Forward Suites

The hotel is good value for its location, and breakfast is included each day. There are laundry machines too. I paid an extra 580 TWD to check in at 3 p.m. rather than 8:30 p.m. The first room smelled strongly of pipes, but staff helped move me to another room for the rest of my stay, which I appreciated.

Getting extra towels was surprisingly costly, 200 TWD for each set. There’s also just one small elevator. The rooms feel extremely dated, almost like they haven’t been renovated since the 1950s, and the old carpet was dirty. Basic information was missing: no Wi-Fi password, and the phone said to dial 0 for the front desk when the correct number was 100.

The staff were kind, quick to answer questions, and supportive with concerns and supplies during my quarantine stay. They were accommodating wherever they could be. My room was very clean and looked like the photos on the website. It’s just off a busy area, but quiet, and only a few feet from the Fuzhong subway station, which made getting around easy. Everything worked as it should. I’d happily stay again if I needed to spend time in Banciao.

The rooms were clean, and each had its own bathroom. They also supplied a toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, and shampoo. Breakfast was okay, though the selection was limited. It’s about a five-minute walk to the night market, and seems like a nice place for a few days.