Taiwan’s Oldest City Has a New Hotel Called The Place Tainan

In Tainan, Taiwan’s oldest city, you might want to balance the historic vibes with cutting edge accommodation.  If so, you can opt for a new hotel called The Place Tainan. Part of the Hotel Royal family, it opened in 2022.

The hotel is light, bright, and full of high-tech embellishments. Guests enjoy its modern décor a touch of whimsey can put a smile on your face.

Plus, it is a 10-minute drive from Tainan Railway Station.

A Welcome Entrance

When you enter the hotel, you’ll notice the lobby ceiling soars two stories above you. The word ‘Reception’ is spelled out in marquee lighting, just in case you need help finding the check-in counter.

If you feel like a little pick-me-up, next to the reception desk, is a café that serves Starbucks coffee, tea, snacks, and pastries. Make sure you check out the packaged treats on display. They might include bags of local specialties such as tuna jerky.

Go up to floors 6, 7, 8 or 9 and you’ll find a space called Gallery 6789 right in front of the elevators. This is where The Place likes to showcase the work of local and international artists in an interactive setting.

Comfortable Rooms with High-Tech Touches

Rooms range from one double bed to two singles, to two doubles. If you press a button at the side of the floor-to-ceiling windows, you’ll activate the blinds. These are very effective at shutting out all the light so you’ll get a solid night’s sleep.

Each room has a desk and chair, if you need to work. Wi-Fi is free. And some units have special features such as a projection box so you can screen movies from your bed on the pulled-down blinds.

The coffee-makers in the rooms are the Oceanrich brand and the wall behind it includes instructions both in Chinese and English.

Open a cupboard door on the side of the bathroom vanity, and you’ll find a sleeve filled with amenities including toothbrushes and toothpaste.

Taiwanese and Fusion Food at The Place

If you are thirsty or just want to unwind, Bar 21 on the fifth floor offers whiskey, Taiwanese beers, and cocktails. In addition, there are nibbles such as sweet and salty popcorn, black pepper edamame, and spicy duck blood. On some nights the bar features local Tainan performers. Open Friday to Sunday.

The Place also has a restaurant called Gancui. On the menu, you’ll find a combination of Taiwanese and Italian dishes. Open for dinner from Friday to Sunday, the menu includes BBQ smoked chicken and tomahawk pork ribs. There is also grilled duck breast, risotto, and lasagna. Breakfast and lunch are served in Gancui seven days a week.

Amenities from Fitness to Shopping

The Place offers a 24-hour fitness center with treadmills and elliptical machines. Parking is free upon reservation, and there is luggage storage. The front desk is open 24 hours and currency exchange services are provided.

Attached to T.S. Dream Mall, The Place is situated in a great location for last-minute shopping. It’s easy to pick up anything you might have forgotten to bring on your trip, or items to bring home. Another souvenir option is the Ganqin Design Gift Shop, which is off the hotel lobby. It’s stocked with locally made items such as soaps, lotions, bags, and ceramics that you might not find anywhere else.

Explore Tainan for the Food

Guests at The Place come to Tainan for many reasons and for some, food is at the top of the list. The flavors here are distinctly sweet and sour and can be found in the dishes in many distinctive restaurants and in street-vendor fare, as well.

Two spots you should not miss are Du Hsiao Yueh Original Restaurant, famous for its noodle broth, and Zhuxinju which specializes in multi-course set menus of foods that the owners boast, “are like our grandmothers make.”

The City’s Historic Hotspots

History is another big magnet. Tainan was Taiwan’s first capital, from the 1600s to the 1800s. Guests at The Place often visit the first Confucian school temple built in 1665. In addition, there are many more Buddhist and Taoist temples to see. The city boasts the most temples in all of Taiwan.

Some other fun places guests like to visit are the Anping Tree House and the Hayashi department store. The Anping Tree House is an old warehouse open to the air and strangled by Banyan tree roots.

The Hayashi department store was opened by the Japanese in 1932 and was bombed by the Americans in World War Two. After major renovations, the five-story building was reopened in 2014.

Make sure you go to Shennong Street for an evening stroll. Lit by colorful lanterns, it is a pedestrian walk jammed with shops, vendors, and food stalls.

After interacting with Tainan’s lively culture, you’ll find it’s a pleasure to lean back on a very comfortable bed and enjoy all the modern comforts of The Place.

Room prices start from $120 US and suites start at around $250 US. You can compare rates at Booking.com and make your reservations on that site if you find a good deal.

Hotel feature by Toronto-based travel writer Maureen Littlejohn. Photos © Maureen Littlejohn. The Taiwan Tourism Bureau arranged for her stay as she researched a larger piece. As always, the thoughts and opinions expressed are her own.