Timely Request: 14 Hours in Taipei - HELP PLEASE!
 

Just found out that I'll have 14 hours in Taipei on Monday night. I need some help. Where should I stay (4 or 5 star - since everything seems relatively cheap)? I would like a hotel near good restaurants/nightclubs, etc. How far is this area from the airport? Any suggestions of places to eat?

Mostly I need your help on the hotel, how to get there from the airport (I would prefer taxi/car if not too expensive).

Thanks, in advance.

Benjamin

Taipei city is about 20-30 minutes away by bus from the airport, there are no MRT (subway) lines connect it yet. One suggestion is to stay at the Taipei Grand Hotel, that'll put in you ShiLin district, and you can experience of the night markets there in Shilin, great place to see Taiwanese food/night culture, if you like "street food". THere's lots of great stuff to eat, and it's an interesting experience.

There are buses that run from the airport to most of the major hotels. Once you pass customs, you'll exit into the waiting area. Turn left and at the end of the hall will be a number of kiosks for buses. These buses can run both ways, bringing you into your hotel and back to the airport.

If you use a cab, I think it's about $1000 NTD, about $30USD, each way.

If you want to see more modern Taipei (like the Taipei 101 building, tallest in the world at the moment), you'll want to find a hotel in East Taipei, which is much like any modern american city, with bars, restaurants, shopping, etc.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Taipei

Thank you very much!

Though it has been a few years since I lived in Taipei and semi-regularly took the bus into town and back to the airport, I would be careful with travel time.

Transportation may have improved, but there were times when that bus took as much as two hours to get into town - or back out to the airport.

All that said, I second the Grand Hotel - magnificient old style lobby - and reputedly the best dim sum on the island.