SAN HUA HOTEL

We felt completely safe staying here during a typhoon. Each day started with a hearty breakfast, and coffee was available in the lobby around the clock. The train stations and night market are a short walk away.

San Hua Hotel sits in the middle of Kaohsiung's old town, very close to the beautiful, well-known Formosa Boulevard MTR station. There are plenty of restaurants, convenience stores, and coffee bars nearby. The area isn't especially quiet, but it was okay. The hotel and rooms felt a little dated and had an unpleasant smell. Breakfast, though, was free and good.

The evening staff were friendly when I checked in, and the bathroom was acceptably clean. But the room was dusty, and there was a very strong smoky smell in the lobby, room, and especially the hallways. On the morning of 10/11, a staff member insisted I read the parking payment instructions after I said I was fine, as if I couldn't understand them. Not cool.

The front desk was friendly and helpful, and there was coffee and a few snacks in the lobby all day and night. Breakfast was included. The room had all the basic amenities, with coin laundry, 7-eleven, and PX Mart nearby. Liuhe night market is worth a visit, and isn't far away. The room felt a bit old. The bedsheets gave me rashes and bedbug bites, and the hotel is quite a distance from the MRT. For directions, I'd suggest walking from Xinyi Elementary on the orange line instead of Formosa on the red line. If taking the Formosa station, older people should use Exit 1. Exit 11 is closer but only has stairs; the night market is right outside Exit 11.