9Ine Hotel

The location worked really well for me as a traveler who prefers to avoid a touristy feel. I was nervous about using the bus and MRT, but getting around was easy from the hotel. One small heads-up, the HiLife next door didn't seem very friendly to tourists, lol. I had a windowless solo room with just enough space for a small suitcase. It was hard to do my makeup without a mirror, and I wish there had been two pillows. The bed felt a little hard at first, though I got used to it. The service was amazing. Staff were hands-on and went out of their way to help. I was looking for a market bag souvenir, and the receptionist even called a shop to check if they had one. I ended up going to Ximen for souvenirs, but I appreciated her doing that. Great value for money.

In central Taipei, the room was cozy and surprisingly roomy for the price. It smelled a little odd, but I stayed two nights and didn't notice it on the second. The underground metro is only a two-minute walk away, which is really convenient.

A couple of things could affect your stay here. The inn is right on a busy road, and traffic noise is constant and loud, especially in street-facing rooms. If you're a light sleeper, ask for an inner room away from the road. There's no elevator, and reception is upstairs, so you'll need to carry your bags up a flight of stairs. That said, Lumos Inn was clean and well maintained, with modern, stylish furniture. The price felt very reasonable, and the location was convenient, not far from the city center and about a kilometer from Ningxia Night Market. I liked the complimentary coffee and biscuits in the lobby, and staff let me check in early because the hotel wasn't full that day. I had a pleasant stay and think it's a good value for budget travelers. With an inner room and no problem with the stairs, it makes a nice base for exploring Taipei.

We booked three rooms for four people, but somehow one room was half the size of the other two :)) The ceilings are low, so I wouldn't recommend it if you're uncomfortable in small spaces or over 180 cm tall. The toilet was small too. Two rooms had smart toilets and one had a regular one. We had a good experience overall. Staff weren't especially friendly, but they knew what they were doing. There's a shared area where guests can sit and have snacks. Keep the stairs in mind if you have lots of luggage or heavy suitcases: there's no elevator, and they're quite steep.