Aloft Taipei Beitou

The only thing I wished for was a hot spring bathtub, which would've suited the town perfectly. Otherwise, we had a really happy three-night stay at Aloft Beitou. Our room was clean, spacious, and comfortable, with big windows looking over Guandu Plain and Guanyin Mountain. The view was lovely from sunrise through sunset. It's easy to get around from here, with Qiyan and Beitou MRT stations within walking distance and affordable taxis. The front desk team was great, helped us with our luggage, and let us check in early. I'd happily recommend the hotel.

I paid for a suite for five days on my second visit, but the standard has slipped since I stayed years ago in a regular room facing the plain. The mattress is still as good as we remembered, though I woke with neck and shoulder pain last night. That was the only good thing this time. The walls are so thin I could hear the next room's TV. The bedroom slippers are paper thin, and even when they were dirty and nearly broken they weren't replaced. I had to call several times during the week. The bath towels are worn out, thinner than the ones I have at home. I'm a Platinum member, but that doesn't seem to make any difference. Marriott is showing how "well" it treats customers. I had to remind them almost every day to refill the basic coffee and tea bags, until I gave up. And by the way, nobody drinks decaf coffee. There's no bathroom amenity besides a hairdryer, which looks like cost cutting. A toothbrush or shaver isn't going to save the world. On top of that, they took away our bathrobes on the third day and didn't replace them until I'd waited two hours after calling. Must I bring my own towels and sheets next time? I'm glad to be going home tomorrow. I don't think I'll come back. Hilton, here I come.

Manager Joy went above and beyond to rework our booking so we could stay longer, since we liked the room so much. The staff were friendly and attentive too. The suite had a separate living room, bedroom, and bathroom, with sliding wooden doors for privacy. In the spa bathroom, the roomy glass shower sat alongside a large freestanding tub. The smooth inner walls meant no hardware jutted into the tub, so I could soak and steam comfortably. The breakfast buffet was quite good. The hotel is about a five-minute walk from either Beitou or Qiyan MRT, and though it's not as central as Taipei 101, the price is reasonable. The MRT is easy to use, and Uber or other rideshares are fairly cheap in Taiwan. One of the better Aloft Hotels (Marriott Group) I've stayed in.

The rain was pouring on a dark public holiday night when I arrived at Aloft Taipei Beitou, dragging my luggage over with my socks already soaked. The hotel's food options were closed, and it was late, but Antonio at check-in noticed how worn out I looked and took the time to tell me which nearby food places were still open. That small gesture meant a lot. He also guided me through check-in and explained everything about the stay clearly, so I had no questions left. I was greeted with a warm smile as soon as I came in. After such a long, exhausting day, Antonio's attentiveness made me feel welcome and turned a difficult arrival into a comforting one. I wanted to recognize his care and attention to detail. Thank you.