I made a weekend trip to Taipei during a long weekend in Singapore back in September. For this trip, I chose to stay at Hotel Resonance, a Tapestry Collection by Hilton property. Tapestry Collection by Hilton is a collection of independent hotels, with each property maintaining a unique, individual character. The independent properties are supposed to adhere to Hilton hospitality standards, have access to Hilton reservations system and participate fully in the Hilton Honors programme. Tapestry is similar to Curio Collection properties, but more affordable.
This was my first experience with a Tapestry Collection property, and I was really impressed. The corner room we were upgraded to was a bit lacking in terms of windows and natural light, but was still really nice. Some Hilton Gold and Diamonds complain about the lack of breakfast, with Starbucks credit given instead, but I actually really liked this. Besides, with the famous Fuhang Soy Mllk literally next door, I don’t need a hotel breakfast. The service was perhaps a little colder than the Taiwanese hospitality I usually see, but with decent Diamond recognition despite the property limitations, I was honestly really happy with the hotel. Definitely a hotel I would return to for future visits to Taipei (and in fact I was supposed to, but plans changed).
Booking
Since I’m still desperate to try and retain my Hilton Diamond status for 2024, my choice of hotel was limited to the 3 Hilton properties in Taipei: Hilton Taipei Sinban, DoubleTree by Hilton Taipei Zhongshan, and the Hotel Resonance. The Hilton Sinban was immediately ruled out because of location, being far out from the main Taipei area. Hotel Resonance had the marginally but still rather expensive rate, so it was the obvious choice. It was in an area I was familiar, having stayed at the Sheraton Grand Taipei next door previously.
Because the lowest available rate was for the Twin Guest room, that was what I booked, banking on my status for an upgrade to a higher category room with a king bed. The total cost for my 2-night stay was TWD16,400 (~SGD696), which I felt was high for Taipei. However, I had been studying Taipei hotel rates for awhile, and everything seems elevated post-COVID. Partly I had waited too long to book despite confirming the air tickets earlier on, which meant I paid a little more than I should have.
Location
The Hotel Resonance Taipei is located in the Zhongzheng District of Taipei. It’s conveniently located beside Shandao Temple Metro station, which is served by the Bannan Line aka the blue line. Shandao Temple is one stop away from Taipei Main Station, great if you’re planning to take HSR around Taiwan or the Airport line from Taoyuan Airport. The Bannan line is also useful for getting to areas such as Ximending, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall and the Xinyi area. Connectivity and getting around Taipei wise, there isn’t much to complain about with the Hotel Resonance.
In terms of amenities around the hotel, as I mentioned the Hotel Resonance is located right beside the building that is home to Fuhang Soy Milk. Fuhang serves great soy milk and danbing, and is one of my favourite breakfast spots in Taipei. There’s usually a long queue though, so either go early or late (but not too late). Both mornings, we headed there around 8.45am and queued for around 45min. Apart from Fuhang, there’s a decent number of food places further down along the main road, plus plenty of convenience stores too. I even discovered on this trip that my favourite massage chain in Taipei have a branch around 10min from Hotel Resonance.
As far as location goes, the Hotel Resonance might not be in the thick of the tourist action, but that was fine by me. It was relatively well connected, not too far from the major areas, and there’s sufficient food around to keep me occupied.
Arrival and check-in
We arrived in Taipei pretty late, thanks to a 1.5h delay departing Changi on our EVA Air flight (no review as it was on the 777 business class which I reviewed a year ago). Even though we took a cab from Taoyuan, we only got to the hotel around 10pm. The cab ride itself took around 35-40min.
The lobby looked quite typical of semi-boutique hotel, resembling a living room with a pleasant mix of colour sofas, wood floor and other elements. Some may find it eclectic, but I thought it was unique and different from a standard hotel.
The reception desk was in the middle of the lobby. Just beyond the lobby, there was another area which was actually a bar/ lobby lounge.
The lobby had a few groups of people hanging around, but there was no wait to check-in. The front desk agent acknowledged my Honors Diamond status, and noted we had been upgraded to a King Corner Room. She also explained that while the hotel had no formal executive lounge, there was lounge that we could use where drinks and snacks were available in the evening. She also explained that while the hotel doesn’t have a restaurant, we would get Starbucks credit. The credit could be in found in the hotel’s app, and we needed to scan the app before making an order. I found the need to download an app a minor inconvenience.
We were also handed a welcome gift consisting of a bottle of tea and a packet of dried fruit. There was a welcome card too, signed by several of the staff.
King Corner Room
Our room was located at the end of the corridor on the eastern side of the hotel facing towards Taipei 101. Unfortunately the weather was against us and we couldn’t see 101 from the room, although that was only part of the problem.
The room
The room was pleasant and modern. It measured 35sqm, which was a decent size. The only issue with the room was the lack of natural light, with only a window above the bed and a smaller strip of window in the bathroom.
The cupboard was by the door, and was the open kind, which I’m not really a fan of. There a luggage shelf, and below that the in-room safe and some storage drawers. The safe wasn’t very big and probably wouldn’t fit a larger laptop.
