The city doesn’t have one single centre, so your choice of area decides whether you get a night market, shopping or hot springs right outside your door. Staying close to a station is just as important. Here are my six recommendations for where to stay in Taipei, with hotels in three price ranges.

The Best Areas in Taipei

• Ximending - best area for first-time visitors and late nights
• Taipei Main Station - best area for an easy arrival and day trips by train
• Zhongshan - best area for cafés, shopping and good mid-range hotels
• Da’an - best area for good food and green surroundings
• Xinyi - best area for luxury, shopping and views by Taipei 101
• Beitou - best area for hot springs and peace and quiet

Below, I’ll take you through the six areas one by one, with hotels in three price ranges. Two things apply to all of them. The first is that the metro, known as the MRT, ties the city together. The city’s tourist office calls the MRT the most convenient public transport in Taipei, and trains run three to five minutes apart on average. That’s why the distance to the nearest station matters more than the name of the district, and I’ve noted it for each hotel. You can pay with an EasyCard, which, according to Taipei Metro’s overview of tickets, can be topped up and also used on other public transport and for small purchases. The second thing is the rooms. At the cheaper hotels, a double room is often 12 to 17 m², and many of the cheapest are sold with no window at all. It’s usually shown in the room name as No Window, so read the name before you book.

1. Ximending - best area for first-time visitors and late nights

• Distance from the centre: One stop on the MRT west of Taipei Main Station, or a walk of just over a kilometre.
• Transport: The MRT from Ximen Station on the blue and green lines.
• Time from the airport: 35 minutes on the Airport MRT express train from Terminal 1 to Taipei Main Station, then one stop on the MRT or a short taxi ride.
• Price range: Low to mid-range. Most hotels here are small and cheap, and the most expensive are four-star.
• Safety: Safe, even late at night. The pedestrian streets are packed in the evenings and at weekends, so keep an eye on your bag and phone.

Ximending is my first choice for a first trip to Taipei. The neighbourhood is in Wanhua District and is the city’s big pedestrian shopping area, with shops, street food and people out until late in the evening. The city’s tourist office calls Ximending a mecca for youth culture, and at weekends there are street performances and big crowds.

In the middle of it all is The Red House, an octagonal red-brick building around 150 metres from Ximen Station that now houses small design shops and a café. From Ximen, it’s also just one stop on the blue line to Longshan Temple Station, where the temple of the same name is a couple of hundred metres from the station.

See hotels in Ximending here.

Ximending is well placed in practical terms too. Ximen Station is on both the blue and the green line, so you can ride to Taipei Main Station, Zhongshan and all the way out to Xinyi without changing. If you’re coming from the airport, the express train reaches Taipei Main Station after 35 minutes, and from there it’s just under a kilometre to Ximending. With a suitcase, I’d take a taxi for the last stretch.

What you give up is peace and space. Many of the hotels only take up a few floors of a larger building, the rooms are small and the cheapest have no window. If you’re a light sleeper, choose a hotel facing Zhonghua Road or on the edge of the pedestrian streets rather than in the middle of them.

Don’t expect a pool or extensive facilities here either. If that matters to you, I’d look at Zhongshan or Xinyi instead and take the MRT to Ximending in the evening.

Places to Stay in Ximending

Solaria Nishitetsu Hotel Taipei Ximen - four-star hotel with a restaurant and gym near Ximen Station

Solaria Nishitetsu is on Zhonghua Road on the edge of Ximending, around 300 metres from Ximen Station. The standard rooms measure 18 to 21 m², and there are larger rooms for three people of up to 39 m². The hotel has a restaurant with a breakfast buffet and a gym.

It’s the most expensive and best-rated of my three suggestions in Ximending, and my pick if you want to stay in the middle of the city at a proper hotel. It doesn’t have a pool. One guest misses a wardrobe for their clothes, and another finds the price a little high.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “Convenient and easy access to food and transport.”

See photos and book Solaria Nishitetsu Hotel Taipei Ximen here.

Comma Boutique Hotel - mid-range hotel in the pedestrian streets with suites for families

Comma Boutique Hotel is on Xining South Road in Ximending itself, around 450 metres from Ximen Station and about the same distance from Beimen Station. There’s a wide choice of rooms, from double rooms of just under 13 m² and 25 m² family rooms for four to suites of 37 to 59 m².

