Ming Yue Hu Hotel
by the TopOfHotel team
Ming Yue Hu is the Ita Thao stay where every room has floor-to-ceiling glass and a panoramic lake view — and the highest guest score on the list, around 9.3.
Ming Yue Hu is the Ita Thao stay where every room has floor-to-ceiling glass and a panoramic lake view — and the highest guest score on the list, around 9.3.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Ming Yue Hu is a small boutique on the Ita Thao side of the lake, and it is the kind of place we were ready to put in the top tier the moment we saw the first photo of a room with its big glass wall facing the water. Rooms run about 30-40 sqm, and the defining feature is the same in each one: floor-to-ceiling glass looking straight out over the full sweep of the lake. Guests describe opening the curtains in the morning to a panoramic view roughly 180 degrees wide — mountains, water and ferries gliding past, all without getting out of bed. The bedding is good, the bathrooms are clean, and there is a coffee maker and local Assam black tea in the room.
Food and amenities
The standout amenity is in the rooms themselves: most room types come with an in-room hot tub set right beside the big window, so you can soak while the sun drops over the lake. Beyond that you have free Wi-Fi and the coffee-and-tea setup, but the real draw is what is a few steps outside the door. The Ita Thao shopping street and night market are right there, so you can walk out for smoked sausage, fried fish and bubble tea, then wander over to Xuanzang Temple on the same side of the lake in the evening.
Location and getting there
The hotel sits on the corner of the Ita Thao shopping street, next to the pier — the side where the indigenous Thao people have traditionally lived. It is just a few minutes from the Sun Moon Lake Cable Car station, which carries you up to the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village. To get here you take a 15-minute ferry across from Shuishe. That extra hop is the one catch of staying on this side, but it is barely a cost: anyone overnighting at the lake comes over to Ita Thao anyway to ride the cable car.
Things to know before booking
This is a small property, so the number of rooms is limited and they book out fast — reserve well ahead, especially in high season. You will also need to plan around the ferry: it is a short 15-minute ride from Shuishe, but it does mean an extra leg with your bags rather than stepping straight off a bus. Both of those are easy to work around if you know about them going in.
Our take
Ming Yue Hu is our pick for couples and honeymooners who want the best lake view of the trip, and it does it from a starting price near $86 a night. It earns the highest real guest score on this list, around 9.3 — higher than the average for any hotel at Sun Moon Lake — and we will happily spend the extra 15 minutes on the ferry for the morning when you pull the curtains and the whole lake is right there through the glass.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- A lakefront boutique on the Ita Thao side that pulls the highest guest score on this list, around 9.3 — higher than the average for any hotel at Sun Moon Lake.
- Every room is built around floor-to-ceiling glass facing the water, so you wake up to a panoramic stretch of lake, mountains and passing ferries without leaving the bed.
- Sits right on the corner of the Ita Thao shopping street and next to the pier, so the night-market sausages, fried fish and bubble tea are a few steps away.
- Just minutes from the Sun Moon Lake Cable Car station, which runs up to the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village.
- Most room types come with an in-room hot tub set beside the big window, so you can soak while the sun goes down over the lake.
- You have to take a short ferry over to the Ita Thao side — about 15 minutes from Shuishe — though it is a stop most visitors make anyway to ride the cable car.
- It is a small property, so the number of rooms is limited and they go fast.
- Rooms fill up quickly in high season, so book well ahead.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Sun Moon Lake
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Insider Tips
- Just sit in the room and take in the panoramic view through the floor-to-ceiling glass — that is the whole point of staying here.
- You are minutes from the cable car station, so it is an easy ride up for a wider view over the lake.
- Walk the Ita Thao shopping street and night market in the evening for smoked sausage, fried fish and bubble tea.