Taipei has an no shortage of hotel options. But if suburban calm and familiar brands are on your accommodation list, Taipei Marriott Hotel could fit the bill.
When it opened in 2015, with 506 rooms ranging from 40 sqm classic guest rooms up to a 200 sqm presidential suite, it became the first five-star international hotel in the city’s upmarket Dazhi district.
Suitable for both business and leisure travellers, the property is close to quality retail, a mass transit rail station and the city's second airport.
The welcome
My wife and I are immediately relieved of our luggage as we enter an airy lobby.
The space holds our attention thanks to a huge Moss and Lam mural as well as an installation of 38 handcrafted crystal butterflies – created by Czech crystal brand Preciosa – that hover above arriving guests.
Check-in is efficient but too early for us to head to our room, so we go for a look around. The hotel is part of a development that includes some of Taipei’s most expensive apartments and is awash with lush green landscaping and art.
The room
We are in a 31st-floor Sky King Room that delivers a panorama of the distant city skyline.
The design is contemporary and relatively simplistic with light wood floors, door frames and panelling, and a neutral palette of grey and cream – all of which allow that landscape view to shine.
A window on to the bathroom, with blinds for privacy, lends a greater sense of space. The oval tub is accompanied by a separate strong rain and hand-held shower, and a Japanese multifunction toilet in a second cubicle.
Taipei Marriott operates a policy of supplying additional room amenities to order only, rather than as standard, but we’ve come equipped.
Access to the generous balcony is restricted on our visit – the door locked for ‘safety’ – but floor-to-ceiling windows provide a thrilling outlook.
The restriction also prompts a visit to Inge’s Bar & Grill with its 20th floor outdoor terrace overlooking Taipei’s spread, including Keelung River and the Taipei 101 tower.
The food
Our biggest challenge is choosing where to eat, as the hotel operates six restaurants.
Besides all-day dining outlet Garden Kitchen, we note indulgent omakase in high-end Kouma Japanese Restaurant and authentic Chinese choices in The Dining Place, covering Sichuan and Cantonese dishes. The seafood hotpot with vegetables (Dh345) stands out.
Meanwhile, Chinese, Japanese and Western cuisine flourishes at the live cooking stations of Mark’s Teppanyaki.
Seeking something more casual, we head to Lobby Lounge. The space has tall ceilings, discreet seating areas and a conservatory-style zone beside a garden.
The lounge operates a five-minute, 10-minute and 20-minute menu model; a great idea for those tight on time. Our test of the 10-minute options results in a tasty French onion soup arriving about eight minutes before the buffalo chicken wings (both Dh45).
Inge’s Bar offers a laid-back evening atmosphere with a mixed customer base occupying booths and tables inside, and exterior terrace seating. Dish highlights include appetiser Burgundy lobster au gratin (Dh114) and Patagonian toothfish (Dh257).
We find more restaurants located in the linked hotel arcade TM Midtown. Shin Yeh Taiwanese Signature restaurant is surprisingly affordable for its Michelin star, while Hutong offers steaks through to authentic grilled offal options.
The breakfast scene
Garden Kitchen is an elegant location with views on to well-manicured gardens.
The service is spread across a generous area and features Western and local cuisine, ranging from DIY ramen and flavoured scallop lips to an egg station and pan-fried dory.
Indian chicken curry, Italian meatballs and seafood chawanmushi (savoury egg custard) add variety to the breakfast offering.
Hotel facilities
Modern and traditional art is scattered throughout public areas, including en route to restaurants and a well-equipped health club on the 19th floor.
This includes a 24-hour gym while the rooftop hosts a pool with more great views. The hotel’s luxury spa, Sky19, delivers signature body treatments and facials.
Taipei Marriott is also home to a rooftop garden and a wedding chapel, the city’s largest ballroom, plus a convention centre.
Part of a sustainability initiative being run by the hotel group, its grounds include indigenous shrubbery interspersed with more art, including an aluminium butterfly sculpture by Spanish artist Manolo Valdes.
The neighbourhood
Although seemingly far from the city centre, a short walk has you on Taipei’s excellent metro system via MRT Jiannan Road station, offering a swift connection to Songshan International Airport (also 10 minutes by car) and bustling Shilin Night Market.
Nature is close by in the shape of Mount Jiannan trail while Miramar Shopping Centre hosts upmarket stores and a Ferris wheel, which emerges from its roof space for 360-degree views.
Value for money
If you seek easy access to Taipei without the city traffic, and brand familiarity with assured standards, Taipei Marriott Hotel is a solid option at competitive rates.
Rooms start at Dh973 ($265). Check-in is from 3pm and checkout is at noon.
This review was conducted at the invitation of the hotel and reflects standards during this time. Services may change in the future.
