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One of the hardest parts of planning a trip to a huge city like Taipei is choosing a hotel. This is certainly the case when trying to decide where to stay in Taipei!
Unlike some major Asian cities, Taipei doesn’t really have a backpacker’s neighborhood, nor does it have one particular area that sounds out as the absolute best. Taipei’s top sights are spread out, but thankfully they are all connected by the MRT, so you don’t have to worry too much!
In this article, I’ve chose seven of the coolest and most convenient neighborhoods to stay in, and for each one, I’ll explain what kind of traveler it is most suitable for. These are areas that I would personally love to stay in as a visitor, but each one for different reasons.
I’ve lived in Taipei for over 10 years, and I’ve stayed in or visited many of the below Taipei hotels for the purpose of reviewing them or recommending them in I’ve written articles over the years, including for CNN and several travel magazines in Taiwan.
Valuable Resources:
- Take advantage of the great deals to be found on Klook! Use this link to sign up and you’ll get NT$100 of your first activity.
- Read my Taiwan travel guide and recommended Taipei itinerary.
- See my introduction to the Taipei Fun Pass to help decide if you can save money with this pass.
- Search for cool guesthouses in Taipei on Airbnb. (Join Airbnb here and you’ll get up to $50 off your first stay!)
- If you are interested in renting an apartment in Taipei, then Pop Rooms is the best online resource.
- Read about the best months to visit Taipei in my guide to when to visit Taipei.
The 7 Best Places to Stay in Taipei
1. Around Taipei 101 (for the best upscale options)
2. Zhongxiao East Road (for shopping and restaurant choices)
3. Around Taipei Main Station (for convenience)
4. Ximending Neighborhood (for young, LGBT-friendly, and artsy vibes)
5. Dadaocheng Neighborhood (for history & culture)
6. Around Da’An Park (for park lovers, cafés, and international/student vibes)
7. Beitou Hot Spring area (for hot springs)
1. Best Hotels around Taipei 101
Taipei 101 is Taipei’s most iconic landmark, dominates Dong Qu (Eastern District), one of the newest sections of the city.
Even if you don’t visit the skyscraper to ride the world’s fastest elevator up to the Taipei 101 Observation Deck (reserve your tickets online or skip the lines with a priority pass), you may also visit the area to climb Elephant Mountain for the best views of the city. Taipei 101 is also free for Taipei Unlimited Fun Pass holders.
The area around Taipei 101 also features world class shopping & restaurants, while Tonghua Night Market is widely considered a very “local” night market despite its proximity to the glamorous shopping district (see here for my detailed guide to Taipei’s best night markets). Some of Taipei’s best night clubs are also found in the area.
Unsurprisingly, the 101 area has the best selection of upscale hotels, but luckily there are also some great budget options available.
Best hostel around Taipei 101
Space Inn Xinyi (see prices / read reviews) is, as the name suggests, a space themed hostel. Expect neon lights and futuristic designs, but with super clean rooms, comfy beds, great lockers, and everything you need for a cozy and safe stay. It’s a couple minutes’ walk from Tonghua Night Market.
Best mid-range hotel around Taipei 101
Home Hotel (see prices / read reviews) is a Michelin-recommended upper-mid-range choice that I recommend for its elegant wooden and carpeted rooms (kind of rare in Taiwan) and very close proximity to Taipei 101.
Best luxury hotel around Taipei 101
Grand Hyatt Taipei (see prices / read reviews) is my number #1 recommendation near Taipei 101, as we stayed there recently and had a fantastic stay. I especially recommend it for families because of the Family Adventure Package. Read my detailed review of our stay at Grand Hyatt Taipei to find out all about it.
Le Meridien Taipei (see prices / read reviews) and Humble House Taipei (see prices / read reviews) are two other luxury choices that are very close to Taipei 101.
2. Best Hotels on Zhongxiao East Road
Also considered a part of Taipei’s Eastern District, Zhongxiao East Road is a main thoroughfare of Taipei and one of its liveliest streets. The road runs above the MRT blue line from Taipei Main Station all the way to the eastern reaches of the city, but the section from Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT to Taipei City Hall MRT are the most happening.
While the Taipei 101 area is unapologetically glamorous, Zhongxiao East Road and the many lanes running off it feature a balance of luxury boutiques and budget-friendly shops. The area also has what is probably the city’s highest concentration and widest variety of amazing restaurants, from cheap street food and smoky BBQ joints to sushi and fine European dining.
If you like staying where the action is at, this area is probably for you! Notable sights along the road include Huashan Creative Arts Park, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, and the 24-hour Eslite Dunnan bookstore.
Staying in this area is also convenient for taking the bus to Jiufen, one of the most popular day trips from Taipei. If you are familiar with it, see my detailed guide to Jiufen.
