The Grand Hotel Taipei Review: My Experience Staying at this Iconic Hotel
I first laid eyes on the Grand Hotel Taipei when passing by on my way to Shilin District. Its distinctive appearance and history make it one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks.
After seeing the hotel from the outside on a previous visit to Taipei, I knew I had to experience what it was actually like to stay here for a night.
For this Grand Hotel Taipei review, I’m sharing my own experience staying at the hotel for one night, including my room, dining experience, and visiting the hotel’s famous tunnels.
So, was staying at the Grand Hotel worth it? In this review, I’ll cover my one-night stay, what I experienced, what I liked and didn’t, and whether or not I would choose to stay at the Grand Hotel again.
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ADDRESS: No. 1號, Section 4, Zhongshan N Rd, Jiantan Village, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 10427
The Grand Hotel in Taipei is located in the Zhongshan District of Taipei City, just south of Shilin District.
If relying on public transportation, take the red line from Taipei Main Station toward Tamsui and get off at Jiantan Station.
From Jiantan Station, it’s about a 15 minute walk, but when I was there it was raining, so I decided to take an Uber from Jiantan Station to the Grand Hotel.
There is not really a great way to get to the Grand Hotel as it sits on top of a hill. Most visitors I saw, ended up using taxi or Uber, which is exactly what I did.
About Taipei's Grand Hotel
The Grand Hotel in Taipei is much more than just a luxury 5-star hotel, it’s one of Taipei’s most recognizable landmarks.
Established in 1952, the hotel was founded by Soong Mei-ling and was initially created in part to provide a grand setting for visiting foreign dignitaries.
The Grand Hotel is a 14-story palace-style building famous for its appearance with its red columns, golden roof tiles, and traditional Chinese architecture.
Over the decades, the Grand Hotel has welcomed many heads of state, diplomats, and other prominent figures.
Today the hotel combines its historic character with modern accommodations, restaurants, and unique attractions, like the hidden tunnels.
The hotel isn’t for just important foreign dignitaries anymore. Given the fact that it is a 5-star hotel, it’s quite affordable and anyone can stay here.
Why I Wanted to Stay at the Grant Hotel
I first laid eyes on the Grand Hotel while taking the train to Shilin District, years ago. When I first saw the hotel, I thought it was a temple, come to realize after researching that it was a famous hotel in Taipei.
I figured the price point was well over my comfort level of spending so I never really looked into it until recently.
I felt like splurging one night on a hotel in Taipei and decided to book a room at the Grand Hotel. When I booked my hotel through Agoda, I was surprised by how cheap a one-night stay at the Grand Hotel was, given it is a 5-star hotel.
The Grant Hotel Taipei Review
I only stayed at Taipei’s Grand Hotel for one night. I gave myself about 24-hours here just to experience as much as I could.
I dined in two different restaurants, used the fitness center, went shopping, and even toured the secret underground passages.
My Grand Hotel Taipei review will cover what my first impressions were, what the room was like, dining experiences, amenities, and so much more.
First Impressions
I really didn’t know what to expect upon my arrival at the Grand Hotel in Taipei. Once the Uber dropped us off and I walked inside, I was in awe. The entrance and interior of the Grand Hotel was grand!
The lobby itself was lined with red pillar leading to a grand staircase. On each side, there were restaurants and shops, I’ve never seen a hotel quite like it.
Check in was at 3:00 pm, so we ended up browsing the shops until check in, but since I booked online through Agoda, the process was relatively fast and easy.
Staff at the Grand Hotel seemed very professional and easy to work with.
After being in awe, just at the entrance and lobby, I was thrilled to be staying at the Grand Hotel Taipei.
My Room at the Grand Hotel
I booked the Prestige Deluxe Room at the Grand Hotel Taipei with a mountain view. This room was 33m²/ 355 ft² with 2 single beds.
Of course, the rooms came with free Wi-Fi, access to the fitness center, and coffee/tea.
The room was massive, especially compared to other hotels I’ve stayed at in Taipei. It was so spacious, the attached balcony was large as well.
The beds were comfortable as were the pillows. We even got two pillows per bed which is always a bonus.
The bathroom was spacious with a walk in shower and toilet equipped with a Japanese-style bidet.
The room came with all the essential amenities. It had bottled water, a machine to make hot water for coffee/tea, glasses, an iron and ironing board, robes, and a safe.
While inside the room, there was no outside noise, even the hallways were silent.
I found the decor in the rooms to be charming and fit well with the overall atmosphere of the hotel.
Dining
The Grand Hotel Taipei offers many dining options. From desserts and cafés to high end steak houses and buffets.
Prior to my stay at the Grand Hotel, I made a dinner reservation at the Grand Garden Restaurant to try out the buffet. I paid NT$1,400 or about $44 USD, a person for the dinner and it was absolutely worth it.
The buffet selection was extensive, they had various types of crabs, delicious seafood dishes, cuts of roast beef and ham, salads, fried dishes, both western and local dishes, and an array of desserts from tiramisu to cheesecake.
I went back to the Grand Garden Restaurant for breakfast, buffet style as well. I did not make a reservation for breakfast, I was seated right away and paid after my meal.
The breakfast was just as exciting as the dinner buffet at the Grand Garden Restaurant.
The breakfast too had a lot of western and local dishes. There were various egg dishes, breads, fruits, soups, and a carving station.
I also visited the Garden Café for an afternoon coffee and dessert. We ordered some macaroons and chocolates, which I thought were just ok.
Other restaurants at the Grand Hotel include Yuan Yuan Restaurant, the Golden Dragon Restaurant, and the Grand Steak House. There is also a bar called MEET by Bar Mood which had a variety of cocktails and spirits.
