Shahd Alhamdan

Saudi Gazette

 

Though Taipei has several luxurious hotels, Palais de Chine Taipei has succeeded in grabbing the attention of many tourists.



The luxurious 5-star hotel, which is part of the Palais de Chine Hotel group, is located next to Taipei Bus Terminal and is a mere seven minutes walk from Taiwan High Speed Rail Station.



Next to the hotel there is a mall which tourists can visit. The mall is home to both local and international shops, coffee shops and a cinema.



Employees at this hotel, especially the receptionists, are very welcoming, efficient and friendly. Most employees speak English.



They are always smiling and offering to help visitors. Exchanging US dollars to the Taiwanese dollar can easily be done at the reception on the sixth floor.



Rooms are designed in a classic style when it comes to furniture, which is of the Art Nouveau style. There are around 286 rooms and suites with soft lightings.



The hotel offers free parking, WIFI, a swimming pool, a fitness centre and a complimentary shoeshine service. There are other services that are charged for including express laundry and dry cleaning.



Although there is no spa in the hotel, guests can collect the numbers of recommended spas nearby. The hotel’s restaurants offer a wide range of local and international dining options such as Italian and French food. Guests are advised to choose the open buffet, rather than a meal as the hotel serves a delicious range of food.



A Turkish guest, in his late 20s, said, “I enjoyed the sweets in the buffet and also the food. The buffet is cheaper than ordering a meal with a salad and dessert.”



Palais de Chine is a Muslim-friendly hotel. Halal food is on offer and rooms come with prayer mats. The hotel opened in May 2010 and has, since then, become one of Taipei’s attractive tourist destinations.