Features
Boutique hotels mushroom in Ximen
Ximen is a Taipei City hub for subculture and historic sites. (Staff photo/Chang Su-ching)
- Publication Date：03/31/2013
- Source：
Taiwan Today - By Rachel Chan
Ximen is Taipei City’s center for youth culture and street fashions. Located in the northeastern part of Wanhua District, the area offers a host of clubs, restaurants and shops that sell clothing and cute items young people like and can afford.
Once a holy land for pop culture and the most bustling and commercial area before 1980s, it gradually declined over the next 20 years because of the rise of the city’s eastern district. But the area underwent a renaissance with the opening of Ximen Metro station and increasing number of young tourists from Hong Kong, Singapore and mainland China in recent years.
Now Ximen has become a key battleground for five-star hoteliers with each introducing new brands offering upscale and unique lodging experiences at relatively low prices. This fierce competition is evidenced by the fact that many hotel groups have completed or are transforming former department stores into boutique hotels that feature over-the-top local styles.
Ambassador Hotel, for example, opened Amba Taipei Ximen in February 2012 to celebrate the group’s 50th anniversary. Occupying the top six floors of Lai Lai Department Store, which closed down in 2003, Amba stands out from run-of-the-mill hotels and is branded to give a mix-and-match hospitality experience of arts, accommodation, gourmet food and music.
“Named after the first four alphabets of Ambassador Hotel, we hope that the new brand serves as a link between the past and future by showcasing our proud legacy as we usher in a new era,” Amba General Manager Teresa Huang told Taiwan Today in a recent interview.
Amba Ximen is a boutique establishment run by Ambassador Hotel. (Courtesy of Amba Ximen)
According to Huang, local characteristics, location and nearby tourist spots are the reasons Ambassador chose Ximen to launch its second hotel line. The area was ranked by online social media analysis company Socialbakers as one of the top five destinations in Taiwan, and a must-visit for solo tourists from Japan, Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore, she added.
“Green, high-tech and creative are what we called the Amba DNA,” Huang said. “This is a stylish and vibrant place aimed to break the public’s stereotype of five-star hotels.”
In addition to minimalistic rooms and bold visual illustrations representing Ximen, Huang said the hotel offers a restaurant, lounge bar, concierge and room service. Rates start at NT$3,080 (US$103), and Amba has an average 80 percent occupancy rate. Huang said the Ambassador expects business to continue growing with efforts put into the hotel and tourism industry from both public and private sectors.
Minimalistic interior design ensures Amba Ximen customers a restful night’s sleep.
Another Taiwan boutique hotel brand is Just Sleep Ximen opened in 2009 by FIH Regent Group, which also runs Regent Hotels and Resorts, Silks Place and luxury residences in Taipei and Shanghai.
Just Sleep comes with a convenient location, luxurious amenities, cozy environment, chic decor and five-star hotel services at an affordable price starting from NT$2,800.
“We give travelers and locals a spectacular and most worthwhile hospitality experience,” said Ellen Chang, group public relations director, “Our intimate and professional services with charming touches in the room help visitors keep the hustle and bustle of the city at bay.”
Conveniently accessible with a brisk 10 minute walk from the metro station, Just Sleep caters to the needs of all travelers, Chang said, starting with a comprehensive business center and full concierge counter in the lobby, as well as interactive kiosk that provides the latest flight information, train and metro schedules, tour maps and food guide.
Just Sleep aims to be a home away from home for visitors. (Courtesy of Just Sleep)
Each of the hotel’s modern rooms contain world-class amenities and body contouring Wellsrping Bed, state-of-the-art restroom facilities and automated toilets to ensure a restful sleep, Chang said.
“Each detail aims to maximize convenience and comfort for our visitors and make the hotel a home away from home.”
In 2008, Chang said, the FIH Regent Group noticed the lack of budget boutique hotels catering for budget travelers who do not need luxury banquet halls, fully-fitted gyms or a beautiful swimming pool. The group decided to rent part of a former department store and remodel it into Just Sleep.
Chang said Just Sleep’s 90 percent occupancy rate is mainly due to its Hong Kong and Macau guests, which account for 80 percent of clientele, while the remainder from Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and mainland China.
Commenting on the booming of budget design hotels in Ximen, Chang said this is a sign that the tourism industry is becoming more mature. She sees great potential in this segment as more investors jump in and Taiwan further opens to mainland Chinese solo tourists.
Just Sleep is proud of its five-star hotel services.
“What makes Just Sleep stand out from the competition is our service,” Chang said. “Not only that, but all our multilingual staff are trained like those from the five-star Regent Taipei. We also offer free neighborhood walking tours to cultural and historic sites in Ximen.” (JSM)
Write to Rachel Chan at ccchan@mofa.gov.tw
Boutique hotels mushroom in Ximen
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