Aloft Taipei Zhongshan

The room was spacious and really clean, and breakfast was delicious. Staff were friendly and helpful. The hotel is near Shuangcheng night market, with a good choice of street food. Try the scallion pancake!

The room was good and the location very convenient, but I wouldn't come back. Check-in on the afternoon of 1/1 was awful. There were three staff and only two couples ahead of me, yet I waited more than 10 minutes. They were focused on their screens and didn't look around or acknowledge the guests waiting. The lobby is small, with a circular front desk and no clear line to follow. People who arrived after me ended up getting served first, which just added to the frustration.

The breakfast had a good range and tasted great. Even after four days it didn't feel repetitive. The hotel also lent out complimentary umbrellas, which came in handy with all the rain. When I asked for a simple anniversary cake and they didn't have one, the staff gave us a complimentary bottle of wine instead. Our booking included 24h Metro passes. Nearby kung fu tea, a three-minute walk away, was our favorite bubble tea shop across our two-week trip through Taipei, Taizhong, and Yilan. The night market was another plus, with light crowds, though some popular stalls had sold out of their dumplings by the time I went for supper. I didn't get to check out the pool. I think it was under maintenance when we visited back in Sept 2025, or maybe the property didn't have one. My memory's hazy. The staff were friendly and very helpful, and spoke English well for guests like me who don't speak much Mandarin. The hotel feels above its four-star grade and price. A TOTO washlet was a nice surprise in the bathroom, something we've only seen in five- or six-star hotels. There's also a 4-6pm happy hour with complimentary sandwiches and canned drinks. Marriott Select hotels worldwide usually don't have extra perks or lounge access, so we appreciated it. Don't be put off by the modest, old-fashioned lobby. The rooms are modern and spotlessly clean. We had two side-by-side rooms that weren't connecting. Titanium Elite got an upgrade to the larger room, while Gold Elite didn't. As far as I understand, the hotel has standard and larger rooms, but no suites. The kids loved the tepee tent and ride-on toys in the room. A few things could be better: stepping stools would help kids reach the bathroom sink to brush their teeth. Ikea has inexpensive, sturdy ones. The study table sockets were awkward to use because of the open-close mechanism that hides them and their position near the telephone or LAN ports. I see why they're protected from water, but I'd prefer a wall-mounted TV and wall sockets. Towels don't need changing every day, maybe only replace the ones left on the bathroom floor. The do not disturb signs were flimsy and could be made sturdier.

Jason from the F&B team really stood out. He made people feel welcome at breakfast, and knowing we had a midnight flight and were traveling with a kid, he packed us a care pack. Such a thoughtful, genuine gesture. The team gave great service, and the train stations are an easy three-minute walk away. The daily 2-4pm happy hour was a nice extra, especially with our late flight. Kudos to everyone!