Regent Taipei – Luxury Hotel And Shopping Destination

The Regent Taipei is a luxury hotel located in the heart of Taipei’s main commercial district Zhongshan. The hotel is located next to two leafy parks, Linsen Park and Kangle Park. It is a five-minute walk to the Zhongshan MRT station from where you can cover most of Taipei. A five-minute taxi ride away is the Taipei main railway station which includes the high-speed rail and the recently opened quick connection to Taoyuan International Airport. The airport can also be reached by taxi within 50 minutes. Locally I ventured out to Dihua Street which is the oldest street in Taipei and has section dating back to the Dutch Formosa period, it was a 15-minute walk away.

I had the privilege to stay for two nights in the Regent Taipei which is one of the more established hotels in town. The Regent Taipei was opened in 1990 and besides the 538 rooms and eight restaurants, it also houses a luxury shopping area called the Regent Galleria. The launch of the Galleria brought a lot of big-name international luxury fashion brands to open up their first store in Taiwan. The shopping mall is home to brands like Goyard, Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Bang & Olufsen.

Reception

I arrived by taxi and as soon as I arrived I was served immediately. I noticed lots of staff around to help me and I loved the outfits that were worn, completely black or completely white. The reception area was bright and open with a massive flower display in the middle. Almost next to the reception area were the two luxury shops of Chanel and Louis Vuitton. I could shop or browse in the shop whilst waiting to check-in. However as I was staying in a Tai Pan room which comes with access of the Tai Pan club, my check-in was handled in the club which was on floor 19.

Regent Galleria

The Regent Galleria which is housed mainly under the hotel is locally known as “Home of Fashion” in Taipei City. It has been going for more than 25 years and is popular with Taipei’s elite and the hotel guests. Here you can experience luxury shopping, great dining without ever leaving the hotel, all you need is the elevator. For those that get tired of shopping, there is a reading room for VIP members to relax and chill out, this is luxury at its best.

Azie Grand Cafe

I had lunch at Azie Grand Cafe which is one of the eight restaurants within Regent Taipei. This restaurant is located in a big open space spanning several floors, with a grand piano in the middle. It is a grand open luxurious space with the restaurant serving a creative fusion of contemporary Asian and Western cuisine.

The restaurant’s signature beef noodles were named a multiple-award winner at the Taipei Beef Noodle Festival. In 2015, its beef noodles were named to be one of the best in Taipei by CNN Travel. With these accolades, I had to try the beef noodles. I tried both the Regent Beef Noodles/Braised (US Beef) and the 2012 Champion Beef Noodles/Clear Broth (Australian Beef). I can say with both beef noodles that the beef was extremely tender and the soup/broth and noodles tasted delicious. For drinks, I tried a Taiwanese craft ale made with Oolong tea, a very different beer, worth a try.

The award-winning beef noodle.

Tai Pan King Room

My room had to be opened with a classic key, something I do not see much in luxury 5-star hotels, and it felt a bit special. What immediately struck me was the large size of the Tai Pan room, at 45 sqm in size these rooms are among the most spacious standard hotel rooms in Taipei. My room featured a floor-to-ceiling bay window, a large king-size double bed with lovely linen and a firm mattress, a sitting area with a lounge and chair, and a glass desk with a comfortable desk chair. What I really liked was the wooden box in the sitting area and when opened it revealed all sorts of local sweets and cakes. The presentation on nine different coloured plates was just amazing.

The marble bathroom was large as well and had a modern feel to it. It had a dedicated shower and bath and also a full Japanese toilet, the ones that come with heated seats. From the bath, it was also possible to watch the bathroom TV which was located near the sink area.

Tai Pan Club Lounge

As part of the Tai Pan room, I had exclusive access to the Tai Pan Club. The Tai Pan Club like my room was located on the 19th floor and offered nice views over Taipei. The benefits of the Tai Pan room include the following:

• Personalized check-in and express check-out services
• 24 hours butler services at lounge
• Luggage packing and unpacking services
• Personalized wake-up call with a morning beverage
• Personalized stationery and business cards
• Complimentary pressing of one set of business attire upon check-in
• Complimentary local calls in Taipei city
• 20% off laundry services
• Welcome amenities
• Access to the exclusive Tai Pan Lounge
• Daily buffet breakfast, afternoon tea and evening cocktails with hors d’oeuvres
• Complimentary 2-hours use of the Tai Pan boardroom on request

I mainly decided to use the Tai Pan club around evening time to try out some of the excellent hors d’oeuvres combined with a glass of red wine. I was working and enjoying nice evening views of Taipei.

Spa & Swimming Pool

Although I did not try the award-winning in-house Spa, I did have a peek inside and marvelled at the interior design. With spas it is all about the treatment and the surroundings of where you receive the treatment, it looked top-notch.

Taipei does get hot in summer, it was 35 degrees when I was there, and the Regent Taipei has a 25-meter rooftop pool to cool down in. Around the pool were plenty of deck chairs and some cabanas to chose from. It was a nice green area and when I looked over some of the plants I enjoyed some great views over Taipei.

Breakfast

Breakfast was served in the Brasserie and is buffet style which was a mix of Chines, Japanese and Western cuisines. The choices were endless and the quality was fantastic.

Amazing chandelier at the entrance of the Brasserie

Conclusion

The Regent Taipei is “The established Luxury Hotel” in Taipei. It offers anything I expect from a five-star luxury hotel, top quality service, an award-winning spa and plenty of different restaurants, eight on this occasion. On top of these, the Regent Taipei also includes Taiwan’s first luxury shopping centre as well. This whole combination is still unique in Taipei and for those wanting the ultimate luxury destination, the Regent Taipei is it. I have thoroughly enjoyed my two-day stay here.

Details

• Room reviewed: Tai Pan King
• Website: www.regenthotels.com/regent-taipei
• Address: No. 3號, Lane 39, Section 2, Zhongshan North Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 10491
• Phone: +886 2 2523 8000