David SamStrong Villa

A tender dream stacked in layers upon the hillside

A gray building sits upon the hillside. The concrete walls of David SamStrong Villa maintain their original color and are coated with a monolithic finish, the building itself square-shaped, like a stack of toy building blocks. Suddenly, a burst of bright yellow enters your line of sight. As David, the host of this guesthouse, explains, that splash of color represents his frame of mind. Every day is a splendid vacation under such blue skies.

Originally employed as an engineer in a computer company, David has a resonant laugh and a soft heart. While performing his military service here in Taitung, David fell in love with the beautiful mountains and ocean vistas of the area. In order to give his elderly parents a place to retire and rest, he built a personal residence in the Taitung hills. At that time, now 10 years past, he spent his days tending the fruits, vegetables, and plants in his gardens. Three years ago, he began planning construction of a bed and breakfast, in the hopes of introducing even more people to the beauty of the simple life. Once built, he named this second building by combining his English (David) and Chinese (SamStrong) names. Thus, the jocular name David SamStrong Villa came into being.

Framing the various postures of sunlight

David limits admission to a single group of travelers at one time. In his villa, you can relax and live it up, and are guaranteed your favorite corner to lounge in. First floor accommodations consist of two double rooms which exhibit simple concrete-gray walls sprinkled with large splashes of yellow decor, yet are devoid of fancy furniture. Instead, large windowpanes allow the vastness of the Pacific Ocean to spill indoors. The semi- open design allows you to linger in the courtyard, strolling along the verdant garden paths. Alternately, you can sit in your doorway in a comfortable loveseat, savoring the sun-bathed hills in the distance. You can also stroll out behind the stairs, finding a wall fashioned with rectangular openings of different sizes through which the sunlight dances and plays in magical ways all day long.

Climbing the stairs to the second floor, you find a living room and a kitchen in the same simple, down-to-earth style. Gray walls accentuate the natural warmth of the wooden furniture. David’s own handmade dried fruit preserves sit to one side of the dining table for the enjoyment of his guests. Two lounge chairs, ideal for sunbathing and admiring the emerald green mountainside, await you on the balcony outside. Gazing towards the base of the mountain, sky and sea meet at the horizon in a poetic landscape where time seems to stand still.

Straightforward design highlighting spectacular views

The following morning, you are greeted by a table full of David’s handmade delicacies. Such things as eggs, salads, hibiscus tea, peanut butter and bread - all breakfast ingredients are organically grown and prepared by David and his mother. This distinctive, nourishing breakfast is made even more enjoyable by the blue backdrop of the Pacific Ocean beyond the windows.

Light and shadow play through every corner of the semi-open and dynamic design of David SamStrong Villa. 2 Wherever you go, you follow the tracks of sunshine and shade, whether standing or sitting or lying down. The green of the mountains and the blue of the ocean always seem easily within reach. How could a single day living in such luxury possibly be enough?