N Joy Takao

After I booked the hostel, the owner messaged to ask if communicating in Chinese would be okay. I said yes, since we could use Google Translate, but then they told me check-in would be too difficult and that I should go somewhere else. I cancelled because it was clear I wasn't welcome, and asked whether language was really the issue or if they simply didn't want foreigners. I never got a reply. After thinking it over, I feel the owner doesn't welcome foreigners and is using the language barrier as a convenient excuse. I've stayed at many hotels and hostels in Taiwan and elsewhere where staff don't speak English, and language has never caused serious trouble. People at those places in Taiwan have always been welcoming and helpful. I've sometimes noticed staff feeling nervous about serving a foreigner, but they shouldn't be, since my inability to speak the local language is my problem, not theirs. Sure, there can be small language challenges, but they've always been easy to sort out. I've never been told to leave or made to feel unwelcome in Taiwan before. Wherever you're from and whatever languages you speak, I suggest staying somewhere else, with owners who treat guests normally and aren't racist. Foreigners are discriminated against here, so don't spend your money unless you support racism.

The people here are lovely and make you feel at home.

At 9:50 AM, while it was still before the 11:00 AM checkout and guests were asleep, they came in to clean, switched on the lights, and made a lot of noise. They left without turning the lights off, too. Shouldn't cleaning start after checkout?

The cats were a big reason I chose this place. Xiancao and Xiaohua are angelic, and their usual morning routine includes waking you up. I came for them and spent so much time petting them that I didn't get out to explore! 😹 The hostess, Ms. Nvsen, was friendly and helped with any problems. I'll definitely stay again when I'm in the area. The hostel is convenient for catching a ferry to Cijin to see the lighthouse and fort, and it's close to Pier-2 Art Center. Sizihwan is also an option for sunset views. It's set up in an old-style house, with cozy corners throughout and a cafe-like lobby, which makes it nice for solo travelers. There's no parking outside the main entrance except for brief stops, but lots are nearby and motorcycles can use the nearby spaces. I stayed in a women's room with six large single beds. The bedding was comfortable, and I slept well all night. Each bed had a small window, a lovely detail that let in morning and afternoon sun, with blackout curtains available when you wanted to sleep. Bathrooms were available upstairs and downstairs. They're spacious, with enough hot water for both rooms, and shampoo and shower gel are provided. One awkward detail: the overhead shelves are so high that at about 160 cm, I had to reach on tiptoe, which felt inconvenient and risky. The hallway blocks sound, but you can hear people snoring from the rooms. For a backpacker hostel, that's normal and acceptable, but the dorm rooms are only for people who can live with that.