Everrich Golden Lake Hotel

The concierge team was excellent and helped arrange a car and driver. The hotel has nice furnishings and feels fairly new, with comfortable rooms of a decent size. We had some very cold evenings because the heat was out throughout the building in December. There's a small shopping center attached, with an international grocery store and McDonald's for a quick breakfast before heading out. Restaurants nearby are limited, and they tend to close early.

The view was great, and the service was nice. If you ask, they'll put jazz music on in the lounge.

The breakfast buffet included in our package was something we enjoyed, and we also ate dinner at the in-house restaurant during our stay. There was enough variety to choose different dishes over three nights, and both the garlic shrimp and the traditional Hong Kong-style steamed tofu dessert stood out. The Cantonese food was better than what I've found at 99% of the Cantonese places in Taipei, and it was cheaper overall. It had a strong Hong Kong flavor, so I suspected the chef might be from Hong Kong. Our room looked over the lake, but dirty windows spoiled the view. The rooms felt new, and the rest of the hotel, including its restaurant, was good. We booked on the hotel website and chose one of its packages, which included movie tickets for the attached mall. That was a nice way to spend the evening in this sleepy town, where not much seems to happen after 8 p.m. Front desk staff can arrange taxis and connect guests with taxi tour guides for trips around both the big and small islands. I found that a good option because it saves time. If you're visiting Kinmen, which I think foreign tourists should make a point of seeing, this hotel is a great place to stay.

For a home away from home while you explore the island, you can feel at ease here. Even a tough hotel critic would rate this 5-star place at least four stars.