Review: Hotel Proverbs, Taipei, Taiwan
In the centre of the western district of Da’an in Taipei sits a hotel that stands out from its surroundings. Amidst low-rise shops, street food and milk tea cafés, Hotel Proverbs has a strong industrial exterior which contrasts sharply with the warm, earthy colours of the interior. Here’s a review of my short one-night stay at Hotel Proverbs in Taipei, Taiwan.
Hotel Proverbs provided a one-night stay at the property in order to complete the review. They have not received copy approval. The first time they’ll read it, is once it’s published.
A small, beautifully designed but slightly flawed check-in area
Check-in was quick. Having arrived at midday, three hours prior to check-in, we managed to nab our room ahead of time.
Despite the dark, metal-clad exterior of the hotel, the reception feels rather bright and airy during the daytime. With constrained use of greenery, marble and wood, the space feels relaxing and open.
All staff in the hotel, from the reception team to cleaners and door opener, were brilliant and welcoming, without being overbearing in their communications. As we had an early 0430 departure from Taipei Taoyuan Airport the next day, the team even arranged a small snack from 7-11 as we would miss the breakfast offered. While I don’t know if this is standard and the convenience store food wasn’t the greatest, small tokens like this from the staff are appreciated. The actions of the team reflect the premium nature of the hotel.
The hotel even provided a welcome email prior to arrival. This was quite useful as it provided a breakdown of the benefits that could be availed during the stay, such as complimentary mini bar, and even the upcoming weather forecast.
My only minor gripe about this reception is the baggage sitting in the area itself. I appreciate that this may be the only place available to store it but it just degrades an otherwise beautiful, premium space.
As noted, we didn’t get a chance to sample the restaurant on the ground floor, it too is a well designed space. The name choice is interesting though… ‘L’idiot’. According to the website, the name was chosen to ‘let go of all troubles, indulge in the food, laugh blithely in this characteristic space, and be a happy, carefree donkey.’
Spacious rooms, chic hallways
I don’t think I’ve quite seen hallways like this. With walls that are plated in brass, the hallways feel quite dark at all hours of the day. This is not quite my taste, however the rooms are far more my style.
During our stay, we were in a King Bed Deluxe room that sat on the corner of the building overlooking Liugong Park. The hotel uses a typical Taiwanese layout that places emphasis on having the bathroom area first for cleansing of the body, before heading into the relaxation/sleeping areas.
With a large freestanding bath and separate shower and toilet cubicles, the space occupies a third of the room making it a comfortable area to use. As with all Taiwanese hotels, there is the obligatory Japanese toilet which continue to amaze me - despite seeing so many now.
Amenities were abundant at Hotel Proverbs. It’s the first time I’ve seen an airline-style amenity kit, except this was filled to the brim with all the items you would need. The hotel has also invested in excellent shower gels, soap, lotion and shampoo by French brand Apothicals by Damana. The scent was beautiful and the quality felt excellent.
Onwards to the lounge which features a comfortable sofa, wardrobe and table. The table at first glance sits in an odd place but it does work. It features a chair that would be comfortable enough to work from for several hours that can also double up as a place to lay food and drink down - it’s an efficient use of space.
If you are planning to use the internet, speeds are fast at over 90mbps down and 60mbps up. You could easily remote work from this hotel. The first of two televisions also sits opposite the sofa.
The aforementioned minibar can be found in the open wardrobe area and is filled with a liberal selection of items including soft drinks, Nespresso coffee pods, tea and what I think was carbonated milk.
All three areas are clearly demarcated through different types of flooring. Marble tiles for the bathroom, dark wood for the lounge and a lighter wood for the bedroom.
My only recommendation for the hotel would be to have a way to separate the spaces more. It would be nice if a curtain separate the lounge from the bathroom area for added privacy or to just feel a bit more cosy in the space.
Large comfy bed and even more space outside
Sleeping at the hotel was a breeze with a King Sized bed featuring a memory foam mattress. Sufficient US-style sockets can be found around the bed area but are located closer to the flow and can be slightly awkward to access.
Another television, and a wireless Yamaha soundbar, can be found opposite the bed.
This finally leads onto the balcony space which looks over the small community park nearby. While it is nice to be able to go outside to view the city, I feel the hotel could do a little bit more with the space. You couldn’t fit a dining table here, but even a couple of folding chairs and a small table to leave drinks on would make it much more functional.
The views itself looked great in day and night time, if you’re a fan of cityscapes.
A silent rooftop pool with views of Taipei 101
On the highest floor of the building, Hotel Proverbs has installed a small dipping pool to escape from the humidity and heat of the city. It’s open for quite long hours from 0630-2100 and can be great to get a view to the west of Taipei’s most famous tower, Taipei 101.
The rooftop pool was deserted on the couple occasions I went up there, so it would be a pretty good place to relax after a day of exploring the city. Unfortunately, the hotel does not have any fitness centre.
Hotel Proverbs has a popular bar located on the third floor called ‘East End’ - not an homage to the BBC soap, but designed to be a bar that reflects the heritage of the Eastern part of Taipei.
Directly outside the bar is a lounge area for hotel guests to visit, including free bottled water and Nespresso. The lounge is nice but I don’t feel that it adds much more compared to just using the Nespresso machine in your room.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a modern, comfortable and stylish hotel in Taipei, Hotel Proverbs easily ticks those boxes. If you’re planning to stay, then definitely make it a longer visit as we weren’t able to get the most out of the room from a single night - as well as missing out on the included breakfast offering.
Prices vary through the year but sit at around £190 per night. As a member of Design Hotels you can redeem Marriott Bonvoy points at a rate of 35,000 points per night. Considering the Taipei Courtyard hotel is 37,000 points per night, this is exceptional value for a substantially more premium property.
