NANTOU COUNTY, Taiwan – The Lalu hotel has a reputation in Taiwan.

Mention the luxury property to the Taiwanese and they give the same response: “Oh, that’s the place everyone must stay in, at least once in their lifetime.” 

I understand why as soon as the car pulls up to its entrance. 

The property itself is stunning, designed with clean lines, airy spaces and Zen minimalism by the late Australian architect Kerry Hill. 

But the place is all the more remarkable because of its prized hilltop location overlooking Sun Moon Lake.

Hill made the most of the vast, mirror-like body of water in central Taiwan when he designed the hotel in 2002.

The lake views are pervasive. It is almost impossible to forget where you are, no matter where you turn in the property, which comprises three interconnecting buildings built of teak, steel, stone and glass.

Nearly all the 96 guest rooms face the lake directly. The rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows and a massive balcony furnished with a daybed, perfect for lounging while soaking in the view.

I have packed a novel but barely get any reading done during my one-night stay, so entranced I am by the serene beauty of the place.

Downstairs, I take a dip in the infinity pool, where the water appears to overflow into the lake and extend into the verdant mountains in the distance. 

Similarly, the hotel’s outdoor tea house – where I indulge in an afternoon tea set of intricate dim sum bites – is designed for guests to focus entirely on the lake scenery.  

Sun Moon Lake is certainly a dreamy sight. Its tranquillity remains constant, but depending on the time of day, the atmosphere feels completely different. 

Under the hot afternoon sun, the light bounces off the blue-green lake, glittering like tiny jewels. At night, the lake is mysterious and nearly pitch-black, save for the handful of lightbulbs from passing boats. 

In the early morning, if you wake up in time to catch the sunrise, the lake is bathed in a cloudy mist. It is an ethereal scene straight out of a Chinese landscape painting. 

The hotel takes its name from the tiny island that separates the lake into two parts. One is shaped like a crescent moon and the other is round like the sun – thus, Sun Moon Lake.

But I find that the Lalu name is associated with much more. 

A previous version of the building, also called The Lalu, served as the private resort of the late Taiwanese president Chiang Kai-shek. He also used it as an official venue to entertain foreign dignitaries in the 1950s and 1960s. 

However, much of the old cypress villa was destroyed in 1999 when the county was struck by an earthquake. Taiwanese land developer Shining Group rebuilt the resort in the same spot, in its current modern form.

Still, there are nods to Mr Chiang everywhere in and around the hotel. Never mind that he was a controversial figure, having ruled Taiwan with an iron fist until his death in 1975.

He remains a symbol of paternalistic leadership to those who view him as a strong general who fought the communists, despite losing in the Chinese Civil War which led to the retreat of his troops to Taiwan in 1949. 

A small wooden hut – the only remaining portion of Mr Chiang’s old dwelling – sits beside the hotel entrance and now houses an exhibition featuring his time spent around the lake.

I examine the fading photographs and the relics on display, which include an office desk that his family once used.

I also take a quick stroll behind the hotel to the Chiang Kai-shek Pier, which is lined with bright orange lanterns. I am told the wooden pier was where the former leader would take a canoe out to catch the sunrise.

Later, during dinner at the hotel’s Lakeview Chinese Restaurant, I sample the “President’s Fish”, a plate of steamed aruzay fish, a species found exclusively in Sun Moon Lake. 

It was one of Mr Chiang’s favourite dishes because of the fish’s tender and plump flesh. As much as I relish how fresh the catch is, I get a bit lazy after picking out many tiny bones.

So I have more helpings of the restaurant’s other signature dishes instead. 

The dongpo rou, or braised pork belly, is so tender that the meat falls apart when I cut it with just a spoon. Instead of the usual steamed buns, the dish is served with toasted sesame buns, a nice chewy contrast to the pillowy fat of the meat.

My favourite dish is the flaky pastry shaped like a cute little handbag. Filled with chopped cashews, it is sweet and savoury but also surprisingly light, and is the perfect end to a rich meal. 

Feeling sleepy, I head back to my room afterwards for an early night.

Now that the sun has completely set, I am struck by how different the hotel looks from just 1½ hours ago before I stepped into the restaurant. 

The staff have lit candles along the hotel’s main corridors and the flames look romantic set against the dark grey tones of the walls.

I climb into bed and fall into deep slumber, lulled by the peaceful stillness of the lake.

The Lalu, Sun Moon Lake

Where: No. 142 Zhongxing Road, Yuchi Township, Nantou County, 555009
Rooms: 96, from 83 sq m to a 700 sq m villa
Rates: From NT$17,600 (S$770) before service fees for a room overlooking the lake.
Info: www.thelalu.com.tw

Getting there

There are multiple public transport options to Sun Moon Lake from the Taiwanese capital of Taipei. A long-distance coach from Taipei Main Station will take about four hours and costs NT$460. 

You can also take a high-speed train from Taipei to Taichung (NT$700) before transferring to a bus to Sun Moon Lake (NT$166). The journey is around three hours in total.

After reaching Sun Moon Lake, guests can call the hotel for a complimentary car pick-up from the bus station, or take a 15-minute walk there. 

• Suite Life is a series on destination hotels and their locales.
• The writer was hosted by The Lalu, Sun Moon Lake.

This article has been edited for accuracy.