The hotel suits a couple or a family who want to stay in the thick of things at a reasonable price. The smallest double room comes both with and without a window, so check which one you’re choosing. The hotel has no restaurant, and one guest misses the option of buying breakfast.

One guest sums it up on Booking.com: “Excellent value for money, great location, spacious room, friendly staff!”

See photos and book Comma Boutique Hotel here.

Taipei Triple Tiger Inn - simple and cheap with rooms for large families

Taipei Triple Tiger Inn is my budget suggestion in Ximending. It’s on the 3rd floor of a building in a side street off Kangding Road, around 400 metres from Ximen Station and 300 metres from The Red House. The double rooms measure 13 m² and have a private bathroom, and there are family rooms sleeping five, six and as many as eight people.

It works best if you’re out all day and mostly need a clean bed close to the MRT. The hotel has no restaurant. Guests mention that the shower is nothing special and that the rooms are small.

Short and sweet from one guest on Booking.com: “Great location. Good value.”

See photos and book Taipei Triple Tiger Inn here.

2. Taipei Main Station - best area for an easy arrival and day trips by train

• Distance from the centre: You’ll be staying at the city’s transport hub. It’s the point I measure the distances from in the rest of this guide.
• Transport: The MRT on the red and blue lines, the Airport MRT, regular trains and high-speed trains.
• Time from the airport: 35 minutes on the express train from Terminal 1 and around 50 minutes on the train that stops at every station.
• Price range: Wide, from simple city hotels in the side streets to five-star hotels by the station.
• Safety: Safe. The station is very large and can be confusing, so allow plenty of time the first time you need to find the right exit.

The area around Taipei Main Station is the practical choice. The station brings together the MRT’s red and blue lines, the regular trains, the high-speed train and the Airport MRT, so you can reach most of the city and large parts of Taiwan without any hassle. I’d stay here if you’re landing late, leaving early or have planned day trips out of the city.

From Taoyuan Airport, the Airport MRT runs directly here. According to Taipei’s official travel site, the express train takes 35 minutes from Terminal 1, while the train that stops at every station takes around 50 minutes. The Airport MRT station is at the western end of the station area, around 300 metres from the MRT station and about the same distance from Beimen Station, so expect an underground walk when you change.

See hotels near Taipei Main Station here.

If you’re flying into the city’s own airport, Songshan, the journey is shorter. The airport is inside the city and has its own station on the brown Wenhu line. From there, it’s three stops to Zhongxiao Fuxing, where you change to the blue line and ride another three stops to Taipei Main Station.

Beneath the station are several underground shopping streets, and one of them continues north to Zhongshan and Shuanglian, so you can walk in the dry when it rains. You can pick up dinner at Ningxia Night Market, just over a kilometre north of the station.

On the other hand, there isn’t much of a neighbourhood to come home to. You’re paying for transport, not atmosphere, and the streets right around the station are dominated by traffic. If you want more life in the evening, Ximending and Zhongshan are both one MRT stop away.

Places to Stay near Taipei Main Station

Palais de Chine Hotel - five-star hotel a few minutes’ walk from the trains and the Airport MRT

Palais de Chine is on Chengde Road just north of the station, around 300 metres from both the MRT station and the Airport MRT. The smallest rooms measure 30 m², the larger ones 37 m² and the suites 50 to 67 m². The hotel has a restaurant and a gym.

I’d choose it if you want a comfortable stay and the shortest possible route to the trains and the airport. The hotel doesn’t have a pool. The decor is dark, and several guests find both the hotel and the rooms too dim, while one mentions noise from the road.

One guest highlights the service on Booking.com: “Customer service was excellent, polite and friendly.”

See photos and book Palais de Chine Hotel here.

citizenM Taipei North Gate - chain hotel by Beimen Station with a bar and restaurant open around the clock

The citizenM hotel is on Zhonghua Road, halfway between Taipei Main Station and Ximending, just over 200 metres from Beimen Station and just under 400 metres from the Airport MRT station. Every room has a king-size bed, and the difference between the categories is the floor and the view. The restaurant and bar are open around the clock, and the hotel has contactless check-in and check-out.

