Via Hotel Taipei Station: Your Unbeatable Taipei Escape Awaits!
Okay, buckle up, buttercups! Because we're diving headfirst into Via Hotel Taipei Station: Your Unbeatable Taipei Escape Awaits! and trust me, it ain't all sunshine and rainbows (though there's plenty of sunshine, and maybe even a rainbow-shaped cake, who knows?). This is going to be a REAL review, not some corporate fluff piece.
Let's Talk Location & Accessibility (It's Important, I Swear!)
First things first: location, location, location! Via Hotel Taipei Station is pretty much on Taipei Station. Like, you stumble out of the MRT, and bam! you're practically in the lobby. That's gold when you're lugging suitcases, battling jet lag, or just generally feeling like a crumpled piece of paper. Being so close to the station makes getting around Taipei a breeze. Trains to everywhere, buses to everywhere… it’s a logistical dream.
Accessibility: Now, here’s where things get… mostly good. They do have facilities for disabled guests, and the elevator's a plus. However, while I didn't personally need the full wheelchair-accessible treatment, I did poke around a bit. It seems solid enough, but always double-check specific room details and needs with the hotel directly. Don't just blindly trust what's online. (Lesson learned the hard way, people!)
Internet, Oh Internet! (My Lifeline, Sometimes!)
Okay, so Wi-Fi. Let’s not sugarcoat it: it's essential these days. Via Hotel nails it. Free Wi-Fi in all rooms? YES. Wi-Fi in public areas? YES. Internet [LAN]? YES (for the super nerds, which, hey, no judgment!). But honestly, the free Wi-Fi in the room was a godsend. I could binge-watch shows, stalk my ex on social media (kidding… mostly), and actually, you know, work without the internet dropping out. HUGE win. There was a bit of a dodgy connection in the lobby once, but hey, it’s happened.
Cleanliness and Safety: The Pandemic Edition
Look, let's be real. We're all a bit obsessed with germs and getting the ick these days. Via Hotel takes it seriously. Anti-viral cleaning products? Check. Daily disinfection in common areas? Check. Rooms sanitized between stays? Check. They give a certificate of hygiene which is the least anyone can do. And I saw staff constantly wiping down surfaces. Felt safe. I’m sure this will lessen over time but for now, it’s a good thing.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: Food Glorious Food!
Okay, time to talk grub. Look, I'm a foodie. I live for food. And the options at Via Hotel are… decent. They have a restaurant (Asian cuisine, apparently), a coffee shop, and a snack bar. Breakfast is buffet-style (Asian, Western, whatever floats your boat). I went for the eggs and toast, but kept glancing longingly at an amazing-looking congee. Sigh. Still, the buffet was a lifesaver, because I’m rarely functional before a big carb injection.
Anecdote Time! One morning, I was completely lost in my own head, probably still half-asleep, and accidentally grabbed a plate of what I thought was scrambled eggs. Turns out, it was some kind of… fish cake? My face must have been a picture. It was… an experience. Not my favorite experience, if I'm honest. But the coffee was strong, and the staff were very understanding about my bewildered expression. They did have a la carte options in the restaurant, but as I said, carbs were the order of the day.
Things to Do/Ways to Relax: Or, My Attempt at Zen
They have a fitness center, a spa, and… a pool with a view?! Now, I tried the fitness center. Keyword: tried. Let's just say my relationship with exercise is… complicated. I lasted about 10 minutes before retreating to my room to watch Netflix. (Lazy? Maybe. Honest? Absolutely.) But, the pool? Tempting. I just didn’t get around to it. Too much exploring to do.
Rooms: The Nitty Gritty
Okay, let’s get real about the rooms. They're… comfortable. They have everything you need: air conditioning (thank GOD), a comfy bed, a safe, and a coffee maker (very important!). The blackout curtains were amazing for jet lag. The bathroom was clean and functional, with decent toiletries. I was on a high floor; the view, while nothing spectacular, was perfectly fine. I wouldn't say it was the most gorgeous, instagram-worthy room, but who cares? It's clean, safe, and has a darn good bed.
Confession Time: I do have one tiny nitpick. The shower pressure was a little weak. But hey, I'm a princess about these things. It still got the job done.
Services and Conveniences: The Little Things That Matter
They have a 24-hour front desk (essential!), luggage storage, daily housekeeping (thank you!), and a convenience store nearby (hello, midnight snack runs!). Currency exchange available. They also have laundry service (but I just did mine by hand, because I’m a cheapskate). They even have a doctor/nurse on call.
For the Kids (And the Kid in All of Us)
They claim to be family-friendly! Kids facilities, and babysitting service (if that's your thing).
