Silks Place Taroko is one of Taiwan’s most iconic hotels. The flagship property of the Silks chain is located amidst the breathtakingly gorgeous scenery of Taroko Gorge in Hualien.
I’ve wanted to stay at Silks Place Taroko for ages, so on our recent family trip back to Taiwan, where my kids were born and raised, we finally made it happen.
This isn’t just a review of our family’s stay. I’ll also cover the current state of Taroko Gorge, how to get there after the 2024 earthquake, how long to stay, which facilities to prioritize, and whether Silks Place Taroko is worth the price.
While my family was kindly hosted by Silks Place Taroko, all my opinions below are honest.
Quick Verdict
- Who It’s Best For: families, couples, nature lovers, travelers looking for a splurge
- Biggest Pros: spectacular natural setting, rooftop pool with a view, wide range of facilities and activities
- Biggest Cons: price tag, no public transportation
- My Top Tip: Consider booking two nights to make full use of the resort’s amenities and activities
Why Stay at Silks Place Taroko?
Silks Place Taroko is a once-in-a-lifetime resort experience – it had long been on my bucket list. Staying there can enhance your visit to one of Taiwan’s top attractions.
Beyond its spectacular location in Tianxiang village at the top of Taroko Gorge, there is some interesting history behind Silks Place Taroko.
The resort sits in the homeland of the Truku (Taroko) people. It first opened in 1961 as Tianxiang Lodge, a government guesthouse for presidents and visiting dignitaries.
In 1991, FIH Regent Group (now Silks Hotel Group) redeveloped the site into the Grand Formosa Taroko.
In 2009, the property was extensively remodeled and reopened as Silks Place Taroko, embodying the brand’s “Silk Road” concept of travel, discovery, and connection to a destination.
The resort embraces its natural surroundings, framing the landscapes around it, with many open air and rooftop facilities. We felt like we were staying in a serene mountain resort.
Besides the views themselves, the resort offers many activities and outings which allow guests to experience the local surroundings more intimately, including yoga classes overlooking the gorge, garden tours, DIY activities, and mini tours in the gorge. I’ll introduce each of these in more detail below.
Is Silks Place Taroko Worth the Money?
Silks Place Taroko is not cheap (check prices on official site / Booking / Agoda / Trip.com).
Room prices are around twice as much as those at the newer Silks Tainan (see on Booking / Agoda / Trip.com), which we have also stayed at but on our own dime, though they have a roughly similar level of luxury.
In essence, at Silks Place Taroko you are paying more for the gorgeous setting, outstanding facilities, and impressive range of activities on offer.
Unlike a typical luxury hotel where the room is the main attraction, here you’re paying for an entire resort experience.
Would I have paid that much for a room if we weren’t hosted by the resort? For what I consider to be an essential accommodation experience in Taiwan, absolutely. And we even stayed at another Silks Property a week later, without being hosted.
But, in order to keep costs reasonable, at Silks Place Taroko I *might* have gone for a more budget-friendly courtyard-facing room instead of the pricier gorge-view room they put us in.
You could also reduce costs by skipping the buffet dinner add-on, but then you’d need to bring or find your own food, and local options are limited and close early.
If you end up deciding that Silks Place Taroko is beyond your budget, it’s worth noting that Tianxiang Youth Activity Center (see on Booking / Agoda / Trip.com) is currently the only other hotel open in Tianxiang and Taroko Gorge. While it may sound like a hostel, it’s a hotel with private rooms, just much more basic than Silks.
Is Taroko Gorge Open Enough to Stay Here Now?
Ever since the 2024 Hualien Earthquake devastated the region, parts of Taroko Gorge have been closed and many travelers have been skipping it. It is still going to take years for the gorge to fully recover, so if you’re waiting for that, you’re going to be waiting a long time.
However, I still strongly feel the gorge is worth visiting. Just driving through the gorge to reach the hotel is an experience you won’t forget.
Tianxiang village, where Silks Place Taroko is located, is outside of the reconstruction area and actually has the most opened attractions. I’ll introduce each of these below.
The region around Taroko Gorge also has many natural attractions which are still open and typically included on gorge tours, including the Qingshui Cliffs (where we went paddle boarding after out stay) and Qixingtan Beach.
