Lappe

Happy hour is as many drinks as you can/want and usually surprisingly quiet. Plats get 2 bottles of Fiji per day from the minibar, not sure if that extends to golds as well. The other water (Uni?) is free.

Le Meridien is nice and in the same neighbourhood, but very different vibe. Great breakfast there. Hyatt has been renovated and reopened in April so it should be in great condition.

wantan

Great info, thanks ! Didn't know the Hyatt was just renovated. Are works still ongoing?

Lappe

I have not been there recently, but I believe the works were completed earlier this year and they "launched" the renovated hotel in April or May.

wantan

Still hung up about which property to go with :

Trying to go for the best value ... the only chains I have loyalty with in Taipei are Accor Gold (Novotel Airport) or SPG Gold (W, Le Meridian, Westin & Sheraton).

From what I've gathered, W treats Golds better with the Cocktail Hour whereas LM is room upgrade but nothing with Exec Lounge access. Sheraton is older ... how would the Westin compare ?

lcpteck

Why not use your points to upgrade to a Club room if you need the lounge access?

frudd38

I've been to the W, LM and GH in the past year, most recently the GH last month. I have to say the GH is really impressive with the renovated rooms, especially if you get a view of the 101 (it's much closer than the LM 101 room view).

If lounge access is a priority for you, the GH's club definitely blows the LM away and easier to grab on Hyatt points (18k/nt for club room, 24k/nt for suite). GH club access gets you breakfast, happy hour and better snack offerings than the LM. LM I believe is just the happy hour (I'm Platinum so I'm not sure if club access alone grants you breakfast in the restaurant downstairs)

Furyleader

As I had mentioned couple pages back, I've stayed all spg properties there as we ll as GH, W is nice but even with room type upgrades other than free drinks and bottle water it won't get you further in perk as in breakfast as gold, the location certainly offers quick easy access to the mall and MRT. Me, personally I had a unsatisfied experience with GH Tpe about April this year, I used pts and cash for 2 nights for their std room type and as Platinum I'd requested higher floor upgrade, the agent during check in did not recognized my status, nor put me on higher floor , nothing was offered. Unless you booking for club floor maybe you'll get different treatment. LA M, was different story, as I'd addressed couple pages before. if you would upgrade your room type to club room , not only the view is excellent, you do have lounge access, a one time within city taxi service per stay night, and 500 ntd credit for your loundry, complimentry breakfast, and of course free drink and water for welcome package.. This upgrade is only merely 2k additional pts, well worth it over W property.

frudd38

Wow I was at the LM for 10 nights last year and didn't even know about the taxi service benefit.. We were in a Junior Suite and Club room. When you say "per stay night" do you mean once every night?

akersnl

Just completed another stay here. Got upgraded to a ridiculous (my word, not theirs) suite as a PLT. All staff were very friendly and helpful. Breakfast ranks pretty high.

Not only should all W's use the Taipei property as that standard, but many SPG properties should be trained by the W Taipei staff.

Contrast with the W Hong Kong, where I was the night before, and I received no upgrade and the staff always seem like the guests are a bother. I've stayed at the W Hong Kong more times than I can remember, and only ever received one upgrade to a corner room. I only chose it for convenience to the MTR for overnights when transiting through HKG.

wantan

Saw a nice World Mastercard offer http://www.worldcard.mastercard.com/...i--taiwan.html

With the breakfast, was quoted ~1000TWD lower than SPG's lowest prepaid rate with Bfast (while Mastercard's is Easy Cancellation)... and that's even before the USD100 dining credit ^ getting greedy now, but any chance of SPG granting a Best Rate Guarantee to match this ?

Has anyone else had experience booking via Mastercard channel ? Wondering if the benefits of SPG Gold are still applicable? Mastercard says yes but so far have not heard back from the hotel.

Also does this hotel have any "must-do's ?" Have not stayed at any W before.

skywalkerLAX

The pool has currently been transformed into an ice rink. If you want to swim you can facilitate the pool at the Le Meridien.

Nevertheless this morning I walked since there was also no upgrade available, then after pushing they said 7pm but without pool I'm not interested spending that kind of money/points on a hotel for the hassle involved.

Lappe

The pool will return next weekend (Feb 5th), this is an annual thing at the hotel. They cover the outdoor pool with a plastic "ice rink". Don't really see people trying their skills and have never been successful in luring any of my colleagues on to the ice. The weather over last few weeks has not really been good for outside activities, second lowest temperature ever recoreded and coolest in 44 years. Actual snow in Taipei!

The hotel has been pretty full last week with some celebrities around - their Extreme Wow suite was worked on for the last couple days (!!).
I bailed for the Aloft Zhongshan for tonight to see the place. This property still has the new hotel smell, and have not yet bumped into another guest... Apparently sort of soft launch stage still.

Will return to W tomorrow, hopefully still suites available!

skywalkerLAX

Can someone report the times of the Happy Hour at Woo Bar?

I'm arriving at 4pm and then have to make my way into town. If it's over by the time I arrive not worth to bother I guess, better choose a property with Club instead.

jix

It's only one page up...#285

skywalkerLAX

Thanks! So much for that, no way I'll be at the hotel before 7 given I arrive from HK (delays, delays, delays).