Taipei Travel Guide

Finding a pillow on which to rest your weary head is easy in Taipei. There are numerous hotels of every class spread throughout city--simply walk down any major road and you are bound to stumble across a hotel almost immediately. If you seek ultimate comfort and impeccable service, you can choose from several luxurious five-star accommodations complete with plush rooms. On the other end of the spectrum are Taipei's numerous hostels where you might find yourself pounding your pillow to get rid of the lumps. Between the two extremes are hundreds of moderately priced, business-class hotels that offer a decent night's rest and a modicum of service. In addition, Taipei has numerous pay-by-the-hour hotels and motels that offer attractive and comfortable rooms for travelers who may choose to stay the whole night.

Luxury hotels In this category you will probably recognize the names of several international hotel chains, as well a few independent or regional chains. Generally, most guests will be pleased with the impeccably decorated rooms that come with all the usual amenities. These hotels all have well-staffed business centers, swimming pools, modern exercise facilities, and several international-class restaurants offering both Chinese and Western fare. Several of the five-star hotels also have boutiques selling famous brand-name goods and fashions. As expected, almost all of the staff speak English, and many are able to speak Japanese and other languages as well. Assistance is offered cheerfully without the expectation of receiving a gratuity- although you can certainly offer one. No one area of Taipei has a monopoly on luxury hotels, so you may want to choose your hotel based on your meeting site, or proximity to entertainment or shopping areas, or access to public transportation and/or the domestic airport. Lastly, if you like the convenience and comfort of luxury hotels but your budget does not cover the listed rates, be aware that most of these hotels often have ongoing promotions at surprisingly low rates. In the luxury category, try the Grand Hyatt Taipei, or the Sherwood .

Expensive The hotels in this price range usually offer good service and many of the amenities found in luxury hotels. If you want a comfortable and pleasant room, but think you can do without a marble bathtub, this class of hotel may be for you. Most business travelers will find everything they need at hotels in the Expensive category. These include: conference rooms, internet-accessible telephone lines, and restaurants/cafes that offer a wide variety of excellent food. The staff often speaks several languages and can take care of most of your business and travel needs. In fact, some of the hotels in this category offer quite luxurious accommodations, but are able to offer guests a bit of a price break because they might be older (i.e., built years ago when construction costs and land were cheaper). With the amount you save, you will be able to buy a few more souvenirs to take home to your family and friends. Try the Brother Hotel or Hotel Royal Taipei.

Moderate In this price range, you will find modest rooms and facilities catering to locals or travelers on a budget. The local guests are usually from outside of Taipei looking for a clean, comfortable place to sleep while in town. Although not usually the nicest, they offer a bit more security and bare minimum service (taking messages and providing VERY basic business services). More often than not, these hotels offer a continental or buffet breakfast that is included in the cost of the room. As most of the guests might be Chinese or Asian, you can count on seeing Chinese-style breakfast foods such as congee with pickled vegetables alongside the Corn Flakes. If you are booking your room directly with the hotel, make sure to do so in advance as these hotels often rely more on tour-group bookings than on individual bookings. If all you need is a clean room, a telephone, a television, and a little friendly assistance now and then, the Moderate category hotels offer great value. Try the Leofoo or Golden China Hotel.

Inexpensive Surprisingly, many of the hotel rooms in this category are considerably nicer than the rooms in the moderate category. Many of these hotels "rent-by-the-hour", as well as by the night, and cater mainly to clients seeking quiet and discrete privacy on a short-term basis. Many could be called "Love Hotels", after the Japanese phenomenon, although they are not as outrageous as their Japanese counterparts. Rooms are pleasantly decorated look newer and cleaner than rooms in the moderate category. You will find many hotels have rooms with Jacuzzis (for an extra charge) or at least a large bath, and many of them also have at least one Japanese-style room complete with tatami mats. The trade-off is that there usually is not much in the way of service, so do not expect a porter to carry your bags or a receptionist to take messages for you. Most people would also advise against leaving valuables in your room unattended. If you are traveling light, do not have many security concerns, and would love to come back to a comfortable bed and large bathtub, these local-style hotels probably offer the best price to someone on a tight budget who does not want to stay in a room that looks low-budget! Try the 128937.

Last but not least, there are also quite a few hostels that offer a bed for a minimal price. For the adventurous student living out of his/her backpack, the quality of these multiple-occupancy dorm-style rooms might depend heavily on how good the company is at the particular time of stay! At less than USD15 a night, hostels are the cheapest accommodation available in Taipei. If you are lucky, you might find out that your roommates are experienced travelers with loads of travel tips and stories to share. Facilities are usually quite poor, so the most enjoyment will come from meeting new acquaintances.2008-08-02T07:29:22.000 189