Hotel Proverbs Taipei

This is a late review, but the location really was great. The rest of the stay was a letdown. My Marriott Elite membership felt useless: there was no early check-in or late checkout without paying, and they were strict about the fees. As a Titanium member, I’ve never had that experience at other Marriott locations, where they usually waived them. Breakfast was à la carte, with nothing complimentary for members. The rooms looked nice in photos but felt old, musty, and cramped in person. The shower sits in the middle of the bathroom, so you have to walk through it to get from the toilet to the tub. There are curtains instead of doors, and the dark furnishings make it hard to judge how clean things are. If you feel closed in, opening the curtains won’t help much: iron grates make the room feel even more enclosed. There was barely any room for larger suitcases, and the desk was tiny. The hotel also has no dedicated workspace elsewhere. I left early, got hit with a hefty penalty, and paid it because the stay had been so disappointing. I went to the courtyard instead.

The room was visibly dirty, with stains and hair throughout, and the housekeeping seemed inadequate. I’ve included a photo showing how far below acceptable standards the cleanliness was. On arrival, the roadworks right outside hadn’t been mentioned in advance, which made the entrance extremely hard to find. I had two large suitcases and no one offered to help. The hotel also offered gifts in exchange for positive reviews, which made me question how credible some of its high ratings are. I stayed at three similarly priced hotels during my Taipei trip, and this one was clearly the weakest in quality and value. I’d be cautious about choosing it.

We found the location handy, with plenty of food spots and convenience stores nearby, and it was central to the places we wanted to visit. The staff were friendly and helpful, and most spoke English. There isn’t really a lobby, so we hardly saw any other guests, which felt odd. The minibar and fridge had lots of free drinks and snacks, and there were plenty of plates and glasses. No mugs, though, just glasses without handles, so hot coffee or tea was awkward to hold. I liked the hotel’s dark look, including the dim hallways and the freaky mounted animal heads. I can see why that might put someone off, but it suited the style. The rooms were clean and polished, though the bathroom layout was strange. Glass walls and doors mean very little privacy if one person showers while another uses the toilet. The shower is between the tub and toilet, with a door on one side but none on the other. The toilet and sink side has a sliding door; the tub side only has a curtain, facing a window blocked by a huge metal gate, so there’s no view. The motion-sensing toilet seemed cool at first, until it started washing itself or flushing in the middle of the night. It happened every night and got annoying. Also, there were only handleless glasses, so you had to hold hot drinks directly against the glass.

Getting around was easy, with shopping, the subway, and restaurants close by. Some nearby buildings looked pretty run down, but the area never felt unsafe or seedy. We had a Premium room that was spacious, with a large tub and great shower pressure. East End was a highlight, too, with skilled bartenders and good cocktails. Service was spot on, and anything we asked for arrived quickly. There was a bit of a language barrier when we asked for recommendations, but we managed with Google and the like. I’m a Bonvoy Ambassador and we usually pick Marriott when we can. This Design Hotel was really great. I’d recommend it for a comfortable stay.