You can dive deeper into Taroko Gorge’s opening situation, including exactly which attractions are currently open or closed, in my Taroko Gorge opening guide.
Should You Stay One Night or Two?
We only stayed at Silks Place Taroko for one night, and I have to admit that our stay felt rushed. Even though we checked in right at 3 PM, we barely sat still for the duration of our stay.
Many of the facilities and activities are open or take place at certain times, so I had a packed “itinerary” for our stay.
Our schedule included a DIY activity which we had booked in advance, catching the rooftop and indoor pools at their different opening times, a Social Hour with free drinks and snacks, our dinner time slot (also had to be booked), and movie time at the rooftop cinema.
The next day, we also had a yoga class and breakfast before check out.
On top of that, we also wanted to explore the attractions in Tianxiang outside the hotel, so we had to squeeze those in before we checked in and after we checked out.
In the end, we didn’t manage use of all the facilities we had wanted to at the resort, and there were several other activities and outings we would have liked to try.
Therefore, if your budget allows, I recommend staying two nights.
This would make your stay much less rushed and you’d have more time to enjoy the resort’s facilities and also just relax, which we didn’t do much of on our one-night stay.
Should You Also Do a Gorge Tour?
Since seeing Taroko Gorge itself is a priority for most visitors, you may be wondering whether you should also book a Taroko Gorge tour.
If you’re staying at Silks Place Taroko, this can be awkward, since the resort is at the top of the gorge, but tours typically start and end in Hualien City.
My recommendation is that if you are driving or hiring a private driver to get to Silks Place Taroko, then you probably don’t need to join a Taroko Gorge tour.
Just driving to and from the resort, you will essentially see everything that you would on a tour, and you can stop at all the same little photos stops that the tour would.
If you are taking the hotel’s shuttle from Hualien, you will still drive up and then back down the gorge and see most of it. But the downside is that you won’t be able to make any stops for taking photos. If this is important for you, then you may still want to book a tour.
If you do decide to take a tour in Taroko Gorge, my most recommended operator is IslandLife Taiwan.
Another thing you’d be missing if you don’t take an organized Taroko Gorge tour is that these tours usually include a few stops outside the gorge, such as the Qingshui Cliffs and Qixingtan Beach.
Taking a tour also means you won’t have to try to drive or figure out all the places where it’s safe to stop in the gorge on your own.
If you took a Taroko Gorge tour one day, then went to stay at Silks Place Taroko the next day, you’d essentially be driving up and down the gorge twice. I would only recommend doing this if you aren’t able to drive to the resort and make those small photo stops yourself.
Note that Silks Place Taroko also offers some daily outings. But these are not tours to the classic sights in the gorge. Rather, they include a short hike and a visit to a local school.
Getting to the Resort
Getting to Silks Place Taroko involves driving up Taroko Gorge, so it is part of the adventure or experience of staying at this resort.
However, since the 2024 Hualien Earthquake, going up the gorge has been more complicated.
Public Transportation
In the past, you could take a bus from Hualien Railway Station or Xincheng Railway Station (Taroko Gorge Station) to Tianxiang village and Silks Place Taroko.
However, this bus has not been running since the earthquake, so there is currently no public transportation to Silks Place Taroko.
Hotel Shuttle
Silks Place Taroko offers a shuttle bus from Hualien Airport or Hualien Railway Station to the resort and back for TWD 250 per person.
The shuttle bus has limited times because the road through Taroko Gorge is currently only open five times per day.
Therefore, you should inquire with the hotel about the shuttle bus times before you book your train tickets to and from Hualien. After we made our booking, the hotel contacted us to provide information about the shuttle and other things to know.
The drive takes about one hour. You will be driving through the entire length of Taroko Gorge, so the scenery along the way is stunning.
By Car
If you plan to rent a car and drive to Silks Place Taroko, start by reading my guide to renting a car and driving in Taiwan.
You may start your car rental in Taipei if you plan to make stops on the way to Hualien, such as the many attractions in Yilan.
However, if you want to avoid driving in Taipei City, or if you just want to get to Hualien faster, then take an express train to Hualien (see my train ticket booking guide) and start your car rental from there.
Start by driving to Taroko Visitor’s Center (here), where you can learn all about the gorge.
At a tunnel entrance just past the visitor’s center, you can only drive into Taroko Gorge five times per day (7-8 AM, 10-10:05 AM, 12-1 PM, 3:00-3:05 PM, and 5-5:30 PM).
