Emperor Hotel

I first visited Taiwan several years ago and stayed at this hotel. I still remember it fondly.

This feels like a three-star hotel in Taipei city. The rooms are clearly old, but they’re clean and well kept. The staff speak Japanese, which made me feel at ease. There’s a convenience store and a small market nearby, and the metro is close too, so it worked well as a base for sightseeing.

It has a retro feel in a modern area, and everything worked fine, but the facilities are old school. The faucets are separate, the hair dryer is fixed to the wall, the TV resolution is low, and the WiFi was slow enough that VOD kept stopping. The room itself was very well maintained, with fresh paint, replaced bathroom silicone, and no mold. The bathroom tiles and toilet were really clean. The bed was a little firm but still cozy. I’d recommend it, though the carpet would make a big difference if it were cleaned well.

For budget travelers, this is a good pick. The location is handy, with McDonald’s, KFC, and a bus stop downstairs, and the metro, malls, and trendy areas are about a 10-minute walk away. My single room was a good size, outdated but VERY CLEAN and tidy. The view was mostly of the building wall in front, though I did get a view and nice sunlight from the side. You don’t need a keycard to use the lift, which suited me because I could invite friends straight up to my room.