This trip was completed in February 2023.
Winter in Taiwan typically runs from December to February. In the shoulder month of February, it is also when cherry blossom is round the corner, welcoming the season of spring. Within and around Taipei, February to April are the months where these cherry blossoms can be sighted at popular places including Yangmingshan National Park.
In this trip, given the proximity of Yangmingshan National Park to the Beitou District, we also combined the flower chase with a local hot spring experience. As a bonus, the large-scale Taiwan Lantern Festival returned to Taipei, a first major tourism event to mark the reopening of borders post the pandemic. This was the first time in over 20 years that the festival was brought back to Taipei city.
Right off the bat, we have to say that the weather in Taipei was fantastic. Apart from the occasional light showers which posed minor inconvenience, it was comfortable to walk along the streets with an average daytime temperature of 18 degree Celsius.
Below are our reviews of notable parts of our trip.
Airport Lounge: Plaza Premium lounge at Taoyuan Airport Terminal 1
Rating 7.2/10
This lounge is located on the airside of the airport in Zone D. There is ample seating space flanking both sides of the lounge, with the center being a buffet-style dining hall which includes both western options and local cuisine that can be ordered from a small chef menu. Tucked at one corner was also a station offering soup of the day, which happened to be Chinese-style clear boiled soup during our visit. As for beverages, the selection was rather limited. The best part for us were the comfortable armchairs situated in a peaceful corner away from the dining hall. We were in there for about 45 minutes, and there was no crowd during that period.
Accommodation: Hotel Royal-Nikko Taipei (Zhongshan North Road)
Rating 7.3/10
One thing that made this stay for us was the location of the hotel. While there are plenty of hotels in the central area of Zhongshan, the immediate vicinity of this hotel gave off a posh neighborhood vibe. It is right beside a small square fronting Regent Taipei and across the boulevard is the former United States ambassadorial residence (now a theater called Taipei Film House).
Hotel Royal-Nikko Taipei itself is a quaint hotel with a redbrick façade. Rates are around NT$4,500/night. Interiors were well-appointed, complete with a small but elegant reception area. However, do not expect much of the hotel facilities. They have a pool on the roof of the building, but at the time of our stay, it was drained and closed off. Both the gym and pool can be accessed through a staircase entrance which was not very well-maintained though the city views from the top of the building may be worthwhile to some.
Rooms start small at 26 square meters, and standard room items can be expected. The rooms themselves were not dated as the hotel underwent renovation works in 2017. Overall, we think this will be a good stay for both business and leisure travelers who value a good location and spend most of their time outside (while still having the option to pop back into their rooms for a quick rest mid-day).
Accommodation: Grand View Resort Beitou (Youya Road)
Rating 8.2/10
Sitting at the top of a small hill near the foot of Yangmingshan mountain, this hotel boasts amazing views of the nature surrounding the area. While this hotel may be hard to reach without a car, there is a hotel shuttle service from Beitou MRT station. The road winds up the hill before you are greeted by a small pavement into the compound.
The lobby is spacious, complete with a generous mountain view behind their infinity-edged water feature. Check-in service was impeccable during our visit, with the guest relations officer giving us a tour of the property and briefing us on our personal schedule of the hotel services. Amenities include a public pool, gym and spa, several private hot spring rooms and fine dining restaurants.
The rooms themselves are a highlight of the stay. Their special plum wine and light snacks were served around tea time followed by a turndown service. We paid around NT$16,000/night. Spanning over 50 square meters, the room is equipped with a double sink bathroom and a built-in hot spring area consisting of two Gyanyin stone bathtubs. Finally, a large balcony connected the bedroom to the outdoor nature.
While we do not find ourselves reviewing hotel breakfasts often, the breakfast at Grand View Resort Beitou deserves some mention.
There was a choice of local or vegetarian option, and both offered a good spread of dishes. The breakfast set was served to us and the daily soup can be ordered again with the waitresses. Food quality was up to standard and ingredients used were fresh. We particularly like the assorted appetizers from the Taiwanese style option.
Dining: Wu Lao Guo hotpot
Rating 8.0/10
This steamboat restaurant was situated just opposite Hotel Royal-Nikko Taipei. We recommend putting down a reservation than walking in during peak meal timings. It is also popular among the night crowd as the restaurant is open till late. For this Zhongshan branch, the interior was more towards the darker tone. We went for their recommended dual soup combo, a twin-side hotpot comprising their layered tofu and spicy broth.
The soup was tasty and food portion served was on the generous side. We find the restaurant affordably priced and it is a good thing that the menu did not feel cramped with too many selections to choose from.
Dining: Orange Shabu Shabu House
Rating 8.2/10
Highly recommended to make advance reservations. Orange Shabu Shabu House is an extremely popular hotpot hunt for locals and tourists alike, with bookings needed as early as a month in advance. Situated conveniently in the café district of Da’An, this restaurant features an interior that resembles a Japanese traditional house. Menu selection was decently large, and we found ourselves inclined towards the comprehensive set menu that would give us a little bit of everything (an appetizer, meat and staple of your choice, mixed vegetables, and a dessert). They offer one shabu shabu soup and one sukiyaki base for their soup base option. Ingredients were of high quality and complements the soup bases well.
A highlight of the meal was the staple in the menu. While the porridge option seems uncommon compared to rice or noodles, we were pleasantly surprised with how elaborate the porridge turned out to be. It was only served near the end of our meal. The waiter took out a bowl of rice and used our remaining soup as broth for the porridge. After about 15 minutes of stirring by him, the broth thickened into a comforting and delicious bowl of porridge. This was certainly one of the better steamboat experiences for us.
Dining: Bu Lao Song massage
Rating 7.7/10
Technically, this is not a food place. However, we just have to include this because of the list of soups customers can order after a relaxing massage. We tried their incredible pig stomach soup, which was peppery enough to our liking. Although this massage chain has several branches in the city, we believe it is still a rather hidden gem, especially among tourists.
Definitely a must-try for their affordable massages in a clean and safe environment (hard luck finding slots in the evening without advance booking!), as well as the surprisingly good food offered in their lounge.
Activity: Yangmingshan cherry blossom
Rating 7.5/10
There are many attractions along the roads plying Yangmingshan National Park. A multitude of online resources regarding Yangmingshan Flower Festival will be your best guide when planning a spring trip to Taipei. For a true local experience, the adventurous visitor can choose to take the public transport up to the mountains. A minivan comes into the bus stop a few times an hour, so be prepared to squeeze and find your footing before the squeaky bus door closes on you.
We recommend making a stop at the Flower Clock, a tourist attraction as evident by the large car parking facility near the entrance. Flowers were also blooming at the nearby Yangmingshan Fountain during our afternoon visit to the park. The entire garden was well-maintained and the landscape was certainly beautiful. An hour or two can be spent here just taking a stroll and stopping occasionally at the numerous scenic photo spots.
Taipei is likely one of the first stop for many who are visiting Taiwan. It is definitely a city ideal for exploring, with excellent public transport network and pedestrian streets. Popular day trips can also be done with just a short train ride from the Taipei Main Station. Above are simply a curated list of our experiences. We leave it to you to go ahead and take in all that Taipei city has to offer!
