Tea Way Hotel

There’s no complimentary bottled water, so you fill your own tumbler from the filtered water station on each floor. The room was very private and quiet, and the bed was comfortable. The toilet is electronic, and the room feels far nicer than you’d expect for the price. Taichung station is about a five-minute walk away. Google Maps sometimes sends you on a strange route that takes up to ten minutes, but there are several shortcuts. Overall, I had a good stay.

The location is hard to beat: right beside the train station, with lots of places within walking distance and easy transport around. Staff were friendly and let us leave our luggage when we arrived so we could go explore. Our first room smelled of cigarette smoke, but they were accommodating when we asked to switch rooms. For the price, it was a good stay and the rooms were clean, though pretty basic. We got a king bed made by pushing two doubles together, which was a little uncomfortable, and the mattress itself wasn’t especially comfortable either.

The room was spacious, but the hotel hadn’t told us in advance that the rooms booked by my family would be much smaller. The ground-floor toilet had the worst smell I’ve come across in Taiwan. The staff were the least friendly I’ve encountered in years of visiting: no smiles or warmth, just robotic responses that didn’t sound happy to give them. The room was very dirty. There were exposed wires behind the bed, covered in thick dust, and I worried someone could be electrocuted while sleeping. If you have a combined twin bed, check between the mattresses. What I found there gave me a fright I’d rather not describe. The pillows felt like sleeping on air, so bring your own. One of my most disappointing hotel stays in Taiwan. I wouldn’t recommend it, and management should urgently address the safety issues.

The hotel is central and very close to the station, and our room was clean. The toilet had a bidet, which is always a plus. I liked being able to choose Taiwanese teas to try, and there was a station with hot, warm, and cold water for refilling bottles. You can hear some corridor noise as people come and go, but the soundproofing is generally good. We had a lovely stay.