Volando Urai Spring Spa and Resort

Really thoughtful and complete resort experience. From the service to the food and the whole space design (like the interior, scent, and music), you can feel that everything is done with great taste and care. The stay includes afternoon tea, dinner, night meals, and breakfast. Even the snacks in the room were healthy and super tasty. Dinner especially was amazing—everything felt satisfying and nourishing, light on the body but full of flavor and joy. I also loved the public bath. Day and night have totally different vibes—both super calming in their own way. This time I also tried some sound healing sessions like the valley echo ritual, crystal bowls, and gongs. I visited the gallery inside the hotel too. I really liked how they naturally blend art and sound healing into the whole experience. All the staff were super friendly and warm. You can really feel they care about your experience. Totally recommend coming here with someone important and making special memories together.

The hot spring place is quite old. I like the rest area at the hot spring, it has a really nice view. I couldn't stop admiring it. When I first introduced to the hot spring, the old lady staff only told me about the slipper change and the locker. I wouldn't even know where exactly the shower place and what facility do they have. I don't even know it has rest area at the hot spring, I found out the next day when I come in the morning. It's my first time there, the staff should've introduce everything to us, not just teach us about changing slipper and the locker thingy 😅. It's quite dissapointing to me. The room is spacious and you have your own onzen bath in the room with the view. The staff is friendly and they prepare a tiny 🐻 doll for me which is sooo lovely gesture 🫶🏻. But the dinner is so so only. Maybe they could've consider to change all the dinner menu.

The negatives: - Food & beverage was definitely not Relais & Chateaux level. It was good, but not at the price point this hotel charges for room & board. I also got severe food poisoning from the restaurant (I am almost certain it was the food here as it was the only place I ate for 24 hours prior to getting violently ill and nearly having to cancel my flight home.) -Only one restaurant staff person spoke English. One night I was provided with a menu in English so I at least knew what I was eating, but the second night I had no menu, nobody to communicate with, and no idea what was on my plate for 7+ courses. -Hospitality/service was also not what I would have expected for this expensive of a property. I walked around confused half of the time not knowing how to access the spa or onsen areas, or why there was a random lady with a singing bowl outside of my room, etc. Some of that is language barrier (I don't speak any Chinese, so that's on me). I also asked about local activities and hikes and was provided with a basic map and that's all. If you plan to do any activities in the area, you need to research and figure that out fully before you come. The positives: -The view for the river facing rooms is really beautiful and peaceful. -The spa services I did (massage and facial) were really fantastic and the spa treatment rooms are lovely. And at least compared to the USA, treatments were very affordable. -The public onsen facilities were great and, at least on my weekday stay, never crowded. There was an outdoor pool, two cold plunge pools, steam sauna, dry sauna, and two indoor hot pools, including one with jets. -The female server in the breakfast restaurant (I am forgetting her name) is really friendly and helpful. And I appreciated the welcome from Kobe at the front desk. -Bed was very comfortable. -Getting here from Taipei city was really easy, and I appreciated having the shuttle bus option. I would not stay again but would consider a day visit just for the fantastic spa and hot springs.