It’s my suggestion for couples and solo travellers who can live with a compact room. Choose one of the categories with a view if your budget allows, because one of them is sold with no view at all. Guests mention that the lift is slow and that the room is small for two. The hotel doesn’t have a gym.

One guest writes about the view on Booking.com: “The view from the room was fantastic, location perfect.”

See photos and book citizenM Taipei North Gate here.

CityInn Hotel Taipei Station Branch III - good-value hotel with a shared kitchen north of the station

CityInn Hotel Taipei Station Branch III is on Chang An West Road north of the station, just under 400 metres from the Airport MRT and around 500 metres from the MRT station. The standard room measures 15 m², the larger ones 19 m² and the family room 23 m². Guests have access to a shared kitchen and lounge.

It’s a good option if you want a cheap stay close to the trains and can sort out breakfast yourself. The standard room also comes in a version without a window, so read the room name before you book. A couple of guests mention noise from outside and would like better soundproofing.

One guest describes their stay on Booking.com: “Staff was very polite and helpful, room was clean, location is good.”

See photos and book CityInn Hotel Taipei Station Branch III here.

3. Zhongshan - best area for cafés, shopping and good mid-range hotels

• Distance from the centre: One stop on the MRT north of Taipei Main Station, or just under a kilometre on foot.
• Transport: The MRT from Zhongshan Station on the red and green lines and from Shuanglian Station on the red line.
• Time from the airport: 35 minutes on the express train from Terminal 1 to Taipei Main Station, then one stop on the MRT or a short taxi ride.
• Price range: Very wide. You’ll find both some of the city’s expensive luxury hotels and plenty of good mid-priced hotels here.
• Safety: Safe, in the evening too. There are lots of people around the station and the department stores at weekends.

Zhongshan is one MRT stop north of Taipei Main Station, and it’s the area I’d choose if you’d rather have cafés and shops than neon signs. The department stores are around Zhongshan Station, and in the small streets behind them, Chifeng Street among them, you’ll find cafés, small shops and places to eat in older houses.

A narrow park runs between Zhongshan and Shuanglian stations, and beneath it is an underground shopping street that continues all the way to Taipei Main Station. That’s handy on a rainy day and in the summer heat.

See hotels in Zhongshan here.

Zhongshan is also a good base for the night markets. Ningxia Night Market is just over 500 metres west of Shuanglian Station, and the city’s tourist office describes Ningxia Night Market as a nostalgic retreat to the Taipei of earlier years. If you want to see one of the city’s largest night markets, the red line takes you from Zhongshan to Jiantan Station by Shilin Night Market in four stops.

If you arrive on the Airport MRT, you change at Taipei Main Station and ride one stop further on the red line. The green line from Zhongshan Station also gets you to Ximen in two stops, and on the red line it’s eight stops to Taipei 101.

Bear in mind that Zhongshan is a large district. A hotel with Zhongshan in its address can be a long way from the neighbourhood I’m describing here, and several of the big five-star hotels are a couple of kilometres further north and east. That’s why you should check the distance to Zhongshan or Shuanglian Station before you book. Close to the stations, mid-range rooms are often small, and some are sold without a window.

Places to Stay in Zhongshan

Regent Taipei - five-star hotel with a heated rooftop pool

Regent Taipei is in a side street off Zhongshan North Road, just under 400 metres from Zhongshan Station. The rooms start at 45 m², and that’s a lot in Taipei. There’s a heated outdoor pool on the roof, and the hotel has a spa, a sauna, a gym and several restaurants.

Paying for luxury makes sense here if you want the hotel to be part of the holiday and still want to be able to walk to the cafés and shops around the station. The hotel is large and busy. One guest mentions queues for both breakfast and check-in and calls the pool small.

Here’s what one guest says on Booking.com: “Good location, large and clean room, nice staff.”

See photos and book Regent Taipei here.

The Tango Hotel Taipei Nanshi - four-star hotel right by Zhongshan Station

The Tango Hotel Taipei Nanshi is on Nanjing West Road, around 100 metres from Zhongshan Station, so you have both the red and the green line right outside the door. The regular rooms measure 26 m², and the largest category is 33 m².

