Hotel Midtown Richardson

No toothbrush or toothpaste was provided. I knew checkout was at 11:00, but they called at 11:01 and knocked at 11:05. The harassment kept up. When I went downstairs at 11:55, they made me pay NT$400 for being “one hour late.” There was no flexibility or hospitality. Avoid this place if you want a relaxing stay. I’m just as “unclear” about how calling a guest at 11:01 and banging on the door at 11:05 fits with a “comfortable experience.” Their military precision in getting guests out is impressive, if only they put the same effort into providing toothbrushes. Thanks for the condescending lecture about “flexibility.” Charging NT$400 while treating a paying guest like a trespasser is a bold choice for their reputation. A world class display of arrogance.

The lobby and exterior look lovely, but the state of the rooms made me feel deceived. On the seventh floor, the old carpet was lifting at every corner and smelled foul. The whole building, including the rooms, had that smell. I could see what looked like mould throughout the hotel, especially under the dusty old carpet. There was even a pool of old blood seeping through the carpet outside a room, and the stains continued along the hallways. It's horrible. The room looked average at first, but the shower and layout were unacceptable. The shower door opens outward instead of into the shower, which means water can flood the bathroom and there's little room to dry off. Ventilation was terrible too. The undergarments we washed should have dried by the next day, but they were even wetter. Maybe the vent is old and clogged with dust, which would also suggest housekeeping isn't cleaning properly. Or maybe it was designed that way to push guests toward the hotel's dryer, which was awfully priced for the current state of Taiwan. That's only my theory. The buffet service was bad as well. The workers didn't seem trained to show respect, and a simple “sorry” or “excuse me” would have made a difference. The food was cold and mediocre, though they changed it each day and offered some variety. This hotel was a letdown from the start. Instead of spending the whole company budget on a nice looking lobby and exterior that deceive customers, they should improve the rooms and give visitors to Taiwan a better experience. Don't book here for your first visit, or maybe ever, unless you want to risk getting sick from mould or being disrespected all the time.

Breakfast was the best part of our first stay. It was served daily from 6:30 am to 9:30 am, with good food and great service. After 7:30, groups crowded the dining area and finding a table got difficult, but the attentive supervisor helped make sure guests were accommodated. The room had several problems. The entry light didn't work, and the bedside switches were faulty: turning off one light shut off every light and left us in total darkness. After we spoke to reception, they sent an electrician to fix the switches. There wasn't a proper place for our two small carry on bags, and leaving them on the floor made the walkway unsafe. We ended up using a small coffee table and cushioned bench, which left nowhere for a laptop. The two single beds were quite small. There were only two clothes racks, but staff kindly brought extras when we asked. Some hallway lights were out too, making the corridor a bit dark. A self service hot and cold water machine near our room was very convenient. We loved breakfast and appreciated the excellent customer service, but the room needs better maintenance so things work properly.

The buffet has plenty to choose from, especially the congee, bread, rice, and fruit, and the hotel is right in Ximending, near the shops and the well-known hotpot restaurant wulao. This was our third stay at midtown richardson hotel, and we’ve generally liked the location. Room size is the catch. Our third-floor room was extremely small, and double-bed room sizes seem to vary. Reception said lower floors have bidets while higher floors have larger rooms without them, but I wasn’t convinced by that explanation. If you’re on the third or fourth floor, double-lock your door. We told the front desk about a man roaming the halls at night, knocking on doors and passing through the emergency stairs.