For the longer opening times, you just have to enter anytime during that time slot. For the short (5 minute) ones, you have to be in the line of cars and ready to drive through as soon as they open it.
Once you enter, there’s no real time limit to reach the top exit point (here). It takes about 30 minutes to drive through the controlled area if you don’t stop. If you pull over a few times to take photos, you can expect to spend about 45-60 minutes driving through.
Once you reach the exit point (Lushui area and past it), there are no traffic restrictions. There’s a large parking lot here in Tianxiang village, which is for regular visitors and hotel guests.
Driving out, the same road opening times apply.
If you’d like to continue driving up the Central Cross Island Highway (Highway 8) to Hehuanshan or Cingjing Farm, expect a couple hours’ drive on a very winding road, with more possible traffic delays (read about them here – the information is updated monthly).
Note that there’s only one hotel at Hehuanshan (Songsyue Lodge), but you shouldn’t stay there if coming from Taroko Gorge.
Because of the high elevation, you could get altitude sickness. Instead, continue on to Cingjing Farm, stay in one of the many guesthouses there, and then visit Hehuanshan the next day from there after you’ve acclimatized.
If you plan to drive even further, such as Taichung or Sun Moon Lake, in the same day, then expect a long day of tiring driving on very winding roads.
By Private Car
If the above sounds too complicated for you, then just hire a private driver. I recommend Tripool. To sign up for the app, click my Tripool link or enter my referral code Nick2026 on the sign up page to receive an email with discount vouchers.
Tripool offers point-to-point-fares or an hourly rate if you want to make stops in the gorge (which you probably do).
You can also contact any of my recommended private drivers in Taiwan. They can help recommend where to stop in the gorge so you don’t have to figure it out.
By Scooter
It’s also possible to ride a scooter to Silks Place Taroko, and that’s how we got there, but this is the most difficult option.
First, read my guide to renting a scooter in Taiwan, which covers the license requirements. If you’ve never ridden a scooter before, I don’t recommend starting here, as the road in the gorge is often narrow with steep cliffs on the sides.
You can rent a scooter at Hualien or Xincheng stations.
On the plus side, going by scooter allows you to stop more easily in the gorge to take photos. We made several quick photo stops at the side of the road which would have been impossible in a car.
What It’s Like to Stay at Silks Place Taroko
Here’s what our stay at Silks Place Taroko was like, from arriving in Tianxiang to checking out the next morning.
Traveling Up Taroko Gorge
My family caught a very early express train from our family’s home in New Taipei City to Xincheng Station, the train station one stop before Hualien and closest to Taroko Gorge.
After renting our scooters, we drove directly to the Taroko Gorge Entrance Arch (here) for some photos and then spent some time visiting Taroko Visitor’s Center, waiting for the 12:00 road opening.
Once the road opened, we waited for the initial line of cars to pass then we drove through. We made several quick stops on the drive up the gorge, which I will cover in more detail in a future guide.
We reached the parking lot at Silks Place Taroko around 1:30 (we are slower than average because I make a lot of photo stops). This gave us some time to explore Tianxiang before checking in.
Things to Do Around the Hotel Before Checking In
Tianxiang (天祥) is a small village and recreation area at the top of Taroko Gorge. Tours typically stop here before turning back.
Silks Taroko is located at the left side of my above image (partially blocked by trees).
The village has a few simple local eateries with items like grilled sausages flavored with maqaw (an Indigenous spice) and Indigenous bamboo tubes filled with sticky rice.
Tianxiang is also known for its ever-present troupe of macaques, who tend to be quite bold.
Be careful not to hold out leave any foods or small items in sight, as they will steal them from you – one brave guy stole a water bottle right from our scooter.
After parking the scooters, we walked to and crossed Pudu bridge (here) to do the short but steep climb up to Xiangde Temple (here).
This is one of the only, and I would say best, hikes currently open in Taroko Gorge. The bridge and hike also offer the best view of Silks Place Taroko.
On the way up to the temple, we had a vegetarian lunch made by a Buddhist nun here.
At the top, we explored the temple grounds, including several statues and pagodas. We then returned to the hotel to check in.
Checking-In
We checked in right at 3 o’clock so that we could make full use of all the facilities on site.
