Gold Hotel

The lobby was very clean, and I really appreciated the strict no-smoking policy, with an outdoor area for smoking. Staff were courteous and professional at check-in and checkout. Thanks for arranging a quiet room; I slept well without noise interruptions. A few things could be improved: switches should be no more than two steps from the main entrance, lighting needs more independent controls and zones, there should be a peephole to see who’s ringing the bell, and a bidet in the toilet would be nice.

The morning receptionist was friendly and quick to respond. The lobby offers free tea and coffee, and the hotel and its appliances were clean and matched the Agoda pictures. I’d recommend it to people visiting Taichung.

The night market is very close, which is a plus, but it’s hard to recommend this hotel when the toilet smells of sewage. In room 328 the odor was pungent, like some drains. We asked to change rooms on the first night, but were told none were available. A staff member installed a machine to remove the smell, and was very apologetic and helpful, even offering to buy us breakfast the next day. The odor came back the next day. I’ve seen other reviews mention smelly toilets, so I can’t tell whether it can be fixed or if it’s a sewage pipe problem throughout the building. The balcony isn’t usable either, since it faces the inner alley of the opposite building and we ended up closing the window. Even if it’s cheap, that sewage smell makes staying here very difficult.

Joe was especially helpful, calling a cab for us and suggesting Taichung attractions and things to buy. We stayed one night in a room with two double beds. It was clean, the bathroom was large, and Fengjia night market is within walking distance. There was hair on the mouthwash cup, so I just didn’t use it.