Choose it for a city break where location matters most. The hotel has neither a gym nor a pool, and the 23 m² studio room has no window, so pick another category if daylight is important to you. One guest had very poor Wi-Fi in the room, and another finds the breakfast selection too limited.

One guest describes their room on Booking.com: “Central location, rear room on upper floor was quiet.”

See photos and book The Tango Hotel Taipei Nanshi here.

Stay Inn - small budget hotel by Shuanglian Station

Stay Inn is my budget suggestion in Zhongshan. It’s on the 8th floor on Zhongshan North Road, around 250 metres from Shuanglian Station and just under 800 metres from Ningxia Night Market. The double room with a window measures 17 m², and there are 27 m² rooms for three and four people.

It suits you if you want a cheap stay in a neat, simple room and plan to eat out. The double room also comes without a window, at 13 m². Guests mention thin walls, and one finds the room and bathroom too small to have luggage out. Another praises the free coffee and tea.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “Everything was great, the room was cosy and modern.”

See photos and book Stay Inn here.

4. Da’an - best area for good food and green surroundings

• Distance from the centre: Three to five stops on the MRT south-east of Taipei Main Station, depending on where in the district you stay.
• Transport: The MRT on the red line from Dongmen, Daan Park and Daan, and on the blue line along Zhongxiao East Road.
• Time from the airport: 35 minutes on the express train from Terminal 1 to Taipei Main Station, then three to five stops on the MRT. From Songshan Airport, it’s three stops on the brown line to Zhongxiao Fuxing.
• Price range: Mid-range to high. There are few really cheap hotels, but plenty of good mid-range ones.
• Safety: Safe and calm, in the evening too. It’s quiet outside the restaurant streets.

Da’an is the district I’d choose if food is one of the main reasons for your trip. It stretches from Yongkang Street in the west to the shopping streets around Zhongxiao Dunhua in the north-east, and in the middle of it is Da’an Forest Park, the district’s big green breathing space.

Yongkang Street starts at Dongmen Station. Taipei’s tourist office calls Yongkang Street the origin of Taipei’s alley culture, meaning life in the small side streets, and this is where the restaurant Din Tai Fung became known for its dumplings. Today, teahouses, cafés and small places to eat are packed along the street and in the alleys around it.

See hotels in Da’an here.

In the evening, Linjiang Street Night Market is the district’s night market. It’s in a residential neighbourhood just under 400 metres from Xinyi Anhe Station and has around 200 food stalls, and it’s smaller and easier to find your way around than the big markets.

The red line runs through the whole district, stopping at Dongmen, Daan Park, Daan and Xinyi Anhe. From Dongmen, it’s three stops to Taipei Main Station and four to Taipei 101. The blue line runs along Zhongxiao East Road in the north. If you land at Songshan Airport, Da’an is the easiest area to reach, because the brown line runs from there directly to Zhongxiao Fuxing and Daan.

The drawback is the distances. Da’an is large and the hotels are spread out, so you’ll end up using the MRT for almost everything except dinner. It’s also quieter in the evening here than in Ximending, and for many people that’s exactly the point. Choose your hotel according to whether you’d rather stay by Yongkang Street and the park or by the shops on Zhongxiao East Road.

Places to Stay in Da’an

Shangri-La Far Eastern, Taipei - five-star hotel with a rooftop pool and views of Taipei 101

Shangri-La Far Eastern is on Dunhua South Road in the south-eastern part of Da’an. The smallest rooms measure 35 m² and most are 40 m², and several categories have a view of Taipei 101. The hotel has a seasonal outdoor rooftop pool, a spa, a gym and several restaurants.

It’s my suggestion if you want a classic luxury hotel with large rooms and can do without a station on the doorstep. It’s around 450 metres to Liuzhangli Station on the brown line and just over 800 metres to Xinyi Anhe on the red line, while Linjiang Street Night Market is around 600 metres away. One guest finds the rooms a little worn, and another mentions that the windows can’t be opened.

