A Review of City Inn Hotels, Taipei (台北)

It was a month before my trip to Taipei, and there weren't many available rooms left that fit my budget. It was fortunate that I managed to get rooms at CityInn, which was highly recommended on the internet. I stayed at CityInn II on my first night in Taipei, as there was no available room at the branch in Ximending. My only gripe was that I had to lug my luggage all the way to the hotel, which was a 10-minute walk from the Taipei Main Station.

There is a PC with internet connection at the lobby area so you can get connected even without your own device.

I got a room with twin beds, as the other alternative is a small queen-sized bed, and might be a tight fit for a couple of larger build.

The room was clean, there is a study table with a hot water flask and cups and a couple of sachets of tea. The television was a flat screen of good size, and the bathroom was big enough for two. The shower stall is just nice for one person though, and there's no bathtub.

In my opinion, this is the better hotel of the two that we stayed in, although both rooms do not have windows. There are rooms with windows, so if you happen to be claustrophobic, be sure to request for a room with one.

I had originally been given a room with a bathtub and a huge bathroom, but no sofa. Given that I had no need for a bathtub, but preferred a bigger room space to navigate in, I asked for a change of rooms and the management was extremely accommodating. It helped that I arrived at noon and stayed till 3pm to make sure that I was satisfied with the room.

There is a lounge in the basement where the laundry room is. You can watch television while waiting for your laundry to be done, and the service is free of charge. Wireless internet is available in every room and included in the price.

The bathroom is rather similar to the one at CityInn II. There is a sofa, a luggage stand, and a study table. The television is a flat screen, but as with CityInn II, there is no closet. Instead, you may hang your clothes on the clothes hanger attached to the wall.

A major gripe I had with this room was the stained bed skirting. It was not the kind of stain that could not be washed away, but a result of an unwashed skirting. Most likely someone had spilled some food on the skirting and the hotel does not change the skirting for the beds.

Location-wise, I couldn't ask for better. CityInn Plus is located just across the road from FE'21, a 2 minute walk from entrance 3 of Ximending Station, and a 5 minute walk from the Ximending shopping district and night market.

The staff at the reception are very polite and nice. They greet guests on every entry and exit, and are more than willing to answer your queries on attractions and transportation around Taipei. Do take note though, that your room key needs to be surrendered to the counter each time you leave the hotel, and that rooms at CityInn hotels are being let out for two hour blocks whenever available. Somehow, our local Hotel 81 comes to mind.


TAIWAN HOLIDAY LINKS

Getting from the Airport to the Town Centre
Airport Bus

Accommodation
A review of the reasonably priced City Inn Hotel

Food
Great Yakiniku Dinner Wine and Dine
Best Fruit Smoothie at Agnes B Cafe
Dining Cute @ Hello Kitty Cafe
Best Breakfast @ New York Bagels
Best Spaghetti and Fruits Tea @ Afternoon Tea Cafe
Ice Cream Toast @ Dazzling Cafe, opened by a socialite
Best Mala Hotpot Supper @ Ximending

Night Markets
Shida Night Market
Shilin Night Market
Raohe Night Market
Jianguo Flower and Jade Market

Shopping Malls & Bookstores
Eslite, Shinkong Mitsukoshi

Main Attractions - Places that you can't miss
Danshuei Old Street: Eat while you walk
Jiufen: Traditional Alley
Shifen: Lighting A Wish Lantern
Beitou Hot Springs: Soak your troubles away
Yehliu Geopark: Amazing Rock Formations by the Sea