Old Door Hostel & Bar

The beds and blankets were so comfortable that I slept like a baby, and the washrooms were tidy. I arrived close to midnight for a late check-in, but the self check-in directions with pictures made it completely clear which room to enter. The dorm also gives you your own space for luggage, which was a big help. It’s a cozy hostel right by exit Y13 of Taipei City Mall, branching off from Taipei Main Station. During the Christmas season, the stay worked out perfectly for me. There’s a currency exchange bank two buildings away, besides the underground mall. Free breakfast is available, although my schedule didn’t let me try it. I’d definitely recommend it for solo travelers or couples on a budget.

The hostel is just a few minutes’ walk from where I came up from the underground MRT station after taking the train from TPE airport with a large suitcase. I stayed two nights in a single-person room after flying in from the United States and arriving around 8:30 pm on a Tuesday. The staff made me feel at home before I headed to my hometown in Central Taiwan. They told me what was available, asked how I’d slept, and gave me space when I needed it. They were polite and attentive, and I felt proud as a Taiwanese of how they welcome travelers from around the world. Thank you! Everything was clean, organized, and well maintained, so it was easy to find my way around. Breakfast was good, carefully presented, and felt like part of the attentive service. I also loved the cappuccino, which gave me enough caffeine for the day. There was room to open my 28-inch suitcase on the floor. The bed and comforter were clean and soft, the AC worked well, and there was a bidet toilet. I appreciated the little yellow table lamp when I didn’t want bright light throughout the room. Even the hair dryer was thoughtfully set up, with its cord wrapped neatly for you to release and use. The quality and small details really stood out. The elevator made it easy to get my luggage to the second floor, and I appreciated the luggage storage on checkout day. There was some noise, which is normal in a hostel where people come and go. It didn’t bother me much, and I wore earplugs to sleep while jetlagged. I slept well, and after two nights my jetlag was almost gone. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this hostel!

It’s not a very social hostel, since most people seemed to keep to themselves, so it may not suit you if you’re after that kind of experience. Still, I did make a couple of friends. The location is excellent, right by Taipei Main Station and about a 20 minute walk from Ximending and Zhongshan. I stayed four nights at Old Door in a four-bed dorm. The room was comfortable, and my spacious, clean bed had room beside it for my bag and other things, plus a small locker. It’s on the fourth floor. The lift only reaches the third, so there’s a short flight of stairs, and that floor has a shower and toilet combined as well as a separate toilet. The staff were friendly and helpful. They even helped me track down a travel adaptor when mine didn’t work. Breakfast was lovely, with Taiwanese omelette, bread with peanut butter or chocolate, and self-serve tea and coffee.

The location was perfect, and I found the hostel clean and welcoming. There’s plenty of well-organized space around the bed, the staff are really friendly, and breakfast is excellent.