The Lalu, Taiwan review: A dictator's paradise

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This was published 15 years ago

The Lalu, Taiwan review: A dictator's paradise

Zen design ... warm wooden interiors welcome in the cool, misty lake environment.

Zen design ... warm wooden interiors welcome in the cool, misty lake environment.

Jo Hegerty finds a splendid Zen retreat steeped in intrigue.

At the point where the sun and the moon meet, the lines are blurred between land and water, heaven and earth, past and present. Taiwan's first president stood here not so long ago gazing at Taiwan's largest lake, drawing inspiration from the vast expanse of water - once two separate bodies - and yearning for a similar unification with his homeland, China.

Known as Generalissimo when he was up and "the man who lost China" when he was down, Chiang Kai-shek fled to Taiwan in 1949, displaced by Mao's communist party after three decades of rule. A dictator who couldn't see the trees for the forest, Chiang stubbornly remained president of the Republic of China until his death in 1975, ruling from his island stronghold 120 kilometres from the mainland.

Although his government was based in Taipei, Chiang spent a lot of time at Sun Moon Lake entertaining heads of state and plotting to take back China. Chiang's summer house is all but gone now, damaged by the 1999 earthquake that devastated the area, but one building remains on the site, now home to the magnificent Lalu Hotel.

Made from stone, wood, iron and glass, the Lalu seems to have evolved from the mountain itself. As I stand on the balcony at entry level gazing at a pagoda opposite, the mist has closed in and there's a cool breeze off the lake. Six levels of suites drop away beneath us, culminating in a 60-metre infinity pool. To the right, a traditional teahouse floats in a pond full of koi, startlingly orange in this environment of granite grey, evergreen and warm wood.

The Lalu is described as a six-star hotel, although who's handing out the stars isn't clear. Nonetheless, whether you judge a hotel on the comfort of the bed, the sound the door makes as it clicks shut or the attentiveness of the staff, the Lalu rates high on all counts.

The design is modern but traditional - adhering to Zen principles of simplicity, naturalness and "yugen", a shadowy darkness providing mystery and thoughtful silence.

The architect of this serenity is Australian Kerry Hill, who was approached by a developer wanting a replica of his Amanusa Resort in Bali. Hill refused, pointing out that Sun Moon Lake was not Bali and that the culture and scenery of the area must come into play. As a result, there are no demarcation lines between outside and in, no doors to open. The building runs east-west along a cliff with views of the lake from just about everywhere. Ponds and plants are built into the design, invited in from outside through open walkways and glass.

In the public areas of the hotel, guests are encouraged to sit, face south and reflect. When it comes to the private rooms, however, the emphasis is more on getting horizontal, be it in the bath or on a bed. My pool-level suite has daybeds inside and out with a stone bath dominating the bathroom. All rooms are one- or two-bedroom suites with private balconies and separate living areas. There are also two separate villas at street level with steam rooms and gas fireplaces.

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Dinner at the Lake View restaurant is a sophisticated take on the Chinese banquet as we are individually served clam soup with turnips, then melt-in-the-mouth fillet steak with abalone mushrooms. Prawn and fish dishes follow, then vermicelli noodles from nearby Puli served neatly in a small pumpkin. The meal is fresh, flavoursome and, despite our best efforts to stuff ourselves, light.

After a blissful night's sleep, I wake early to the sounds of birds, and of water gently falling. In the pool, I stick to breaststroke - freestyle seems out of place here - and spend most of my time hanging over the edge and staring at the fish in the pond below or the lake that appears to extend beyond the pool's perimeter. Above me, guests emerge, moving onto their balconies to gaze as the mist lifts.

I forgo the sun lounges and walk down the stairs, enclosed by high stone walls, to the lakeside path. This used to be called the Chiang Kai-shek Trail and is one of many walking tracks in the Sun Moon Lake area. The president loved to walk among the cypress and camphor trees. He and Mrs Chiang also liked to circle Lalu Island, directly in front of the hotel, or watch sunset from Chiang's wooden boat, which is now moored by the lake at the lantern-covered jetty.

After a fantastic hotel breakfast - the choice of a main dish varying from American breakfast with eggs, to catch of the day or even New Zealand steak, followed by the usual buffet fare - I venture out for a boat trip to the island, which is sacred to the indigenous inhabitants of the lake, the Thao people. Afterwards, we visit Ita Thao village to buy handicrafts and tea, and the temples hovering on the mountainsides. After all the bright colours of the temples, costumes and wooden boats, it's a relief to get back to the introspective colours of the Lalu.

Prone on a daybed, I think about Chiang and his blinding ambition to rule China. Although he never set foot on the mainland again, his body still waits in Taipei to be buried in Chinese soil. As I gaze over Sun Moon Lake from one of the most luxurious hotels in the world, I muse that the man who lost China clearly didn't see what he had gained in Taiwan.

The writer was a guest of Taiwan Tourism and China Airlines.

TRIP NOTES

Getting there

China Airlines flies from Sydney to Taipei up to four times a week, with fares from $1270 economy return plus $343 in taxes. Phone 9231 5588 or see chinaairlines.com. Sun Moon Lake is 31/2 hours' drive from Taoyuan International Airport, one-way private transfer in a Mercedes costs $TWD7000 ($309).

Staying there

The Lalu, 142 Jungshing Road, Yuchr Shiang, Nantou, Taiwan. Phone +886 49 285 5311 or see www.thelalu.com.tw. One-bedroom Lakeview suites cost $TWD15,500.

Further information

See taiwan.net.tw.

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