Gwawa Hotel

The room looked a little worn, though it was clean, and we had a nice view from the window. The staff were friendly and helpful, and they offer to do laundry if you leave it in a bag outside your room in the morning. The hotel is also close to the night market.

The bathroom was the best I’ve had in Taiwan. The room could be better, but it had what I needed aside from a kettle. The building is old and not in great shape, though the owner keeps the hotel very clean. Towel service was excellent, with clean towels and nice laundry detergent. Guests can use the kitchen, including a microwave and toaster oven, and snacks, coffee, and tea are always available in the common area. The open floor plan makes the place feel a bit like one family, but there aren’t really private spaces outside the rooms. The owners keep professional boundaries with guests, which helps. The owner speaks English and is helpful when possible. There are set rules for payment and check-in and checkout, but he’s flexible when travelers have different needs.

The shower was cramped for someone my height, six feet, though my wife, at 5'2, was fine. We found small bugs in the room and beds, but killed them quickly. The place was clean, the AC blew fairly cold, and laundry was free, although our clothes came back later than promised. Being near a station made luggage easier to move, and the buses were really convenient. For what it was, it was okay.

I stayed here for 14 months and it felt like home. The owners are friendly and helpful, and they leave out free sweets, biscuits, instant coffee, and tea bags. The location is very convenient, four minutes on foot from the MRT, with a 7/11 downstairs and Lihue Night Market five minutes away.