Holiday Inn Express Taichung Park by IHG

The station is about a kilometer away on foot, so it’s not right next door. There’s a department store in the same building, though, and the hotel has the room basics covered, with good cleanliness and amenities. I liked the 24-hour coffee machine and the little seating and reading area by the elevators on level 3. It’s on a main road, but the traffic noise wasn’t too bad and I slept well.

We ended up leaving at 11:00 PM and finding another hotel, even though the staff helped us get a refund. We checked in on January 2nd, and the room was only 15°C. After reception didn’t pick up our call, we went down and learned there was no central heating. The small portable heater they brought wasn’t enough for the room. I’ve stayed at a lot of IHG properties around the world, and this was easily the worst. The location is excellent and the staff helped with the refund, which are the only reasons I’m giving two stars.

The breakfast buffet was a pleasant surprise, a pretty good way to start the day. My room had no outside view, but there was still plenty of space for two. The staff were quick and on the spot, and there’s a laundry room and a small fitness corner. The hotel is right above an outlet mall and just before Taichung Park, so the location worked really well for me.

The hotel shares its building with outlet stores and has a Starbucks on level 1, with a 7-11 nearby. It’s also next to Taichung Park. From here, it’s an 8-10 minute walk to Taichung Train station, Taroko Shopping Mall, or La La Port Mall. Jiguang Shopping street and the Sun Cake museum are about 5-7 minutes away on foot, and the street has several bus companies with direct service to Taichung HSR through the Taiwan Tourist Express, about a 20 minute ride. The staff I met were friendly and helpful. They let me leave my luggage for a few days while I traveled lite to Sun Moon Lake and came back. There’s a 24-hour lounge on level 3 with free coffee, tea, and hot water for instant noodles. The laundry area on level 11 has two irons and boards, two washers, and two dryers. Handy for travelers. My room was cleaned daily, and the soft bed, high ceilings, and city views were all good.