I only booked the hotel solely because people were sharing social media content about how nice it was and I thought it will be a great experience as an experienced hotelier to see something new or pick up best practices, but it was not from the first impression.
Upon early arrival, I wanted to figure out if Incould leave my luggage if an early check-in was not possible, but the way staff spoke to me was a turn off. She quoted me the early check-in costs, and when I asked twice if the room was available that’s what she repeated. (Like tell me if my room category is available for me to decide if I want an early check-in instead of just senselessly quoting me a price, no?)
Obviously I didn’t choose to check in because there was no indication if the room type I have booked is available. There was no assistance then to tell me where I can leave my luggage. What a great first impression.
When I came back to check in, i noted that the lobby was very crowded. Despite that I was assisted — while at a self-service check-in booth, the staff was helpful for sure to help me through the self-directed, self-service check-in. I would have managed and someone else (who probably doesn’t speak English or Mandarin) could have benefitted from the assistance.
The room was as publicised, which is good. But I found the blinds in the room a hassle, I had to manually raise/lower all daylight and blackout blinds on all three window panels. Perhaps an automated system could be implemented, so we wouldn’t spend a lot of time on it.
The bathroom was spacious but could do with some well-placed hooks and storage for people to hang their towels, and place their things — you know such thoughtfulness in the planning helps with the experience. Also my first hotel that offered a bathtub but no bath salts even… Maybe I am privileged.
I then also found out that I wasn’t briefed on where the water dispensers were, where the laundry room is, if and where breakfast was provided. I searched around the room and the check-in slips to find that breakfast runs 6.30-10am on the ground floor.
Good grief also, the water dispensers were at a corner that could only be accessed through very dimly-lit corridors, and the carpets along that corridor were stained badly and smelled bad. The water dispensers were also a new level of operation. There were three taps labeled HOT, WARM, and CHILLED, but the latter-most dispenses warm water, which was the case at the breakfast restaurant on the ground floor too.
A brief visit on the second evening surprised me that the laundry room operates 10am to 10pm, and there is no indication if it’s a coin laundry and whatnot.
Obviously these could have been in the hotel manual in the room, but there was no such information, at least in mine.
It was an uncomfortable stay also, as sound proofing was bad, making my way to the water dispenser was a journey of smells and sounds - conversations from the rooms all spilled into the corridor, neither peaceful nor at ease.
I do beseech that at 3.7/5 ratings on Google Maps, clearly the social media influencers had some kickbacks to be saying such brilliant things about the hotel. I highly will not recommend staying at this hotel ever, as there are places way cheaper per night that have similar accessibility to Ximen and/or Taipei centrally.
