This hotel is apparently called both Farglory and Bellevista...even the website address includes "bellevista" but Farglory is the only name on the site. Whatever its name, it is a stunningly beautiful mountaintop hotel. The building is designed Victorian-style, laid out with long wings (so rooms can be quite far from the elevators). The rooms are richly appointed with heavy drapes, velvet chairs and fringed pillows; simultaneously cozy and fancy. The bathtub was lovely and deep, with the shower placed separately.

Farglory/Bellevista is a hotel complex, with a spa, gym, shops, and even a theme park (Ocean Park) just down the mountain. Admission to Ocean Park was free with reservations at the hotel, but at these prices (about $200 per night), that should be a given. There is a lovely outdoor pool and Jacuzzi, which we didn't get to use and weren't as inspired to without the hot springs. Still, if you want to swim during the daytime, the view would be spectacular.

The TV was very small, received few channels and the reception sucked anyway.

Instead, Chester and I visited the bar called Piazza Fun Bar. The Italian street décor was interesting—in a sad, Vegas sort of way—including high café-style tables, street tiles on the floor, fake street lamps, columns around the room with a painted backdrop giving the illusion of viewing an Italian beach holiday scene.

We re-learned in full force why people should never order mixed drinks outside of America and Western Europe, unless it's a local specialty or basically just liquor with soda/tonic. Chester's martini was mostly vermouth. My double margarita featured a weird sweetness that didn't seem to be part of the sour mix, but more like a shot of sugar water that hit the tongue independently of the other flavors. Astonishingly bad AND expensive—200NT for the martini, 250NT for the margarita plus tip meant $15 for drinks we were choking down.

We'd just missed the band, which was unfortunate...we'd seen them in the lobby earlier and were really curious what these young white guys were doing in Hualien. For all its embracing of the West and modernity, Taiwan is hardly touristy and Hualien even less so than Taipei. Considering how few people speak English and the rarity of English signage, I also simply wondered how they got around. Oh well.

Breakfast was disappointing—another buffet, but this time not even turnip cakes were included to save it. I mainly ate the special pork buns and these Hardee's-style hash browns...there was really nothing else appetizing. Surprising, considering the quality of the hotel in other aspects.

In parting, I'm including the "Piazza Fun Pub" description from the hotel guide:

"The night of gaudeamus and the ardent DJ turn the grace of the daylight into hot dance, cocktail and snack, you can expect the dawn of a whole new day in the excitement and the music. 4 VIP boxes of 10-22 guests are places of ebullience and warmth."

I think you get the deeper meaning.

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