The ground level entrance leads into the second floor of the resort. We received luxury treatment from the moment of entering the hotel, from doormen opening the door for us to iced fruit water in the lobby.
The lobby itself is dimly lit and decorated with artworks made from natural materials. An oversized window lets light in and provides a view of the resort’s internal courtyard and mountains beyond.
There was no wait for check-in. The staff explained the hotel’s many features, locations, and opening times – since there are a lot, you may even want to research or think about how you plan to spend your time in advance.
You can also simply scan the QR code on their list of floors and facilities at the check-in counter to get a copy on your phone.
Our Gorge-View Room
Silks Place Taroko put us in a gorge-view room, which are a step up from those facing the internal courtyard. Our room was on the 2F, the same level as the lobby.
The room itself was elegant and comfortably spacious, with two large beds, cozy bench between them, the usual room amenities, and a large bathroom with shower, Japanese-style toilet, and bath tub.
The were some nice additional touches like my name on the TV screen, a handwritten welcome note, balloon animals for the kids, and some complimentary drinks and snacks.
But the real highlight of the room was the balcony and view. We were directly opposite a dramatic cliff face, with some of the features of Xiangde Temple visible at the top.
While we could hear the Liwu River below, unfortunately we couldn’t see it due to a row of trees – rooms in upper floors might be able to but I’m not sure.
Right when we went out to admire the view, a troupe of a dozen or so macaques walked by the stone fence right in front of us, some of them carrying babies – my kids dubbed it the “Great Migration”.
Afternoon Activities (DIY, Children’s Playcenter, Exercise)
After settling into our room, we didn’t have much time before our Coffee Scrub Soap DIY activity, which we had booked in advance for 4 PM.
The activity took place at B1, which is also the location of the hotel’s indoor pool area and multiple children’s playroom areas. My kids were very tempted by these but we had to do the activity first.
Our activity involved making little scented decorations out of coffee grinds and local tree bark. Of course my kids always enjoy hands-on activities like this.
Other activities which we never found time to enjoy include a plant tour in the garden, aroma wellness class, handcrafting workshop, and wilderness school tour which includes visiting a local school.
After you book your room, the hotel will provide information about the current activity schedule, and these are best booked in advance as they have limits.
Later at various points during our stay the kids finally got their time in the indoor playcenter, which had climbing features, toddler areas, themed play stalls, and games for older kids like ping pong.
We never found time for it, but the hotel also has a full gym and rooftop pickleball courts.
Social Hour
Every day from 4:30 to 5:30 PM, Silks Place Taroko offers a “Social Hour” in the 2F Lobby.
This included unlimited complimentary red and white wine, a refreshing fruity cocktail, non-alcoholic drinks, and Emily and I each got a voucher at check-in for one small glass of Wildmoor whiskey.
As a beer person, I would have liked to see beer as an option here, but that’s just me being picky.
For snacks, they had popcorn and a variety of salty and sweet snacks.
Given that we had been allotted a later dinner time of 7:30 PM, the snacks were crucial for our kids, and overall we felt the welcome drinks and snacks really eased us in to our stay at the resort.
Swimming Pools
The two swimming pool areas are one of the top features of this resort and a major highlight for us.
After the Social Hour, we made our way swiftly to the rooftop pool, since it takes a break from 7 to 8 PM. Somehow, we had the pool entirely to ourselves.
The rooftop and pool have the best view in the hotel. This is where you go for the most magnificent views of the gorge and best photo ops.
More than just a pool, the rooftop features several terraces with fireplaces and comfy seating, a large main pool with reclining chairs around it, several hot tubs of different temperatures, and a long-and-skinny relaxation pool.
The kids and I really enjoyed the many floatation devices on offer. The pool guard offered to take some family photos (see the header image of this article!) for us and seemed to know all the best angles.
Too focused on playing in the pool with the kids, I never made it into the adjacent pool bar.
We stuck around for a gorgeous sunset, then relocated to the indoor pool to try it out before dinner – since it’s only open from 1 to 9 PM, we felt this was our only chance.
The indoor pool is huge, with a quieter main pool, chairs and stone hot stone beds on the sides, huge hot tub, and steam rooms and the changing rooms.
