Norway Forest Tamsui Motel

We loved the convenience of parking our car right beside or beneath the room at Norway Forest Tamsui Motel. Our room was big and nice, the bathroom was very spacious, and my son looked forward to a bubble bath in the fantastic jacuzzi every night. The main shower worked great, but the side shower heads didn't. Management should consider checking the equipment regularly, maybe every two weeks. Breakfast was a pleasant surprise, with something different each morning. We also enjoyed the two sets of instant noodles and crackers provided in the room during our four-night stay. The free on-site laundry was very useful, though there's just one washer and one dryer, so you may have to wait. We didn't get much of a view from our room, but the location was excellent, about a five-minute walk from the MRT Red Line (R27), with easy access to the MRT and LRT. The Tamsui River (Tamsui River) is nearby, so we could walk to the riverside for the scenery and breeze.

We chose this hotel because it was close to the MRT and we needed a good night's rest after a full day of sightseeing. We didn't get that sleep, and the incident ruined our stay at an otherwise beautiful hotel. Our suite was clean and spacious, with a canopy bed, and had been comfortable until around 2:30 am, when I woke to all the lights switching on and off in sequence. I'd turned everything off at the bedside master switch before sleeping, but it stopped responding and the lights began flashing. My husband and I went to the security station for help. The staff member couldn't fix it, so he moved us to another room. I'm very sensitive to lights and couldn't get back to sleep. At checkout, the staff member wasn't apologetic when I explained what happened. She casually said the circuit wasn't working. The malfunction was frightening and could have been an electrical fire. I recorded videos of the flashing lights and circuit board in case proof is needed.

The service was terrible, and this was my worst check-in experience. I arrived on the night of the 28th, close to 9pm, and was assigned room 301. As soon as I entered, there was a strong, fresh cigarette smell. I called the help desk to ask for another room and was told to leave the hotel and check in again. I did as asked, but the woman, presumably in her 40s or 50s, was sluggish and unapologetic even though I spoke politely. I was moved to room 701, where turning on the air conditioner brought the cigarette stench back. The furniture there was visibly roughed up too, and the toilet drain area smelled foul. It was nearly 11pm, so finding somewhere else to stay was difficult. I cut my stay short and checked out the next day. To the owner: why not hire a convenience store clerk? They have a better service attitude and presumably take less salary than your staff. Tell that old lady to go fly a kite!

We were surprised to find condoms and soft-porn magazines in the room. The 7pm check-in and jacuzzi had already given us clues, and people booking Norway Forest Tamsui should know it's a Love Hotel, with security and rooms set up for couples going out for the night. The room itself was comfortable and perfect, the jacuzzi was awesome, and the location was very good. Staff were kind and helpful every day. We found the whole stay amusing, though we didn't enjoy the TV beside the jacuzzi streaming porn. Maybe the hotel could find a way to separate love hotel bookings from family bookings.