Kevin Travel embarks on an adventure in Taipei, Taiwan, seeking affordable accommodation and discovering that the city offers more value than its reputation suggests. He starts his journey at Yuan Shan station, aiming to reach his hotel via a 30-minute train ride. Despite a minor hiccup, narrowly missing the first train due to a slow-moving uncle, Kevin remains undeterred. He successfully boards the next train, heading towards NTU Hospital station.
Upon arrival, Kevin navigates to a bus stop, noting the pleasant Taipei weather โ a comfortable 26ยฐC with a light breeze, perfect for exploring. He observes the wide, clean streets and a nearby park with exercise stations, appreciating the city's orderliness and commitment to public well-being. After a short wait, he boards a bus, which crosses a river, offering a scenic view.
Kevin eventually finds his accommodation, the Walker Hotel, and is pleasantly surprised by its clean lobby and complimentary coffee and drinks. The check-in process reveals a slight confusion about payment, but it's quickly resolved. He is then shown to his room, which he finds surprisingly spacious for a $26 hotel.
The room features a balcony, a detail Kevin appreciates, noting how the hotel smartly utilizes its rooftop space with plants, even strawberries. He finds the room well-equipped with functional amenities, including a good water pressure shower, a small fridge, coffee options, a quiet air conditioner, and a comfortable bed that strikes a good balance between softness and firmness.
Feeling hungry, Kevin heads out to find some local food. He orders traditional noodles and curry-flavored chicken dumplings, along with soy milk. The meal costs NT$444, which he humorously calls an "angel number." He enjoys the noodles with added garlic and soy sauce, finding them flavorful. However, the chicken dumplings, while plentiful, have an overpowering curry flavor that he finds less appealing, though still tasty.
Returning to his hotel room, Kevin rests before realizing he's nearly missed breakfast. He quickly heads to the dining area and enjoys a simple meal consisting of soy milk, rice, scrambled eggs, and corn with peas, noting the coffee is surprisingly good. He concludes that the budget hotel is a decent option, conveniently located about 15 minutes from Ximending, offering included breakfast and all-day drinks as significant benefits.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: What was the hotel price?
- A: The hotel cost $26 and included a balcony and breakfast.
- Q: Was Taipei expensive?
- A: Despite its reputation, Kevin found very reasonable deals in Taipei.
- Q: What was the weather like?
- A: The weather was about 26ยฐC, slightly windy, and perfect for exploring.
- Q: What amenities did the hotel room have?
- A: The room had a balcony, a good shower, a small fridge, coffee options, a quiet air conditioner, and a comfortable bed.
- Q: How was the food?
- A: The noodles were very good with added garlic, but the curry chicken dumplings were a bit overpowering.
- Q: Was the breakfast good?
- A: The breakfast was decent, including soy milk, rice, scrambled eggs, and coffee.