One guest lists the best things about the hotel on Booking.com: “The cleanliness and tidiness of the hotel, the staff, the location, the view!”

See photos and book Shangri-La Far Eastern, Taipei here.

Rido Hotel - three-star hotel overlooking Da’an Forest Park

You’ll find Rido Hotel on Xinyi Road, directly opposite Da’an Forest Park, around 150 metres from Daan Park Station and 500 metres from Dongmen Station and Yongkang Street. The standard rooms measure 24 m² and the largest 35 m², and several of them overlook the park.

I’d choose it if you want plenty of space for the price and Yongkang Street within walking distance. There’s neither a gym nor a pool, but there’s free parking. Several guests are disappointed by the breakfast, which one of them describes as a banana and wrapped biscuits, so you’re better off eating out. One mentions noise from the road in front of the hotel.

One guest writes about the view from the room on Booking.com: “The view of the park was magnificent.”

See photos and book Rido Hotel here.

Hej Taipei - budget hotel between two MRT stations in the shopping district

If you want something cheap in Da’an, Hej Taipei is my suggestion. It’s in the northern part of the district, on the 7th floor on Zhongxiao East Road. Zhongxiao Dunhua Station is around 300 metres away, and it’s just under 400 metres to Zhongxiao Fuxing, where the brown line from Songshan Airport stops. There’s a restaurant with a breakfast buffet.

The rooms measure 18 to 20 m², and the family room is 27 m². The cheapest double room has no window, so choose the category with a window if you want daylight. Guests mention low water pressure in the shower, and a couple of them found the reception staff unfriendly.

One enthusiastic guest writes on Booking.com: “It was very clean, close to great food and shops and the MRT, and the bed was huge!”

See photos and book Hej Taipei here.

5. Xinyi - best area for luxury, shopping and views by Taipei 101

• Distance from the centre: Six to seven stops on the MRT east of Taipei Main Station.
• Transport: The MRT on the blue line from Taipei City Hall and on the red line from Taipei 101/World Trade Center and Xiangshan.
• Time from the airport: 35 minutes on the express train from Terminal 1 to Taipei Main Station, then six to seven stops on the MRT. It’s the longest journey of the five central areas.
• Price range: The most expensive area in the city, with several large luxury hotels and few hotels at the cheap end.
• Safety: Safe and orderly. There are lots of people around the shopping centres in the evenings and at weekends.

Xinyi is Taipei’s modern business and shopping district, and it sits at the foot of Taipei 101. The city’s tourist office calls the shopping district here the Manhattan of Taipei, and this is where you’ll find the big luxury hotels and the shopping centres. I’d choose Xinyi if your budget stretches to it and you want views and comfort rather than street life.

You can get the view in two ways. Taipei 101 has an observation deck on the 89th floor. The other option is the hiking trail on Xiangshan, on the edge of the district: from the top, the whole Taipei Basin lies at your feet, according to the tourist office. The nearest station to the trail is Xiangshan, the last stop on the red line.

See hotels in Xinyi here.

The nearest night markets are just outside the district. Raohe Street Night Market is around one and a half kilometres north-east of Taipei City Hall Station, right by Songshan Station on the green line. According to the tourist office, the market is known for specialities such as pepper meat buns and oyster vermicelli. To the south-west, Linjiang Street Night Market is around a kilometre from Taipei 101.

The transport is good, but the journey is long. From Taipei Main Station, it’s six stops on the blue line to Taipei City Hall and seven on the red line to Taipei 101/World Trade Center. The two stations are just under a kilometre apart, so check which of them your hotel is closest to.

The price is the big catch. The district is new and orderly, but it also resembles business districts in other big cities. If you want more of the Taipei you find in the older neighbourhoods, Ximending and Zhongshan are better choices, and you can always come out here one afternoon for the view.

Places to Stay in Xinyi

Humble House Taipei, Curio Collection by Hilton - five-star hotel with an outdoor pool near Taipei City Hall Station

Humble House is on Songgao Road in the shopping district, around 350 metres from Taipei City Hall Station and just over 600 metres from Taipei 101. The smallest rooms measure 26 m², the larger ones 36 m² and the suites 53 m². The hotel has a seasonal outdoor pool, a spa and a gym.