Getting Around: Easy Peasy
Airport transfer? Check. Car park (free of charge)? Yep. Taxi service readily available. This hotel makes getting around ridiculously easy.
The Offer: Your Taipei Escape Starts Here!
Okay, so is "Via Hotel Taipei Station: Your Unbeatable Taipei Escape Awaits!" perfect? No, probably not. But is it a fantastic, super-convenient, clean, and comfortable base for exploring Taipei? Absolutely!
Here's the deal:
- Location, Location, Location: Right next to Taipei Station. Seriously, you can't beat it!
- Comfort is King (and Queen): Clean, comfortable rooms with all the essentials. The blackout curtains are life.
- Stay Safe, Stay Sane: They're taking cleanliness seriously.
- Foodie Fun (Mostly): Decent breakfast buffet to get you started.
- Connected & Convenient: Free Wi-Fi + easy access to transportation.
Why Book Now? Because you deserve a hassle-free Taipei adventure! Via Hotel Taipei Station will give you a practical, enjoyable stay. It's a great base for exploring this amazing city.
So, what are you waiting for? Ditch the stress, book your stay at Via Hotel Taipei Station, and get ready for an epic Taipei adventure!
Escape to Paradise: Sunvalley Izu's Luxurious Getaway Awaits!
Okay, buckle up buttercups, because this isn't your grandma's perfectly-polished travel itinerary. We're going to Via Hotel Taipei Station, Taiwan, and it's going to be less "smooth sailing" and more "slightly chaotic, but ultimately worthwhile." Brace yourselves.
Day 1: Arrival and "OMG, Is That a Street Food Stall?!"
- 8:00 AM: Land at Taoyuan International Airport (TPE). Okay, the flight was fine, except for the screaming baby in row 17 who decided to make a career of it. Honestly, it was like a high-pitched symphony of pure, unadulterated toddler rage. I briefly considered using my noise-canceling headphones as a weapon.
- 9:00 AM: Immigration and baggage claim. Thank GOD for Global Entry. Seriously, the lines were… intimidating. Found my bag, thank goodness. I swear TSA loves to take a peek at my questionable collection of travel snacks.
- 10:00 AM: Train to Taipei Main Station. Instructions say to take the MRT. I'm slightly terrified. Big city, new language, and my internal navigation system is about as reliable as a politician promising to tell the truth.
- 10:30 AM: At the station. Found Via Hotel - not as hard as I thought! Cleanliness is something I noticed. Room check, okay, fine, but I forgot the adapter!
- 12:00 PM: Explore the area around the hotel. First impressions? Taipei is… busy. Like, really busy. The energy buzzes around you, sidewalks are crowded like a never-ending parade, and the air smells like a delicious mix of exhaust fumes and… something fried. And then I saw it. The street food. Oh. My. God.
- Personal Rambling: I am a sucker for street food, and Taiwan… Taiwan is Heaven. I was immediately overwhelmed. So many choices! Steaming buns, skewers grilling over open flames, mountains of colorful vegetables… It was sensory overload in the best possible way. I think I might have drooled a little bit.
- 1:00 PM: Lunch at a random street food stall. I pointed at something that looked vaguely edible - pork belly in a fluffy bun – and prayed. Best decision of the day. It was amazing! The flavors exploded in my mouth. Sweet, savory, a hint of spice… I ate three. Don't judge me.
- 2:00 PM: Explore the underground mall. I actually got lost twice. There are tons of shops, cafes, and more food stalls (obviously). It's a maze, but a delicious one. Found a cute little cat cafe where the cats were totally unimpressed by my existence.
- 5:00 PM: "Accidental" (okay, completely on purpose) afternoon tea at a tiny cafe. Needed caffeine. And something sweet. Found a place with these amazing little tarts. Ordered way too many, and I almost got into a minor argument with a local over the last piece. (I won.)
- 7:00 PM: Dinner: Night Market adventure begins!
- Personal Rant: Okay, Night Markets. They are legendary, and rightly so. The smells are intoxicating, the sounds are a cacophony of chatter and sizzling woks, and the crowds… well, let's just say you need to embrace the jostle. I tried stinky tofu. Okay, I tried it. I took a bite. My face probably said it all. I'd say it "acquired its taste"… when I am old enough to collect Social Security. I don't know how people can eat things like that! However, I did find this amazing oyster omelet. Absolutely divine. Completely worth the possible food poisoning risk. (Fingers crossed.)
- 9:00 PM: Head back to hotel, slightly overwhelmed, definitely stuffed, and already plotting my next street food raid. Sleep? Maybe. Probably not. Too much to see, too much to eat, too much to… experience.
