Capital Hotel Songshan

The staff were really friendly and helpful, and for one night it was quite a nice place to stay. The room was a moderate size, with clean sheets and okay bedding, though there was only one pillow per bed in my twin room. The lobby felt too compact and had no seating area. The toilet space was a bit cramped, and the smart toilet only flushed. Other features were locked, and the button was hidden above the toilet roll. There was no cover or shower curtain around the shower and bathtub, so I got water all over the floor.

Cleanliness was my biggest concern. The carpet was horrendous and so dusty it looked like buildup from years. Anyone with dust or dust-mite allergies should take note. There were no hotel slippers, so bring your own. The bed looked fine until I lifted the blanket and found a footprint on the sheet, a strand of women’s hair underneath it, blood inside the blanket, and moustache or nostril hairs along its edge. It looked to me like the sheets and blanket hadn’t been washed and had been reused. The room was small enough that we couldn’t open two suitcases at once. The basin and toilet area were okay, with an automatic toilet, but the shower was in a high bathtub, difficult for an elderly person to use. Even at my height of 162cm, getting out was challenging. There was no toothpaste, and the hair dryer looked dusty so I didn’t use it. The cabinet’s outer paint was coming off, though a fridge and safe were provided. The layout also made me uncomfortable. The building has 13 floors and two lifts, which were often slow. There’s no lounge or seating in the lobby, just a check-in area. If driving, there’s no assigned parking, so you have to unload quickly in front of the hotel and move the car. Leaving the lift, rooms are split left and right. The right side looks like a normal hotel, but most rooms are to the left, down a very dark alley, especially at night, past lots of fire and exit staircases. It looked like a dead end, and the peeling wall paint made it creepy. You don’t need to tap a key card to reach the rooms, which made me question the security. The overall experience was so bad that I spent as much time as possible outside, staying out very late at nearby shops or sitting at family mart instead of returning to my room. Raohe market is nearby, but I don’t think location is worth compromising comfort, peace of mind, and cleanliness. If cleanliness matters to you, this place may not be for you. I hope this helps a few travelers sleep more comfortably in Taipei.

The location, terrace, and staff were all great, and the included breakfast tasted good. But it was cold, and they stopped refilling it after 8:50 am even though breakfast ran until 9:30. The soda from the fountain was flat. At over 80 USD a night for a single queen, I thought it was overpriced. The room wasn’t dirty exactly, but it was grimy from general use, with hard-water stains and scratches and paint chips that hadn’t been painted over. The bidet worked, but had been disabled with a sticker. The window was only a slit, so the view was limited. The tub had a huge drop getting out, a bad slip risk, and the rain shower didn’t work, only the sprayer did.

I picked this hotel for the location, but breakfast turned out to be the highlight of my time in Taipei. It may not look special at first, yet I’d recommend staying here just for that meal. I’d arrived from Bali with an upset stomach, and the herbal soup was soothing and comforting. The braised rice, made without pork despite being called “pork” rice, was surprisingly delicious. I’m not vegetarian, but the plant-based dishes were incredible and made my trip.