Best hostel on Zhongxiao East Road
Star Hostel Taipei East (see prices / read reviews) is the best rated hostel in the area, but it’s full every time I check, so do book well ahead! It is located very close to Zhongxiao Dunhua MRT in a neighborhood full of great shops and restaurants.
Best mid-range hotel on Zhongxiao East Road
ArTree Hotel (see prices / read reviews) is a fairly new boutique hotel that combines nature and technology; it looks pretty normal on the outside, but conceals jungle-like spaces on the inside. Note that it is not right on Zhongxiao E. Rd. but a few blocks north, near Taipei Arena MRT. There’s a great indoor market and food court at the bottom of it, where I used to always eat when my wife ran a school right across the street from the hotel!
Best luxury hotels on Zhongxiao East Road
Kimpton Da An Taipei (see prices / read reviews) is a brand new addition to the luxury/boutique hotel scene in Taipei. I’m biased, but also proud to say that I worked with Kimpton writing several articles about Taipei for their blog (such as this one) after they announced they were coming to Taiwan, and I’m very pleased to see the positive reviews pouring in from the first guests staying at their hotel!
W Taipei (see prices / read reviews) also absolutely needs a mention here. This is without a doubt Taipei’s hippest, funkiest luxury choice. Lady Gaga (obviously) stayed here when she was in town. I was lucky enough to tour the hotel’s facilities and rooms when I covered the hotel for CNNTravel, and my friends and I regularly go there for fancy cocktails by the 10th floor lobby pool.
We also love the weekend buffet at Kitchen Table restaurant (photo above). The W is just outside Taipei City Hall MRT, within walking distance of Taipei 101.
3. Best Hotels around Taipei Main Station
For ultra convenience, considering staying in one of the many accommodation choices around Taipei Main Station.
As the city’s main transportation hub, here you’ll find the main TRA (regular train) and HSR (high speed rail) station, the intersection of the red and blue MRT lines, the Airport MRT, and Taipei bus station. This makes it super convenient if you are making day trips from Taipei or continuing on to Taichung, Taroko Gorge, Alishan, or Sun Moon Lake!
The streets just south of Taipei Main Station are full of restaurants & cafés, while the second floor of the train station building has a great food court.
The following attractions are within walking distance: National Taiwan Museum (including the dinosaur exhibit in the Land Bank Museum), 2-28 Peace Park, North Gate, and Camera Street. Ximending (#2 below) and Dadaocheng (#3 below) are also within walking distance.
Best hostel around Taipei Main Station
Old Door Hostel and Bar (see prices / read reviews) is the best rated hostel around Taipei Main Station (only 1 minute away on foot, just north of the station) and one of the best hostels in Taipei. It is small in size and the staff are extremely friendly. They’ve also got good beer!
Best mid-range hotel around Taipei Main Station
Taipei Star Hotel (see prices / read reviews) is a great option on the south side of the station, only two minutes away. Rooms are bright and nicely decorated, and everyone raves about the super friendly host. Book early!
Best luxury hotel around Taipei Main Station
Palais de Chine Hotel (see prices / read reviews) is without a doubt the number one choice for a centrally located luxurious stay, including Taipei’s only 3-star Michelin restaurant.
4. Best Hotels in Ximending
Ximending, or Ximen, is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Taipei. This pedestrian-only shopping district is famous for its quirky shops, cafés, bars and restaurants, LGBT-friendly scene, street art, street food, and history.
For more details about what makes Ximending so cool, see my article on 25 weird things to do in Ximending and my Ximending food guide. The neighborhood is only one MRT stop southwest of Taipei Main Station
Besides the neighborhood itself, Ximending is within walking distance (or 1-2 stops on the MRT) of Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Bopiliao Historical Block, and Longshan Temple, the city’s most important temple (see my guide to the best temples in Taipei for more info).
Best hostel in Ximending
Next Stop Hostel Ximending (see prices / read reviews) gets my vote for being smack in the middle of the Ximending pedestrian zone, being clean and professional, and offering free coffee and tea to guests.
Best mid-range hotel in Ximending
Via Hotel (see prices / read reviews) and Amba Taipei Ximending (see prices / read reviews) tie here as two great boutique hotels right in the Ximending shopping district. Via is closer to the MRT, while Amba has a really cool exterior (see photo above) and is just around the corner from Ximending Movie Street.
5. Best Hotels in Dadaocheng
Along with Ximending, Dadaocheng is another of my favorite neighborhoods in Taipei. Follow my free walking tour of Dadaocheng and Dihua Street to explore the area.
The neighborhood has been a center of trade along the river ever since Taiwan became the capital of Taiwan, and some of Taipei’s oldest and most interesting tea shops, temples, markets, and colonial architecture can be found here, especially along Dihua Street, the oldest street in Taipei.