Day 2: Temples, Tea, and Trying to Find My Inner Peace (Spoiler: Still Lost).
- 9:00 AM: Breakfast at the hotel. Free breakfast--fine, but the coffee is weak. Needs more oomph.
- 10:00 AM: Tour the Confucius Temple and Longshan Temple. The Confucius Temple was pretty simple, quiet and peaceful. Then I went to Longshan. Wow! I am not religious but I felt this incredible energy. So many people, the incense smoke hanging in the air, the intricate carvings… it was visually stunning. I took a few photos, but I realized pictures just couldn't capture the feeling.
- 12:00 PM: Lunch: Went back to that pork belly stall. No shame. Seriously, that bun changed my life.
- 1:00 PM: Tea Ceremony. I had a tea ceremony booked. I was told it would be tranquil, and I'd find inner peace. I've never been more wrong. So many different types of tea, so many rules… I felt like I was back in kindergarten, trying to remember where I was supposed to put my elbows. Despite the clumsy attempt at mastering the art of tea drinking, it was incredible. The tea was delicious, and I started to chill a little (maybe not "inner peace," but at least "slightly less stressed").
- 3:00 PM: Explore the Ximending shopping district. Huge disappointment. The stores were full of teen stuff that was tacky and not my style. It was hot and crowded. I left after an hour.
- 5:00 PM: Try to find the Elephant Mountain Hiking Trail. I got lost. I mean, REALLY lost. Wandered around some residential streets, asked for directions… nobody seemed to know where it was. Eventually, I gave up and found a bubble tea shop. Bubble tea: a lifesaver.
- 7:00 PM: Dinner: Some delicious soup dumplings I found at a random place. Heavenly. So, so good.
- 9:00 PM: Attempt to organize my photos, fail, and eat more snacks I picked up at the night market. Sleep? Still questionable.
Day 3: Cultural Immersion… Slightly Messier Than Expected.
- 9:00 AM: Decided to go to the National Palace Museum. Lots of artifacts, but I was a bit bored. It's beautiful, but maybe I need to plan my activities with more breaks in between.
- 12:00 PM: Lunch at a local restaurant near the museum. My Mandarin is nonexistent, so I pointed at a plate of food and hoped for the best. Ended up with something that might have been chicken feet. Decided to go with it. I ate everything there.
- 2:00 PM: Hike to the top of Elephant Mountain. Finally! The view of the city was incredible. Worth every step.
- 4:00 PM: Visit the 101 building shopping mall. Shopping malls are a waste of time for me, but I was curious, so I went up the tower. I'm not sure, the top of the tower was neat. The elevators were fast, but it was crowded.
- 6:00 PM: Eat at a fancy dinner restaurant at the 101 building. I got dressed up, and splurged. The food was amazing, and I felt kind of grown up.
- 8:00 PM: Back to the hotel. Packing, checking out, writing my notes.
- 9:00 PM: Get my flight information ready, then pass out from exhaustion.
Day 4: Departure and the Aftermath.
- 6:00 AM: Wake up from a panic sweat because I thought I missed my flight. I didn't.
- 7:00 AM: Breakfast, rushed, because I was already running late.
- 8:00 AM: Taxi to the airport. Smooth, for once.
- 10:00 AM: Flight.
- Aftermath: I'm home. Exhausted. Broke (those pork belly buns add up!). My brain is still buzzing with the sights, sounds, and smells of Taipei. I miss the chaos, the street food, the constant discovery. I'm already planning my return. And this time, I'm bringing a bigger backpack… and maybe a gas mask for the stinky tofu.
Important Note: This is a suggestion, a guideline, a slightly unhinged blueprint. Deviate. Get lost (literally and figuratively). Embrace the unexpected. Eat the street food. Laugh at yourself when you inevitably mess things up. That, my friends, is when the real adventure begins. Because what matters is not the perfect itinerary, but the imperfect moments, the unexpected discoveries, and the memories you create along the way. Now go forth, and get delightfully lost in Taipei!
Unbelievable KEIKYU EX Hotel Deal in Shinagawa! (Near Station!)
Via Hotel Taipei Station: Your Taipei Adventure Starts... Hopefully Well! (FAQ-ish ramblings)
Is Via Hotel REALLY that close to Taipei Main Station? Like, *really*? Because I've been lied to before…
Okay, so real talk. My feet are currently protesting from the last "close to the station" hotel I stayed at. Via Hotel? It's… *chef's kiss*. Like, you tumble out of the station, blink, and BAM! It’s basically *in* Taipei Main Station. Okay, maybe not *in*, but seriously, you’re practically tripping over the entrance. I think I even briefly considered just *living* in the station for a day, it's so close. The convenience is dangerous, you know? Dangerous for your wallet (hello, tempting food stalls!). But also, amazing. So, yes. Yes, it is. Trust me, I am *not* easily impressed by "walking distance." This one's legit.
