Three Days in Hualien, Part 2 — Chateau de Chine Hotel

August 25, 2011 — Three Days in Hualien: Chateau de Chine Hotel

The morning sky in Hualien was such a beautiful blue, without the slightest trace of gray haze ^.^

Renovated exterior of Chateau de Chine Hotel in Hualien — The hotel after its exterior makeover and renaming.

Chateau de Chine Hotel used to be the Hualien Chinatrust Hotel. It was renamed after its exterior received a makeover. The colorful grid-patterned facade was its signature—you could spot those bright colors from far away.

Colorful grid-patterned facade of Chateau de Chine Hotel — A bright grid of colors covers the hotel facade.

Dining area or meal at Chateau de Chine Hotel in Hualien — Dining at the hotel saved us another trip into town with the kids.

The Chinese restaurant served tasty food at reasonable prices, and the European-style breakfast buffet had plenty to choose from. Since we had come by train with the kids and did not feel like heading back into town for the night market, we had dinner at the restaurant on the second floor ^.^

The room itself was fairly ordinary. It was clean and had everything we needed, but otherwise felt much like any standard hotel room.

When we got up that morning and reached the elevators, we stopped for a quick photo ^.^

Family posing for a photo near the hotel elevators — A quick morning photo by the hotel elevators.

After breakfast and a short rest, we took the two kids downstairs to splash around in the pool ^.^

Children playing in the downstairs pool at Chateau de Chine Hotel — After breakfast, the kids headed downstairs for some pool time.

Children splashing in the hotel swimming pool — Splashing around in the hotel pool.

Hotel pool in increasingly strong late-morning sunlight — By late morning, the sun over the pool was getting intense.

The Hualien sun became more brutal as noon approached. There was nowhere left to hide from it, so we finally got up and prepared to leave for the ocean park.

Come on, you don't have to look so unhappy about it ~.~'"

Child looking reluctant while getting ready to leave the pool — Not exactly thrilled about leaving the pool.

Belle had been hugging an adorable watermelon ball from the beginning and kept insisting that she wanted to take it home. After I firmly refused, she stayed there arguing with me for half an hour @.@'"