By the wall was a lounging area with a chaise lounge and coffee table. The chaise was rather hard. The minibar was at the end of the chaise.
The minibar had a kettle, Nespresso machine and a fridge. The fridge contained a pack of snack and a couple of drinks, all of which were complimentary. There were bottles of complimentary water as well.
The bedside had all the usual outlets and switches. While the curtain and sheer were electronically-operated, oddly the switches for each were on different sides of the bed. A minor inconvenience. The power outlets were universal, a sometimes overlooked but important feature. There were USB-A ports and a clock with wireless charging pad as well.
The room was comfortable and spacious enough for two of us and our luggage. The bed was definitely not Conrad-level comfort, but was a good firmness and the sheets decent quality. Opposite was the usual 55-inch HDTV.
Bathroom
The bathroom and toilet were separate areas. The toilet was by the room entrance, while the bathroom was a little deeper into the room. Combined, the two areas rain the breadth of the room. The toilet had a washlet. This is one feature the Taiwanese have adapted from the Japanese. (Not going into the history of Taiwan-Japan relations here).
There was a vanity with a single sink, flanked by the shower on one side and the bathtub on the other. The bathtub had a tiny sliver of window to look out of. The tub itself was wide but seemed slightly short in length.
The shower had both a rain shower and shower head. Unlike what I consider a true rain shower which comes down from the ceiling, preferably closer to the middle of the shower, this one was attached to the same plumbing as the hose.
The toiletries and bathroom amenities were all hotel-branded. I have no idea what brand they were, but they were pleasant enough. As with most hotels nowadays, the toiletries came in large, wall-mounted dispensers.
Overall
The room was comfortable and modern. The decor and features would definitely appeal more to leisure rather than business travellers, and that’s to be expected for a ’boutique’ hotel. Everything was spotlessly clean and well-maintained. It was a nice space to retreat to after a long day wandering around Taipei. My only complaint is the lack of windows and natural light in the corner room. Some other categories have full-height windows. I’d like to check out a different category the next time I stay here at the Hotel Resonance.
The Starbucks (credit)
I don’t remember exactly how much credit we received, but it was around TWD1,000 or SGD40+. I have read on some forums that some Diamond members feel some disgruntlement about the credit, but for me it works well. It’s not really an unusual practice either, considering how properties in the USA have been offering F&B credit instead of complimentary breakfast for a couple of years now.
Personally, I like the Starbucks credit here because it allowed me choose what time I’d like my coffee or snacks. In the end, we didn’t finish the credit despite our best efforts. Our morning routine was to get a drink to sip while queueing for Fuhang next door. We’d then return later for a coffee and/or pastry. We even bought a couple of slices of cake one evening to consume after dinner. Given how much great food there is in Taipei, I’m very happy with the Starbucks credit to consume at my own time whenever I need a coffee. Guests can 10% off F&B items, which stacks with the credit. The credit cannot be used on merchandise.
The Starbucks itself was quite nicely decorated, and had a pretty extensive menu. Guests had exclusive access from 7am-930am on weekdays, and 7am-10am on weekends. It did get pretty crowded during the day once the general public were allowed in.
Facilities and amenities
The Portal
The Hotel Resonance Taipei does not have an executive lounge. Instead, it has a space just off the lobby called “The Portal”. The front desk indicated I had access to The Portal as a Honors Diamond, so not sure if all guests have access. It was a fairly compact space, with around 8 tables.
During the day, coffee/tea, soft drinks and packaged snacks were available. Between 5-7pm, some beer and hard seltzer were also available. No prepared food were available, but otherwise it was a nice space to pop in for a drink.
Fitness centre
The Hotel Resonance has a fitness centre on the 2nd floor. Unsurprisingly, this wasn’t a particularly large nor well-equipped gym. The equipment mainly consisted of treadmills and free weights. Water and towels were available in the gym.
There was also a spa on the 2nd floor. I didn’t check out the rates.
Guest laundry
On the 3rd floor was a laundry room. This was complimentary for guests, which is great for longer stays. It’s a very narrow space, so definitely not advisable to hang around. There were 3 washers and dryers each.
Other facilities
On the 2nd floor, there was a space called “The Capsule”, meant for guests who need somewhere to hang around before a late flight. I’m not sure how access worked for this and if there were any charges. I can see it being useful if it had a shower, but I doubt there is.
Also on the 2nd floor was a vending machine and ice machine.
Conclusion
I rather liked the Hotel Resonance Taipei. It was pleasant, modern and had a reasonable amount of amenities despite its compact size. I get why some Diamonds don’t like the Starbucks credit concept, but I liked it better than being served some mediocre breakfast. At the end of the day, one has to remember this is essentially an independent boutique hotel.
The Hotel Resonance will appeal to guests looking for a central, convenient and comfortable accommodation. Amidst the relative lack of options, the Hotel Resonance Taipei is arguably the best option for Hilton Honors loyalists. It’s a lovely hotel, and definitely one of favourite properties in Taipei.