What are the rooms like? Instagrammable? Actually… *comfy*?
Alright, let's face it. We all want the 'gram. The rooms at Via? They're… decent. Clean, which is a HUGE win in my book. They definitely have a modern, minimalist vibe, which is good for Instagram! They have a thing for natural light... when the sun is cooperating, which in Taipei, let's be real, is hit or miss. I'm not gonna deny it, I *tried* to get a good shot for the 'gram. Failed miserably due to my own lack of photographic skill, and the constant haze. But, and this is the important part: they're comfy. The bed wasn't like sleeping on a cloud, but I wouldn't call it a torture device. Bathroom was good, everything worked, and the shower pressure was *on point*. That's a big deal after a day battling crowds. My personal take? They did their job and I wasn't dreading going back to the room. Always a win.
Breakfast: Yay or Nay? Because my mornings are… delicate.
Okay, breakfast... This is where it gets subjective. I'm a breakfast person. I need carbs. I NEED caffeine. The breakfast situation at Via? Standard hotel breakfast buffet. Don't expect Michelin star cuisine. There was toast, eggs (scrambled, probably made with a carton of something, who knows!), some sad-looking fruit, and the all-important coffee machine that made something approaching brown liquid. It's not fantastic, but it'll fill a hole. I may have had some congee one morning to get to the bottom of a feeling. But it will fuel your day. Frankly, with the sheer amount of epic street food right outside the door, skip it and venture out. Seriously, hunt down a *dan bing* vendor within a block. Trust me on this one.
What if I need help? Are the staff… approachable?
The staff? Fine. They're there. They speak decent English (though I did manage to confuse one poor soul by asking if they had "tapioca pearls" in Mandarin, which is apparently, hilariously, not the right phrase. My bad!). They’ll help you. They’ll answer your questions. I'm not going to say they're bursting with personality, but they’re efficient and polite. That's honestly all I want. I need someone who can point me to the nearest dumpling restaurant, and they did that with aplomb. No complaints here. Plus, the lobby is usually bustling, which is always a good sign of some life (and possible late-night delivery).
The "vibe" of the hotel. Is it noisy? Does it smell? Do people just... *hang out* there?
Okay, vibe check. Noise... it's in Taipei. The first few nights were like heaven, but I quickly became a veteran of the traffic sounds. It's not that the hotel itself is noisy; it's the city! But, you're in the heart of things, so accept it. Earplugs are your friend. Smell? Honestly, it smelled fine. The usual hotel smell of "clean and slightly chemically," which is better than the alternative! Hanging out? Yes, but not in a creepy way. The lobby is functional, but mostly people are coming and going, plotting their next adventure (probably involving more dumplings, like me). It's definitely more of a "base camp" hotel than a "chill by the pool" kind of place.
Should I actually book this place? I have options...
Okay, the million-dollar question. Should you book Via Hotel Taipei Station? It depends. Are you looking for a luxurious, over-the-top experience? Maybe not. Are you primarily interested in being ridiculously close to Taipei Main Station and all its glory and chaos? Then, yes. YES. Absolutely. It's clean, comfy, and the location is *everything*. It's not perfect, but it's a solid, reliable choice that will save you massive amounts of time and frustration. Think of it as your Taipei launchpad. Just remember to pack some earplugs. And maybe learn the correct Mandarin phrase for "tapioca pearls." You'll thank me.
Bonus Rambles: My Taipei train woes (and why location is KING.)
Okay, so remember how I was going on about the closeness to the station? Let me tell you a little tale. The first time I went to Taipei, I was lured in by a "charming boutique hotel" a *bit* further out. "Just a short taxi ride," they said. "Close to the MRT," they claimed. LIES. Pure. Utter. Lies. That "short taxi ride" turned into a sweaty, thirty-minute ordeal through gridlocked traffic during rush hour. And the MRT? Well, finding it involved a lot of wandering, map-reading, and questioning my life choices. I missed my train, I missed my connection, and I developed a deep and abiding hatred for that "charming boutique hotel." Via Hotel? That would have saved me. It would have saved my sanity. It would have saved me from the existential dread of watching the train I needed pull away. Location, people. Location is EVERYTHING. Learn from my mistakes. Seriously. Book the Via.
