The Lalu, Sun Moon Lake. If a name can hold weight in our hearts, even if a single character costs 100 million, it's not too much to cherish. For centuries, those who entered The Lalu were emperors and generals. Strict control measures have always shrouded this famous building in a veil of mystery. If a name can hold weight in our hearts, even if a single character costs 100 million, it's not too much to cherish. For centuries, those who entered The Lalu were emperors and generals. Strict control measures have always shrouded this famous building in a veil of mystery. But how did the name The Lalu come about? Let's turn back time to the early 20th century, when the Japanese were actively developing hydroelectric power in Sun Moon Lake. A Japanese man named Ito built a wooden house on what is now the Hanbi Peninsula as a vacation retreat and named it "Hanbi Lou" (The Lalu) in 1901. In 1923, Japanese Crown Prince Hirohito visited Taiwan and designated The Lalu as his residence. It was expanded into a two-story building with eight additional guest rooms, including east and west wings, a restaurant, and conference rooms. From then on, The Lalu transformed from a wealthy family's vacation villa into an official guesthouse. In 1949, after the Nationalist government relocated to Taiwan, The Lalu became President Chiang Kai-shek's residence, used for vacations and hosting foreign heads of state visiting Taiwan. In 1998, Lai Cheng-yi, chairman of the Xianglin Group, received a phone call that filled him with excitement and doubt. For over thirty years, Chairman Lai had dreamed of building a world-class hotel on the shores of Sun Moon Lake, and the caller indicated that The Lalu was for sale. Of course, acquiring this legendary building was no easy feat, because...
Address: 南投縣魚池鄉水社村中興路142號
Hours: 00:00–23:59
Nantou