Shopping
I’ve stayed at hotels before that had maybe a shop near the lobby, but the Grand Hotel almost seemed like a miniature mall.
There were several local shops selling everything from clothes and jewelry to souvenirs and local crafts.
There was a convenience store called Hi-Life, which I found to be quite convenient. I picked up some snacks and beers here to enjoy in my hotel room.
The convenience store also had amenities like tooth brushes or razors in case you forgot anything.
Fitness Center
On the day of check-out, I went to the gym in the morning for a 45-minute workout.
I usually don’t expect much from hotel gyms, I’ve seen some sad ones with just a few cardio machines, but the fitness center at the Grand Hotel met my expectations.
The fitness center had multiple treadmills, a few bikes, a weight machine, and a wrack of free weights with benches.
Water and towels were provided for guests and there was a staff member on site.
Facilities at the Yuanshan Club
I had every intent to take advantage of the swimming pool at the Yuanshan Club that belongs to the Grand Hotel.
Unfortunately, the weather the day I stayed was not cooperating. Not only did it rain that whole day, but it down poured. So, I did not get to enjoy the pool.
Just so you are aware, there is an Olympic-sized swimming pool on the grounds, a tennis court, and sauna.
The Yuanshan Club is detached from the main hotel but there is a shuttle bus that runs between the two facilities, walking is always an option too.
What I loved / Didn't love
The Architecture
Both the exterior and interior of the Grand Hotel was stunning and unique. The architecture is what drew me into staying at the Grand Hotel in Taipei in the first place.
The Dining Experience
I loved the variety of restaurants and food to choose from at the Grand Garden Restaurant. The buffet for dinner and breakfast was outstanding. There were multiple restaurants scattered around the hotel.
The Size of Rooms
Living in Asia for 7+ years, I am used to cramped hotel rooms. The rooms at the Grand Hotel were just that, grand!
Convenience/Location
No matter where you are coming from, you’ll have to use public transportation to arrive at the Grand Hotel. It was up a steep hill, so I found Uber to be the easiest but not really convenient.
Seating in Lobby
For such a large hotel, there was very little seating in the lobby. Near the front desk by check-in there were maybe a dozen places to sit.
Tunnel Tour Length
I highly recommend taking the underground escape tunnel tours. You learn more about the history of the Grand Hotel and get to experience a unique attraction.
But the tour is not offered in English and you end up getting a tour of the hotel for an hour afterwards, which we already looked around the hotel the day before.
The Grand Hotel Taipei Tunnel Experience
One thing most visitors probably don’t know about Taipei’s Grand Hotel, is that there are secret escape tunnels that lead from the basement of the hotel to the outside area.
The tunnels were built during the hotel’s reconstruction during the 1970’s. These escape routes were planned emergency evacuation routes, at a time when the hotel regularly welcomed important political figures.
There are two passages, the East secret passage, measuring around 67meters and the West secret passage, about 85 meters long. In the west secret passage, you can see the worlds longest secret slide, measuring 20-meters.
Today, visitors can access parts of the secret passages. When I took a tour, I did the West secret tunnel. Before you ask, No, you cannot go down the slide. But you can sit on it for a photo opportunity.
After visiting the secret tunnels at the Grand Hotel, the tour continued to explain the history of the hotel and the guide went over a few of the hotel features that are unique to the hotel.
Is The Grand Hotel Taipei Worth Staying At?
Staying at the Grand Hotel in Taipei was much more then simply booking a hotel room. The unique architecture, history, dining options, and opportunity to explore places like the tunnels made the hotel more of an attraction.
The Grand Hotel, might not be the right choice for every traveler, but if you love a historic hotel with character, I highly recommend staying at Taipei’s Grand Hotel.
I only stayed for one night, but being able to experience the hotel, have a meal here, and walk through the escape tunnels, made the overnight stay worthwhile.
Grand Hotel Taipei Review FAQs
If you enjoy historic hotels, distinctive architecture, and a hotel that feels more like an attraction then an actual hotel, then the Grand Hotel is well worth considering.
The Grand Hotel is famous because it's one of Taiwan's most popular hotels with rich history. The distinctive palace-style Chinese architecture with the red columns and golden roof, are memorable.
Absolutely, in fact, there were buses that arrived at the hotel to show visitors around. There were quite a few visitors that went on the Escape Tunnel Tours that showed up the morning of.
Yes, the Grand Hotel has several dining options offering Chinese, Western, and other cuisines, including the Golden Dragon Restaurant, Yuan Yuan Restaurant, Grand Garden Restaurant, Grand Steak House, and MEET by BAR MOOD.
From my experience, one night was the perfect amount of time to get a taste of the hotel, enjoy a meal or two, explore the property, and experience the escape tunnel tour. If you want more time to relax and take advantage of other facilities, I would recommend staying longer.
Final Thoughts on Staying at The Grand Hotel in Taipei
I’ve been to Taiwan 10+ times now and the Grand Hotel in Taipei definitely felt different then staying at other hotels I typically book in Taipei.
The building’s incredible architecture and history were impressive. I loved just exploring the hotel, browsing the shop, and eating at the buffet.
I really enjoyed the rooms at the Grand Hotel. The rooms were spacious, relaxing, had incredible views, and everything I needed for a one-night stay.
After staying just one-night at the Grand Hotel, I came away feeling that the hotel is much more then just a place to sleep. It’s a part of Taipei’s history and an attraction in its own right.
If you are looking for a unique stay in Taipei, I highly recommend booking a night or several at the Grand Hotel. Safe Travels!
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