It’s my suggestion if you want a five-star stay in Xinyi with most things within walking distance. Several categories are sold with a view of the city’s landmark, so choose one of them if the view matters to you. The rooms aren’t large for the price, and a couple of guests find the lighting in the rooms too dim. One calls the hotel bar expensive.

One guest sums up the hotel on Booking.com: “Fantastic location, comfortable and clean rooms.”

See photos and book Humble House Taipei, Curio Collection by Hilton here.

Pacific Business Hotel - four-star hotel with large rooms south-west of Taipei 101

Pacific Business Hotel is on the 11th floor on Guangfu South Road, around 500 metres from both Xinyi Anhe Station and Taipei 101/World Trade Center Station. The standard room measures 26 m², but most categories are 40 m², and the largest double room is 48 m². The hotel has a restaurant, a gym and a self-service laundry.

Here, you get plenty of space for your money in Xinyi, and Linjiang Street Night Market is around 400 metres from the door. It’s around 750 metres to Taipei 101. One guest finds the reception dark and a little gloomy, and another found the pillows too big and too hard.

Here’s how one guest describes their stay on Booking.com: “Room was clean, the staff were all very helpful and friendly and the breakfast was fabulous.”

See photos and book Pacific Business Hotel here.

Members Hotel at Taipei 101 - simple budget hotel with rooms for four

At the cheap end in Xinyi, Members Hotel at Taipei 101 is my suggestion. It’s on the 5th floor of a building on Keelung Road, just over 400 metres from Taipei 101/World Trade Center Station and just over 600 metres from the tower itself. The regular double rooms measure 15 to 17 m², and there are several 20 to 30 m² rooms for four people.

It’s a simple place with no restaurant, where breakfast is handed out in a box to take away, and where there’s a self-service laundry. Don’t expect the same standard as at the neighbouring hotels. One guest writes that the building looks nothing like the photos, and another only had a small window with no daylight. One of the rooms for four has no window at all.

One guest puts it briefly on Booking.com: “Very clean, very functional, great shower.”

See photos and book Members Hotel at Taipei 101 here.

6. Beitou - best area for hot springs and peace and quiet

• Distance from the centre: Around 10 kilometres north of Taipei Main Station as the crow flies.
• Transport: The MRT on the red line to Beitou Station, then one stop on the branch line to Xinbeitou.
• Time from the airport: 35 minutes on the express train from Terminal 1 to Taipei Main Station, 12 stops on the red line to Beitou and one more stop to Xinbeitou. By my estimate, allow around an hour and a half in total.
• Price range: Mid-range to high. You’re paying for a hot spring in your room, and there are few really cheap hotels.
• Safety: Safe and quiet. The roads climb up through the valley, and the water in Thermal Valley is very hot, so stay on the paths.

Beitou is something completely different from the rest of this guide. The district is on the northern outskirts of Taipei, and you stay here for the hot springs. According to the city’s tourist office, the hot springs in Xinbeitou have been famous since the Japanese colonial era, and the heat comes from the Datun Mountains.

Everything is gathered in a green valley east of Xinbeitou Station. Beitou Hot Spring Museum is around 500 metres from the station, and just under a kilometre from the station is Thermal Valley, a steaming lake where the water is around 85°C, according to the tourist office. So this is a place to look, not to bathe. Opening days and hours vary, so check them before you walk up there.

See hotels in Beitou here.

The bathing happens at the hotels. Many hotels in the valley pipe the spring water into the rooms, so you have your own tub, and several have communal baths too. That’s the big difference from an ordinary city hotel, and it’s why prices are higher here than the standard would otherwise suggest.

The catch with Beitou is the journey into the city. From Xinbeitou, a branch line runs one stop to Beitou Station, and from there it’s 12 stops on the red line to Taipei Main Station. By my estimate, allow a good half hour each way. On the plus side, the red line stops at Jiantan Station by Shilin Night Market on the way, so you can sort out dinner on the way back.

I wouldn’t stay in Beitou for the whole trip. My suggestion is one or two nights here at the beginning or end of your trip and the rest of your nights in one of the central areas.

