Published date: August 21, 2024
A Modern Hotel Experiencing Taiwanese Culture and Japanese Hospitality
Room Type Stayed
Some info has been automatically translated by AI.
Experience of the stay
Mitsui Garden Hotels' first overseas location, conceptually merging Taiwanese culture with Japanese hospitality.
The interior design is inspired by Taiwan's rich natural beauty, and the guest rooms beautifully incorporate elements of Taiwanese culture.
You can experience Japan's high-quality and attentive service and relax in a large public bath, which is rare in Taipei.
▼ Location
The hotel is within a 1-minute walk from the exit of Zhongxiao Xinsheng Metro Station, allowing for relatively dry movement even on rainy days (it is not directly connected to the station).
Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station connects two metro lines, particularly the Bannan Line, which is frequently used for tourism, making it very convenient to access various attractions.
It is just a 15-minute drive from Songshan Airport and 20 minutes by train, making it very accessible.
▼ Room
The room is adorned with Taiwanese textile foot throws and art, featuring a lovely design with green accents.
The provided tea bags are from Jingyu Sheng, and the design of the teapot and cup is also tasteful, allowing for a relaxing time enjoying tea while feeling the essence of Taiwan.
While the room is slightly smaller, the separated shower room and toilet are convenient to use, and all necessary amenities are provided without any waste.
The bed has outlets and USB ports on both sides.
The comfortable two-piece nightwear is a nice touch, and having a toilet with a washlet is a pleasant feature.
▼ Facilities
Notably, the hotel features a large public bath, which is rare in Taipei.
The cleanliness and the amenities provided are reminiscent of a well-maintained public bath in Japan, allowing for relaxation. Although there is a slight smell of chlorine, it ensures that proper disinfection is done, so I felt secure using it.
You can enjoy coffee and water in the lounge (fourth photo). There are also art pieces and books available, adding to a lovely selection.
While I did not use it this time, there is a casual restaurant within the hotel that was bustling with people.
▼ Service
The service was consistently polite, allowing me to feel the essence of Japanese hospitality.
Check-in was smooth, with no accounting errors common in overseas hotels, allowing for a pleasant stay.
The hygiene and cleanliness were impeccable, and the location was excellent, making it highly recommended for any use, whether for tourism or business.
Experiences during the trip
During my 6-night, 7-day trip to Taiwan, I went hotel hopping, staying 4 nights in Taipei (2 nights each in two different hotels) and 2 nights in Kaohsiung.
To alleviate the fatigue accumulated at the end of the trip, I had arranged to stay at Mitsui Garden Hotel Taipei Zhongxiao for the last 2 nights, where I could enjoy a large public bath.
During my stay, I took the train and the cable car to the tea houses at Maokong, known as the 'tea village', where I enjoyed Tieguanyin tea, and visited the National Palace Museum to closely examine treasures of Chinese emperors, such as the "meat-shaped stone." (Only works that allow photography are shown.)
It was also easy to access Taipei 101 by train, and it was fun to explore the shopping spots in the surrounding area.
I explored night markets and restaurants, using Uber to go to various places for meals.
With the hotel conveniently located between three major night markets—Ningxia Night Market, famous for oyster omelets, Shilin Night Market, known for its giant chicken steak larger than a face, and Raohe Street Night Market, renowned for its pepper buns—I could reach all of them within a 20-minute car ride.
There’s also an area filled with innovative restaurants just a 10-minute drive from the hotel. We made a reservation at a restaurant called MUME to celebrate my husband's birthday.
MUME has been ranked among Asia's best restaurants and holds a Michelin star, yet it offers fine dining at a relatively affordable price and maintains a casual and friendly atmosphere.
The menu features almost entirely Taiwanese ingredients, incorporating unique traditional seasonings and spices from Taiwan, providing delightful surprises in every dish.
Thanks to the hotel's great location, I was able to enjoy a wide variety of dining experiences, from night markets to fine dining, making it a very satisfying trip to Taiwan.