You’ll need to walk 5-10 minutes to reach these hotel choices (from Zhongshan, Shuanglian, or Daqiaotou MRT stations), further than most others in this article, but you’ll be rewarded with a memorable stay in a highly atmospheric neighborhood— some choices below are even in colonial-era buildings.
Ningxia Night Market, one of the city’s best (see my full guide to Taipei’s night markets) is also nearby.
Best hostel in Dadaocheng
We Come Hostel (see prices / read reviews) is a very highly rated hostel located near the southern end of Dihua Street.
Best Budget Hotel in Dadaocheng
Jianshan Hotel (see prices / read reviews) offers budget-friendly doubles and I strongly recommend it for its nostalgic vintage look and historical atmosphere.
Best mid-range hotel in Dadaocheng
OrigInn Space (see prices / read reviews) is another super atmospheric choice decorated with vintage antiques. It is located in a historic building at the southern entrance to Dihua Street. The building is owned by the Lin Family, a wealthy family that was important in the early development in the city and owns several historic mansions and buildings in Taipei.
6. Best Hotels around Da’An Park
Enormous Da’An Park is Taipei’s answer to Central Park in New York. The city’s largest park is the perfect place to hang out and have an afternoon picnic or beer. Rooms at my mid-range recommendation below offer awesome views of the park from above.
Da’An District is also home to some of the most important universities in Taiwan, so the area is popular among students, and you’ll find a never-ending supply of cute cafés and eateries around here.
Near Da’An Park, Yongkang Street is a popular foodie street (the homeland of both mango shaved ice and Din Tai Fung, Taipei’s most famous restaurant: pre-order your meal here!)
The area west of Da’An Park is also a religiously diverse community, with many churches and the Taipei Grand Mosque, as well as some beautiful wooden Japanese-era homes, some of which house great cafés and tea houses, centered on Qingtian street.
South of Da’An Park, you can also find Shida Night Market and Gongguan Night Market.
Best hostel around Da’An Park
Dongmen Capsule 3 Inn (see prices / read reviews) offers both Japanese-style private capsules and regular dorm bunk beds, some of which even offer street views. If you’ve never stayed in a capsule hotel, this would be a great place to try! It is located close to the entrance to Yongkang Street.
Best mid-range hotels around Da’An Park
Dandy Hotel (see prices / read reviews) I first visited Dandy Hotel years ago when researching the best hotels in Taipei for a CNN Travel article, and I still strongly recommend this modern business hotel for its epic views looking over Da’An Park. It is also the top rated hotel in Da’An district on Tripadvisor.
Inhouse Residence (see prices / read reviews) is an exceptionally stylish boutique hotel also within walking distance of Da’An Park and very close to Shida Night Market.
7. Hotels in Beitou Hot Spring Area
Beitou is Taipei City’s only MRT-accessible hot spring resort village. The hot springs in the area were first developed by the Japanese, and many beautiful Japanese wooden buildings and bathhouses remain. Here’s my super detailed guide to Beitou Hot Spring.
To be clear, Beitou would not be a convenient place to stay for touring Taipei. However, if you are a hot spring lover, or you are looking for an weekend escape from the city, this could be a fine choice.
Due to the proximity to the city, the hotel options here are on the pricier side, but all of them come with your own private hot spring bath in the room. If you’d just like to try visiting and soaking for a few hours, I’ve listed all the best hot spring options in my Beitou article linked to above.
Best budget hotel in Beitou Hot Spring Area
Kyoto Spring Hotel (see prices / read reviews) is the only decent budget choice in the area. It’s a simple place with clean, modern tubs (see photo above), and we often go here just for a soak as it is only place I’ve found that has reasonably priced private hot spring rooms with windows that even have a decent view.
Best mid-range hotel in Beitou Hot Spring Area
Chyuan Du Spring Resort (see prices / read reviews) is a little old, but we stayed here once when I son was only a few months old purely for the great location right by Xinbeitou MRT and Beitou Hot Spring Park, and because our room came with a free Wii video game system rental! We also had our own private dry sauna as well as the usual hot spring tub.
Best luxury hotels in Beitou Hot Spring Area
Villa 32 (see prices / read reviews) is the most exclusive and expensive choice in Beitou and is 16+ only.
Asia Pacific Hotel Beitou (see prices / read reviews) is a large family-friendly resort perfect for a weekend getaway.
Grand View Resort (see prices / read reviews), Gaia Hotel (see prices / read reviews), and Radium Kagaya (see prices / read reviews) are other fine choices, all well-known for their hot springs and restaurants.
I never travel without a guidebook! I recommend these:
