Taiwan Hotels
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Staying in Taiwan
If New York is the city that never sleeps, then Taiwan, with its ubiquitous 24-hr stores, must surely be a frontrunner for the title of ‘the country that never sleeps’.
Finding budget accommodation in Taiwan is no problem, with hostels found in Taipei and most large cities. Camping is also widely available.
Likewise, motels are easy to find in the big cities and many offer the option of stopping in for just a few hours in addition to the standard overnight rates. Costs for a single motel room (including attached bathroom) is around
$40-50 USD per day.
But be aware that Taiwanese motels are not always in the budget to mid-level quality bracket that you expect when you see the word ‘motel’. Taiwan motels can often be quite luxurious, boasting extravagences such as huge tubs fitted
with massage jets, flat screen televisions, and impressive sound systems. If you truly want to experience the novelty that is luxury motel accommodation (an oxymoron surely!), then you must visit Taichung which has the reputation
of being Taiwan’s ‘motel capital’.
Also be aware that checkin times for overnight stays are usually later at night than you would normally expect due to their functioning throughout the day (charged hourly).
Taiwanese hotels cover the whole spectrum of quality, ranging from seedy dives to the highest in 5-star luxury. Of the large Western hotel chains, Sheraton, Westin and Hyatt operate in Taiwan but most others do not due to the difficulties that come with operating in both Taiwan and mainland China. But this certainly doesn’t mean there is any shortage of hotel accommodation but be aware that the big hotel chains tend to be extremely expensive when comparable accommodation is often just around the corner at much more reasonable prices. Local knowledge, such as that of taxi drivers and tourism offices, are a huge advantage in finding out the pick of the accommodation.
Another tip for sucessfully getting to your hotel is to keep a record of the Chinese name for your hotel (which will have an English and Chinese name) in case the locals don’t recognise it by the English title. This is especially true when in less touristy areas.
Also, don’t hesitate to walk in off the street to the upmarket hotels in the off-season and enquire about prices for the night because rooms not yet let are often available at greatly-reduced last minute rates.
Finally, expect to find your bed hard enough to bring a tear of joy to your chiropractor’s eye. If you aren’t used to travel in Asia, you’ll soon learn how unyielding beds can be!