January 21, 2015

Review: W Taipei

Introduction
Planning & Booking
Singapore Airlines 777-300ER First Class San Francisco to Hong Kong
Grand Hyatt Hong Kong
The Bridge Cathay Pacific Business Class Lounge
Cathay Pacific A330 Business Class Hong Kong to Taipei
W Taipei
Cathay Pacific 777-300ER Business Class Taipei to Hong Kong
The Wing Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge
Cathay Pacific 777-300 ER First Class Hong Kong to Los Angeles

The cab from TPE to the W took about 40 minutes and cost 1200 TWD (~$38USD).  Upon arrival we were greeted warmly by the bell staff.  The main lobby of the hotel is actually on the 11th floor. We had a ton of stuff so we gave the bellman our bags and headed up to 11 to check in.  There was a dedicated check-in desk for Gold and Platinum members and we were helped immediately.


W Taipei Lobby

W Taipei Exterior


I had used points (25,000/night) for this stay yet we were still upgraded (one category) to a "Fabulous" room.   Unfortunately, that meant no view of Taipei 101 but we weren't complaining as it was New Years and the hotel was packed.  We've stayed at over a dozen W hotels around the world (New York, Chicago, LA, DC, San Diego, Hong Kong, etc...) and they are generally pretty similar.  Lots of style, some are short on substance.  This W is definitely different.  The location is great in that the hotel sits directly above a metro station, the rooms are huge, and they go WAY overboard to make elite members happy.  In this case, as a Platinum SPG member, I received:
  • One category room upgrade (no suite but that's okay)
  • Complimentary daily breakfast (Platinum benefit)
  • Complimentary wifi
  • Complimentary daily happy hour in two different bars (Gold/Platinum benefit)
Once we had our keys, we headed upstairs to check out the room.  While I would have loved a view of Taipei 101, the views of the rest of the city were stunning.

View from our room - W Taipei

The room was huge and beautifully designed.  The bathroom contained a double vanity, shower, and bath tub.






We especially enjoyed the sitting area where we could relax and stare out at the city.  Just like in Hong Kong.  After our bags arrived, we headed out to enjoy the city and grab some pics of Taipei 101.


Taipei 101

Upon our return, we headed to the complimentary happy hour at WOOBAR which is the hotel's lobby bar.  We enjoyed a few rounds of drinks and ordered some snacks (not on the complimentary happy hour).  It's worth noting that the hotel offers the complimentary happy hour at Yen Bar on the 31st floor with views of Taipei 101.  We enjoyed both bars each night.  This is definitely the property to stay in Taipei if you hold Gold/Platinum SPG status.


WOOBAR...Bar

"Elite" Happy Hour

Breakfast the next morning was served at the Kitchen Table located off the lobby.  The breakfast was standard Asian hotel buffet which means it was awesome.  There was something for everyone and we enjoyed each meal we had there.  We were asked for our room number prior to being seated but that was it - nothing for us to sign at the end of the meal.







On NYE, the city was getting absolutely nuts with people, cars, and traffic.  We picked up some beers and headed back to the hotel to get ready for the festivities.  We ordered room service which arrived in less than 30 minutes and cost less than $40 USD.  Pretty awesome   The hotel even sent up a comped bottle of Veuve to celebrate.


Veuve for 2

The hotel often turns into a nightclub and NYE was no exception.  They had DJ Apster come on around 11 and he crushed it late into the first morning 2015.  It was one of the best New Years celebrations either of us have ever had.  Kudos to the W Taipei for putting on such an awesome party.


DJ Apster crushing it
Taipei 101 NYE 2015 Fireworks
Happy New Year from Taipei!

We both loved Taipei and loved this hotel.  Everything from the food to the room to the service and decor was on point.  The W Taipei definitely raises the bar for all other W properties around the world.  After three great days in Taipei, we packed and grabbed a cab back to the airport.  We made our way to the Cathay Pacific check-in counter to begin the long (and awesome) journey back to Denver.

1 comment:

  1. You are our hero, Evan! Can't wait to welcome you back.

    Gratefully,
    Cary

    ReplyDelete