After spending a night in Chin Shan Hotel (青山別館) at the bustling town centre of the Alishan, we made our way to the laid back Alishan 53.1 Homestay at Anding (鞍頂) to stay 1 night. The 53.1 Homestay (53.1 民宿) is a small, cozy home accommodation with only three guest rooms. Although this modest home is situated in the mountainous area, it has a remarkable contemporary design both in the interior and exterior. The unique feature of the 53.1 Homestay is they chose to use full height glass panels as their wall and window, this allows the beauty of the surrounding nature to be brought into the home while keeping the ever changing weather immovably outside.
Room With A View
We stayed in the 53.2 Double Room. The spacious room and the full height glass window wall were true to the images shown in the 53.1 Homestay's website. The room features a very comfortable king size bed and a sofa bed which is very ideal for hanging out a lazy afternoon. The other room facilities are television with cable, closet hairdryer, bathroom accessories, rain shower with toilet, bath and hair shampoo, bottled water, instant tea and coffee. The cons are the room doesn't have any soundproofing, and it can be quite noisy if there is a big group of hikers gathered at the pavilion right beside the house. No matter what, we still love our room a lot because we really enjoyed looking out of the panoramic window and stared at the scenery out there. On the ground floor, there is a common living room with a shelf of books, a dining room and a lovely garden with a mountain view.
Excellent Service
Their service was excellent. The owner was very friendly and extremely helpful; providing us all the information like what to do, where to eat and how to get to places and etc. I was really impressed by how thoughtful and caring the owner was when he saw K.K. slightly sprained her ankle while walking down the steps, he immediately rushed to get some ointment and applied for her. Other than that, they also provide breakfast for all the guests. The breakfast was healthy cooked and delectable; the vegetables and fruits were very crisp and fresh, and our favourite egg drop soup was very tasteful. (They can also cater for different dietary needs, you just have to ask them.)
Great Location
The 53.1 Homestay is located on the route to many beautiful places in the Alishan National Scenic Area; on top of that, there is a bus stop (Anding . 鞍頂) right outside the Homestay which you can use to travel around the Alishan conveniently.
These are the places of interest that you can easily reach when you stay at the 53.1 Homestay:
1. Eryanping Hiking Trail (二延平步道)
The hiking trail is right beside the 53.1 Homestay. Click here for Map
2. Tea Plantation
The Tea Plantation is right beside the 53.1 Homestay. Click here for Map
3. Xiding Observation Deck (隙頂觀景台)
The Xiding Observation Deck for the sunrise is just 5mins walk away. Click here for Map
4. Xiding Eryanping Hiking Trail Viewpoint (隙頂二延平步道觀雲平台)
The Xiding Eryanping Hiking Trail Viewpoint for the sunset and sea of clouds is around 45mins hike away. Click here for Map
5. Night View of Chiayi City Observation Platform
The Observation Platform is right beside the 53.1 Homestay. Click here for Map
6. Fenqihu (奮起湖)
The Fenqihu which is famous for the old street, train station and railway lunch box is around 30mins driving distance away. Click here for Map
7. Alishan (阿里山)
The Alishan which is famous for the sunrise, forest and the scenic railway is around 60mins driving distance away. Click here for Map
Where To Eat
The only drawback is the location doesn't have much choice for food, and your best bet should be the Old Times Taste Restaurant (古早味餐廳) which is around 5mins walk away. Surprisingly, this family run restaurant serves delicious home cooked dishes and the taste was really authentic. Click here for Map
We love how the 53.1 Homestay has a very clean, calm and conducive living environment in a great location where you can keep a distance away from the tourist crowds in Alishan. Also, their services are exceptionally good, and not forgetting the room with a superb view. The overall standard of the 53.1 Homestay was excellent, we will certainly be staying here again. Our plan is to come back again during winter to watch the sea of clouds!
<< Alishan 53.1 Homestay . 阿里山53.1民宿 >>
Address: No 78-6, Siding, Fanlu Township, Chiayi County, Taiwan
Mobile: +886-937350191
Tel: +886-5-2586263
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- The Alishan Forest Railway
- 4 Must-Eat Food in Fenqihu
Written by: Q.J.
Photography by: Q.J. & K.K.