Places to Stay in Beitou

The Gaia Hotel - five-star spa hotel with a hot spring in every room

The Gaia Hotel is just over 500 metres from Xinbeitou Station and around 200 metres south of Beitou Hot Spring Museum. The rooms start at 33 m², and every one has its own tub with water from the hot springs. On top of that, there are communal hot spring baths, an outdoor pool, a spa, a sauna, a gym and three restaurants.

It’s the hotel for a special occasion and for anyone who wants the full spa experience. The hotel has a free shuttle to the MRT, which has to be booked in advance on weekdays. According to one guest, the decor is starting to look a little dated, and another doesn’t think the food lives up to the price.

One guest writes about the staff on Booking.com: “Nothing was a bother for them.”

See photos and book The Gaia Hotel here.

Aqua Bella Hotel - four-star hotel with hot spring water in the room close to the station

Aqua Bella Hotel is on Wenquan Road, around 300 metres from Xinbeitou Station, and it’s the closest of my three suggestions to the MRT. The rooms vary widely: the smallest measures 16 m², the next size up 26 m² and the largest 43 to 50 m². The rooms have water from the hot springs, and the hotel has a restaurant, a lift and free parking.

Choose it if you want to try the hot springs without paying luxury prices and would like to be able to walk to the station. The road up to the hotel is uphill, and that’s what guests mention as the downside, so take a taxi from the station if you have heavy luggage.

One guest says of the room on Booking.com: “The room was clean and spacious.”

See photos and book Aqua Bella Hotel here.

Phoenix Pavilion Hot Spring Hotel - older hot spring hotel with a private tub in the room and a free shuttle

Phoenix Pavilion Hot Spring Hotel is the cheapest of my three suggestions in Beitou. It’s on Wenquan Road further up the valley, around 800 metres from Xinbeitou Station, and has a free shuttle to and from the station. Every room has its own tub with spring water. The smallest measure 12 to 15 m², the regular ones 20 m² and the largest 35 m².

There are two things you should know before you book. The hotel has no lift, so you’ll have to carry your luggage up the stairs, and it isn’t the place if you have bad knees. The building is also older, and guests describe the furniture and floors as worn. On the other hand, this is where you get a private hot spring at the lowest price of the three.

One guest sums up their stay on Booking.com: “Clean, spacious, great location, onsen in room, staff is very considerate and friendly.”

See photos and book Phoenix Pavilion Hot Spring Hotel here.

Where should you avoid staying in Taipei?

I wouldn’t choose a hotel on price or the name of the district alone. Zhongshan, Da’an and Xinyi are large districts, and a cheap hotel on the edge of them can be a long way from both the MRT and the neighbourhood you had in mind. Always check the distance to the nearest station, and read the room description, because the cheapest rooms in Taipei often have no window.

I wouldn’t stay out by Taoyuan Airport either, unless you have a very early flight. The airport is outside the city, and even on the express train a return trip takes more than an hour. Beitou is a lovely place for a night or two, but too far from the rest of the city to be your base for a whole city break.

If I had to pick one area for a first trip, it’d be Ximending for the evening buzz and the low prices. Taipei Main Station is the choice if you want the easiest arrival and plenty of day trips, and Zhongshan gives you cafés, shopping and a wide choice of mid-range hotels.

Da’an is for you if you travel for the food and want a quiet place to stay, and Xinyi is the place for luxury and views of Taipei 101. I’d save Beitou for a night or two of hot springs. In all six areas, remember to look at the distance to the MRT and whether the room has a window before you look at the stars.

The time of year matters too. Taiwan’s Tourism Administration writes that the country has a warm and humid climate and that there can be persistent drizzle in the rainy season from March to May. It adds that typhoons sometimes approach or hit the country in summer, from June to August. According to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration, an average of three to five typhoons affect Taiwan each year. If you’re travelling in summer, I’d choose a hotel close to an MRT station, so you avoid long walks in the heat, and keep one day free in your plans.

Many travellers combine Taipei with another big city in Asia. If you’re continuing to Japan or South Korea, you can read my guides to where to stay in Tokyo, the best areas in Osaka and where to stay in Seoul. If you’re heading south, I’ve also written about where to stay in Bangkok.

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