast in Taipei’s East District.
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