Datong

Located in the western part of the city of Taipei, the Datong District is the second smallest by population, but one that still offers plenty for those seeking to get the best out of their trip to Taipei. The Datong District used to be a commercial center of the city, but this was moved to Zhongzheng and to other districts and little of that history remains.

One thing that does exist in the Datong District is the Dihua Street Market on Dihua Street, where you can buy everything from dried fruits, dried meats, snacks and drinks. The Street Market often attracts visitors during the Chinese New Year, which occurs during the first two months of the year and sets off a huge celebration across the entire country. The Tianma Tea House is also a popular attraction, although for different reasons. There is no longer any tea sold here, but this is a historic site and the home of a shooting that led to an uprising known as the 228 Incident, something which you will probably hear more of during your trip.

There is plenty more culture to absorb whilst you are in the Datong District, including the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Confucius Temple the Lin Liu-hsin Puppet Theatre Museum. It may be a small district, but it is by no means dead and is actually one of the most lively districts and culturally rich in the city of Taipei.

With that in mind, we have reviewed the best hotels in the Datong District.

Palais De Chine

If you can afford a 5-star hotel, then they say that it is an experience that you should have at least once in your life. That isn’t always the case though and there are many such hotels that simply aren’t worth the illusive rating. The Palais De Chine, however, is not one of those. This is a hotel that everyone should definitely experience, and one that will also not cost you the earth. If you want the best of the best in the Datong District, then you don’t need to look any further than the Palais De Chine.

• Airport Shuttle? Yes
• Free WiFi? Yes
• Pool? Yes
• Fitness Center? Yes
• Restaurants? Yes
• Near Public Transport? Yes

If you truly want to live it up in Taipei, then book yourself into the Executive Deluxe King Room, which is 400 square foot of luxury. This exceptional and immaculate room has a bathtub, a city view and all guests will be granted to the exclusive Executive Lounge, which is as good as it gets. Executive Lounge access is also available to those who book into the Executive Superior Queen room, which is slightly cheaper, slightly smaller and has a garden view instead of a city view. For half of the price of one of those rooms you can get a basic Superior Queen Room, although “basic” isn’t the best way to describe it. This room has been designed with the same painstaking attention to detail and is the same size. The only thing it lacks is Executive Lounge access and a stunning view.

All rooms at the Palais De Chine are of a decent size and a high standard, and all of them have a private bathroom, a comfortable bed (mostly double beds, but there are also twin rooms) and a seating area. There are 286 rooms in total, but you should still book as early as you can to make sure that you reserve the one that you want at the time that you want it.

CityInn Hotel III

The CityInn III provides a much-needed option for those travelers seeking an array of amenities and facilities, without the extra luxury touches that can increase the price and push it out of many guests’ budget. The CityInn Hotel III is so named because there are several of these hotels around the city, and the brand expands further than that. This is our favorite CityInn hotel in the city of Taipei though.

• Airport Shuttle? No
• Free WiFi? Yes
• Pool? No
• Fitness Center? No
• Restaurants? Yes
• Near Public Transport? Yes

The rooms in this hotel are on the small side, but that is the way of things in Taipei, and in many other modern and densely populated cities for that matter. The modern rooms all come with tea and coffee making facilities, bathrobes, slippers and a television, and the hotel itself offers a number of services for its guests. These include a luggage storage service, a front desk that never sleeps, a business center and more. There is also a restaurant onsite where you can eat Japanese cuisine throughout the day, and where you will be served your breakfast in the morning.

If you want luxury, then you’d be better off at another hotel, preferably the Palais De Chine listed at the top of this article. If you want affordability, and one that doesn’t compromise on quality or service, then you can’t go wrong with the CityInn Hotel III.

Royal Seasons Hotel

The rooms at the Royal Seasons Hotel are elegantly decorated, bringing a touch of royalty to Taipei and making all guests feel like Kings and Queens. From the well equipped rooms, which come with flat-screen televisions and spa baths, to the Royal restaurant, serving delicious dishes that everyone can enjoy, to the great location, the Royal Seasons Hotel promises to tick most of your boxes.

• Airport Shuttle? No
• Free WiFi? Yes
• Pool? No
• Fitness Center? Yes
• Restaurants? Yes
• Near Public Transport? Yes

It’s not perfect, as the bullet points above demonstrate, but it’s as close as you will get for a 4-star hotel. There are dozens of such hotels in this district alone, and not only is this one of our favorites, but it is also the one that is often rated the highest on sites like Hotels Combined and booking.com. We like to think that we know a lot about travel and hotels and our knowledge and opinion, combined with those of the aforementioned sites and of the hundreds of positive reviews, can’t be wrong.