Taipei Radium Kagaya International Hotel

The hotel sits right beside one of Taipei’s best-known night market and street-food areas, so getting around, taking in the views, and finding great food are all very convenient. Location gets five stars from me. After a soak, it felt cozy to wander through the park and library just downstairs. The attendants at the large public bath, which has an onsen-style area, were especially caring and enthusiastic. Staff throughout the hotel were warm and attentive. The rooms are on the small side, as is typical for city hotels here, but the quality is above average for Taipei. Breakfast was decent and filling, though I’d give the dining four stars rather than five. If you haven’t stayed at this Japanese-brand hotel in Japan, the Taipei branch is still worth a visit.

We hadn’t booked ahead, but the staff welcomed us right away and were helpful, attentive and friendly. We came to use the onsen for a few hours. The room had separate hot and cold baths, and snacks, drinks and tea were available without limit. I’d personally choose the single tub unless you really want to switch between hot and cold water. We paid for a forest-view room, but the windows and blinds couldn’t be opened, so that view wasn’t really worth it. A few minutes before checkout, the staff gave us a kind reminder and sent us off with refreshing passion fruit popsicles. A lovely experience from beginning to end.

The hot spring room felt old and basic. Apart from two bottles of water, a hairdryer and two towels, there were no other amenities. I’m used to mid- and high-end hot spring facilities providing things like shower caps, hair ties, combs and cotton swabs. The floor mat was moldy, and water leaked from the ventilation outlet onto the chair where I’d put my clothes. The shower kept leaking after I turned it off, so I had to ask staff to stop it. I visit Taiwan often and try a different hot spring each time. This was the first one I’d encountered that claimed five-star service but felt closer to a two-star facility. I’m sharing this in the hope that Kaga-ya improves its facilities and service for future guests. I’d chosen the place after seeing its high Google ratings, positive booking reviews and beautiful website photos. It advertises Japanese-style management, so I expected the careful service and cleanliness associated with Japanese hospitality, but my visit didn’t meet those expectations. There was no one at the entrance to welcome or guide us, and I had to find the elevator and make my own way to the second floor. At reception, staff immediately told me I was late. I accept that I was late, but we’d left Taipei 101 by taxi an hour and a half earlier and got held up by traffic, which we hadn’t expected as visitors. Being spoken to that way embarrassed me.

Dinner was a highlight: the seasonal autumn kaiseki was delicious, beautifully presented and made with clear care for seasonal ingredients. Breakfast the next day was fantastic too, with lovely Japanese products, careful presentation and fresh sashimi. The white sulfur hot spring was a perfect way to end the day, and we slept very comfortably on the Japanese-style bed in the tatami room. There was plenty to enjoy before that. Picking from all the beautiful yukatas was fun, the hot stone and cypress sauna was deeply relaxing, and we learned to prepare matcha properly in a traditional tea ceremony. We also made a little wooden snowflake to take home. The whole place felt calm, refined and thoughtfully arranged, like a Japanese ryokan. Radium Kagaya is about 30 minutes from Taipei in Beitou, known for its thermal springs. We loved the stay and would recommend it as a place to slow down and recharge.