But our kids naturally gravitated to the children’s pool filled with rubber duckies, which they spent quite some time tossing, collecting, and arranging. This seemed to be a big hit among all the kids, not just ours.
Dinner Buffet
While breakfast buffet is included with every room, you’ll need to upgrade to the resort package to also get a buffet dinner and then book your dinner time slot in advance.
If you don’t, you can also pay for it on site, but spaces may be limited to less ideal time slots.
While there is a small cafe on the ground floor of the hotel, and a small restaurant open only for lunch, there are no other restaurants on site for dinner.
If you don’t get dinner here, your only other option is to walk to the simple eateries in Tianxiang village, but these mostly close around 5 PM, so it’s not a super viable option, and I’d recommend just getting the buffet dinner.
The buffet is located on the first floor and includes an enormous spread of hot and cold dishes. I was happy to note that it leans more towards Asian and local dishes than Western ones – through there was still a decent mix.
There were grilled meats cut to order, salad station with charcuterie and smoked salmon, a whole table of vegetarian items, several soups, and various Chinese-style dishes.
The kids’ favorite was the noodle station, where they could choose their noodle type and ingredients.
Personally, I’m always interested in the hyper local offerings, so I especially loved the station of wild local greens, which you select then they boil for you.
I was also drawn to the more adventurous Indigenous foods on offer, like maqaw salted chicken, smoked pig’s ear with bitter tea oil, and pork belly with prickly ash.
For dessert, they had some especially photogenic desserts and Häagen-Dazs ice cream.
I didn’t note any liquor available, but also never asked.
Evening Activities (Fire Pits, Evening Cinema, Yoga)
After dinner, we were pretty exhausted from our long day of activities and traveling in summertime heat.
Only my daughter and I made it back to the rooftop to see the fireplaces at night and for an evening swim. My daughter made it her mission to rescue every butterfly that fell into the pool.
There was also a barbecue station on the rooftop, but we were stuffed from our late dinner. There’s also cocktail service from 8-9:30.
We also took a peek at the rooftop cinema, where Superman was playing, but we didn’t stick around for it. Movie time during our stay was 8:40-10:30 PM.
Last but not least, there’s an evening yoga class, but we were signed up to do that the next morning.
The view from our room balcony was especially beautiful at night, with the cliffs across the river all lit up.
Morning Yoga
One of the activities our family signed up for was the morning yoga session from 8 to 9 AM, which we did before breakfast.
The yoga room is on an upper floor, with large windows overlooking Taroko Gorge. The instructor was excellent and gave instructions in both Mandarin and English.
The yoga session ended up being my personal favorite part of our stay at Silks Place Taroko. For once, I was forced to stop moving, stop taking photos, breathe consciously, and just take it all in.
Note that the minimum age for yoga is 12. However, the hotel may make exceptions if you ask in advance, as they kindly did for our 10-year-old daughter.
Breakfast Buffet
The resort’s breakfast buffet is included with every room and located in the same 1F area as the dinner buffet.
We arrived with grumbling tummies after our morning yoga session and found an equally vast spread of foods, again spanning Asian and Western tastes.
There was a wide range of breads and pastries, fruits and vegetables, omelet station, and cooked dishes.
We had a particularly nice table position with large windows facing a fountain and greenery outside.
Checkout & More Exploring
Before checking out, we went for a final swim, which the kids decided was essential.
We then walked part of the easy Tabido Trail (here), which leads from behind Tianxiang parking lot to a small stone church buried in the forest. I wouldn’t call it a must, but it’s one of the few trails currently open in Taroko Gorge.
After that, we drove down to Lushui area and waited for the 12:00 Taroko Gorge road opening time slot and drove all the way back down the gorge.
In the afternoon, before heading back to Taipei, we went paddle boarding below the Qingshui Cliffs (see here on Klook), which was incredible.
The guide even took dozens of professional quality family photos for us.
Final Verdict
I’d wanted to stay at Silks Place Taroko for many years. My expectations were very high, but they were surely met.
The scenery and hotel grounds were gorgeous as expected, while the hotel is even more kid-friendly than I’d imagined.
More than anything, Silks Place Taroko felt like a destination in itself rather than simply a place to sleep while visiting Taroko Gorge.
My only wish is that we could have stayed a second night so that we could have enjoyed more of the hotel’s facilities and had a little down time, too. We’ll save that for our next visit!