Where is it? Villa 32 sits in the northern Taipei suburb of Beitou, in the leafy foothills that lead to the forests of Yangmingshan National Park. Beitou has been famous for its geothermal vents and hot springs since the island was in the hands of the Japanese (1894 to 1945). The villa, developed by financier Chiu Ming-hung, is about 100 metres up the hill from the recently restored Beitou Hot Springs Museum. It took four years to build at a cost of NT$600 million (HK$155 million) and was a private club before opening to the public.
What's so different about it? The villa is one of the most exclusive hotels in Taiwan, with just five rooms. The Azure, Jade and Crystal rooms are two-storey European-style suites while the Matsu and Sakura rooms are Japanese-style tatami suites. The 65,000 sq ft compound, two-thirds of it outdoors, is low-key and minimalist, featuring smooth white stone and wooden walkways.
What's the deal with the hot springs? Each suite has a private hot-spring bath and these are available to rent, for three hours at a time, if no one is in residence. You can dip into black granite tubs - easily big enough for two - in one of five private hot spring rooms. These are available for 90 minutes at a time. There are also two large single-sex Zen-style communal hot spring baths filled with the steaming cloudy volcanic waters.
What about the spa? The spa runs a range of services, including toxin-relief treatments, Chinese meridian therapies and packages for mums- and brides-to-be.
What's on the menu? The restaurant focuses on Italian fine dining, serving light snacks such as feathery smoked-salmon croissants and heartier options such as seafood fried rice and multi-course set meals. On offer is seared foie gras on creamy mashed potato with tangy raspberry sauce and Wagyu beef steak. The impressive cellar includes vintage champagnes and grand crus dating back to the 1920s.
What's the bottom line? The Japanese suites are NT$25,000 a night while the European rooms are NT$16,000 a pop. A 90-minute session in a private hot-spring room is NT$3,000 on weekends and NT$2,000 during the week. Entry to the communal baths is NT$2,000 on weekends or NT$1,500 on weekdays.