Sunrise Hotel

When my original accommodation in Chiayi suddenly stopped responding, Agoda booked me here. I hesitated at first because the exterior looked unwelcoming, and the hotel next door seemed more "tourist friendly," but it was freezing cold and I had nowhere else to go. The room turned out to be clean and spacious, though there wasn't really a view from the window. Each day of my stay came with breakfast discount coupons for a restaurant just across the building. It had everything I needed on my trip except a bidet. The hotel occupies two floors of a dilapidated building, with apartments and, if I assumed correctly, long-term tenants above. The woman at reception couldn't speak English, so I had to use all the basic Chinese I knew. She was nice, and we got past the language barrier with Google Translate. Older reviews mentioned soundproofing, but I've stayed in many hotels around Taiwan and, honestly, only the 4- and 5-star places have really delivered on that. Below that, I don't expect much. Maybe I was lucky, since I didn't hear much from outside or my neighbors during my stay. I'd consider staying here again if I visit Chiayi in the future.

Check-in and check-out were fast, the location was good, and the room looked decent. There was no need for an alarm, since outside movement made enough noise to wake you up. Soundproofing was basically nonexistent, and I could clearly hear the next room's conversation. The booking platforms don't say it's pet friendly, but I heard barking and found some pet fur in the room. The pillow was as flat as a scallion pancake. Parking costs 250-350TWD per night, even for hotel guests. Service was practically nonexistent. There was no receptionist at night, only a sleeping security guard in the building. Despite being Sunrise hotel, about 80% of the window view was blocked.

The family room was a great size, and my mom had a spacious double room too. The location was convenient, and we appreciated the nice soaps, fridge, and raised space for our things. There was no breakfast on site, possibly because it was low season, but we found an excellent brunch place nearby. Parking next door was easy, and the staff were friendly and helpful.

The room was really nice, and the staff were friendly. I even got a king bed for the first time in Taiwan. The location is great, close to the train station. I skipped the included breakfast, but had a great stay and would definitely recommend it.