Review: Westgate Hotel, Taipei

I am finally doing a review entry on Westgate Hotel, Taipei. We chose to stay at Westgate Hotel in Ximending while in Taipei due to the convenience of location.

Sister had actually wanted to stay at Palais de Chine Hotel as she liked the design of their rooms and the location of the hotel as it is inside a luxury mall. I, on the other hand preferred the modern look of Westgate Hotel. We chose Westgate Hotel in the end as it is cheaper than Palais de Chine.

We arrived extremely late on the day of check-in as Sister flight did not land on time as there was an air traffic and the plane hoovered on the sky for about 30 minutes before it lands. By the time we reached Ximen Station, it was late already. We came out from the right exit but couldn’t find the hotel.

We ended up seeking help at the local police station. It turned out that we were at the right direction in the first place but took the wrong turn. *sigh* Ended up wasting for about 15 to 20 minutes looking for the right direction to the hotel. We managed to get to the hotel in one piece in the end. xD

We booked an Executive Suite during our two nights stay (that was the only room left on Agoda). Do excuse the mess in the room as we were packing for leaving. Hence, no room service for the day. Our room came with a small living area but you can’t have much of an outside view through the window. It was completely sealed.

I liked both the shower room and washroom of Westgate Hotel. You can “water massage” while showering! LOL! And there was a glass panel thing next to the door where you can place your toiletries. However, I think they do not have much hook for laundry hanging. There was only a hook which I think was meant for the towel only.

Super love the toilet the most as it comes equipped with a Japanese toilet. You can have spa treatment while doing your “business” in the toilet. You can also set the system to have a heated seating.

Unfortunately, these are the only pictures which I had of Westgate Hotel, Taipei. Surprisingly, I was not in the mood of room pictures’ taking at Westgate Hotel. But don’t worry, I took a lot for Sheraton Binhai Hotel Tianjin. LOL.

Verdict: As you all knew, we chose Westgate Hotel for the location as it is located on the shopping street. The nearest Ximen Metro exit is just a stone throw away from the entrance of the hotel and there is a 24 hours karaoke lounge – Play World just across the street from the hotel. If you want a cheaper option of karaoke, try Holiday KTV around Ximending.

There is a night market nearby to the hotel, which is around 20 minutes walk. Best of all, a 24 hours Watsons is just nearby. You can even do your toiletries shopping in the midnight if you want to shop in peace. Both Sister and I were at Watsons after we had our late night supper on our first night. And it was so nice to shop in as it felt like you had the shop all to yourself. xD

Feeling hungry in the middle of the night? Fear not! There is a 24 hours McDonald’s and 7-Eleven nearby. I had always wanted to try those bentos from 7-Eleven. But unfortunately, there were not much options to choose from when I was there.

The hotel provides complimentary breakfast buffet so there is no need to worry about breakfast. However, I do find their breakfast spread to be rather limited but they did provide yogurt drinks similar to Vitagen and Yakult.

The customer service at Westgate Hotel was impressive. The staffs were polite and friendly. Check-in and out service was a brisk and everything was done in a short period of time. The room rate at Westgate Hotel ain’t cheap as it was about B$280 per night on Agoda. But it was well worth the price due to it’s prime location around Ximending area.

How to get to Westgate Hotel from Taoyuan International Airport:

There are a few options that you can consider to get to Westgate Hotel from Taoyuan International Airport.

Option 1: Take the cab, which is convenient but an expensive option. The taxi fare from airport to the hotel is about NT$1000.

Option 2: Bus, train and metro in one go. It takes time but saves you a lot of bucks! And those were the mode of transportation which both Sister and I took to reach the hotel. Once you are out from the arrival hall, look for the sign that will lead you to the bus stops. Look for a uBus counter and purchase bus ticket that will bring you to THSR Taoyuan Station. The ticket is fared at NT$30 per person.

The journey duration between the airport and train station was supposedly 15 to 20 minutes (if I am not mistaken) but we arrived in half the time as most of the passengers were complaining that they will not be able to make it to the last train if the bus driver do not hurry. So, the bus driver practically speed all the way and even overtook most of the vehicles on the road. LOL!

Upon arrival at THSR Taoyuan Station, purchase rail tickets for Taipei Main Station. The ticket fare is NT$175 per person. Both Sister and I bought tickets for a later train as we feared that we may not be able to reach the platform on time. It turned out that we were able to for the earlier train. The platform officer kindly allow us to board even though the ticket we bought were not for that train. As long as you bought a full fare ticket, you could board an earlier train.

The journey from THSR Taoyuan to Taipei Main Station took about 20 minutes. From there you will have to take Taipei Metro into Ximen Station (Line 5 – Bannan Line) which costs NT$20 for single journey.

Upon arriving Ximen Station, look for Exit 6. Turn right when you are at the top of the stairs and walk straight ahead. Do not cross any road as Westgate Hotel is located just on the same street as Exit 6. You will find a 24 hours Watsons and 7-Eleven across a small lane as you come out from Exit 6.

Westgate Hotel
No. 150, Section 1,
Zhonghua Road, Wanhua District,
Taipei City, 108,
Taiwan
Tel: +886-223313161