Roots Chew Hotel

The location and cleanliness were both a 10 for us, and at $1,940 in October it felt like very good value. We liked the charming old building, the pleasant top-floor shared lounge, and a room that was a good size with everything we needed. The bed was firm but comfortable. We didn’t have breakfast, and rated the room and facilities 9/10, while service got 7/10. The overall rating was 9.2/10. The service timing was frustrating at first. We arrived around noon, but couldn’t leave our bags because an email had said no staff would be there. We were also told check-in would move from the normal 3 pm to 5 pm, since the hotel was full of a group with late check-outs. Staff got our room ready shortly after 3, which we appreciated, though we’d already spent time walking around town with our luggage. That might have been avoided if booking sites had shown the changed check-in time or rooms had been blocked for that day. Still, it’s clean, comfortable, well located, and worth the price. I’d recommend it, with the hope management handles late check-outs better.

The location made it easy to spend the day exploring Tainan, then pop back to leave our shopping and rest before heading to the night market. A 711 and laundromat are right across the street, food and drink places are all around, and the bus stop is just nearby, including bus 2 to Anping district. There’s a cinema close by too. My husband and I stayed three days and two nights and had a great time. The room was cozy and just right for our trip. Some parts showed a little wear, but nothing that affected our stay. The shower had strong pressure and hot water came quickly; the bed and pillows were alright. Toiletries aren’t provided, so bring your own. We liked the cute vintage-style lobby and the relaxed lounge on level 6. Staff were friendly and professional, check-in and checkout were easy, and they let us store our luggage after checkout while we had time to kill.

We really enjoyed our three days here. It’s in a lively neighborhood with lots of bars, shops, and restaurants, and there’s a cozy top-floor common room with a coffee machine. The rooms are stylish, clean, nicely furnished, and comfortable, with quiet, effective AC. The walls are thin, though the hotel asks guests to keep things down after 10 pm, and we heard almost no noise from other rooms. That will depend on who else is staying, of course. The main drawback for us was the shower: in our room, warm water didn’t stay steady and cooled off quickly. The sink had no warm water either, though that didn’t bother us. We’d recommend the place. Also, unrelated to the hotel, there’s a great dodofu shop right across the street.

The rooms were really comfortable, and I liked the tasteful art and historic objects displayed on every floor. It’s a small boutique hotel in a fun area of Tainan for walking, with plenty of food and convenience options nearby and quick, easy public transport. The top-floor lounge is a lovely spot to relax.