Gugis Inn

This was a horrible stay, the worst hotel I've ever been in. My room, 1112, was right beside the elevator lobby, and I could hear everything. A staff member set up a table with a laptop out there as a kind of workstation, but they were watching shows or talking loudly on the phone. It was really disturbing. The towels had stains, and the pillowcases and sheets smelled bad. Bright sunlight came through the bathroom glass door early in the morning and kept me from sleeping longer. I booked three nights but had to check out on the second day. I'm usually an easygoing traveler, but this was beyond bad.

The room was compact but fit three of us and our three small suitcases comfortably. The bathroom was surprisingly roomy, with a window overlooking the rainbow walk, though it didn't have a bidet. The MTR is only a minute away, which made getting around very convenient. We wanted to return, but it was fully booked. We'd originally booked another hotel in the same building. After seeing reviews saying this one had been newly renovated, I checked the price and found it much cheaper, so we switched. I'm glad we did. Highly recommend!

The location was perfect, right by the subway and in the Ximending shopping district, with lots of food spots and cafes close by. For the price, we were very happy with the stay and would return to Taipei and stay here again. I hope the rates stay affordable so budget travelers can enjoy a more comfortable trip. We booked through Booking.com and were initially worried by the Google reviews about the rooms. I think the hotel may have been renovated since the earlier negative comments, because our room was very clean. The bed and sheets were comfortable, the summer air conditioning cooled the room quickly, there were plenty of TV channels, and the bathroom felt clean and modern.

I was worried about safety and fire escape while sleeping here. The room smelled moldy, the wallpaper was coming away from the wall, and there was no dehumidifier. The curtains were torn and held together with tape. Although the bathroom had been renovated, there was an unpleasant sewer smell near the sink. The door wouldn't lock because it and the frame didn't line up. I wanted to open the windows for fresh air, but the screens were covered in thick dust and had metal bars over them. If there were a fire, it seemed like there would be no way out. There was no staff onsite, and check-in was done at a digital board, with a phone number to call for help. The elevator was disgusting, with missing floor buttons and a gross smell. This place was dirty and felt unsafe. The location by the metro is excellent, but I wouldn't stay here again. TERRIBLE, the worst place I've stayed.