Accommodation Tips
Choosing where to stay in Taiwan can dramatically shape your experience of the island. Rather than simply recommending specific hotels or neighbourhoods, this guide will help you understand what factors to consider when selecting accommodation, so you can make choices aligned with your own travel style and interests.
The question isn’t “where is the best place to stay?” but rather “what do I want easy access to, and how does Taiwan’s geography work?”
Taiwan’s urban development is remarkably even, with most areas offering good infrastructure and safety. Rather than avoiding “bad neighbourhoods,” think about atmosphere and convenience. Do you want to be in the heart of night market energy, or would you prefer quieter residential streets where you can observe local daily life? Both are legitimate choices with different rewards.
MRT Proximity: Your Gateway to Urban Exploration
If there’s one single factor that disproportionately impacts your daily experience in Taiwan’s metro-serviced cities, it’s proximity to an MRT station.
Taiwan’s MRT systems, particularly in Taipei and Kaohsiung, are efficient, clean, affordable, and air-conditioned: a significant comfort in Taiwan’s humid climate. Taipei’s network alone serves over two million trips daily, and there’s good reason for this popularity.
The value of MRT access isn’t just about reaching tourist attractions, though it certainly enables that. It’s about flexibility and spontaneity. With accommodation near an MRT station, you can:
Explore without detailed planning. Spot an interesting neighbourhood or restaurant mentioned in conversation? You can simply go there on a whim, without negotiating taxis or deciphering bus routes.
Extend your day comfortably. Taiwan’s heat and humidity can be draining. The ability to pop back to your accommodation midday for a rest, then head out again in the evening, transforms your stamina for exploration.
Navigate with confidence. MRT systems use clear English signage, announcements in multiple languages, and logical colour-coded lines. Even if you’re typically anxious about getting lost in unfamiliar cities, the MRT provides a confidence-building framework for exploration.
Save money and time. MRT fares range from NT$20-65 per trip, making it dramatically cheaper than taxis whilst often being faster than buses in congested traffic.
However, “near an MRT station” requires nuance. In Taipei, where the network is extensive with 100+ stations across the metro area, you’re rarely far from a station. But not all proximity is equal.
Consider the difference between being 50 metres from a station on a major interchange line versus being 50 metres from a station at the end of a branch line. The interchange location offers one-seat rides to multiple destinations and frequent service. The branch line station might require transfers and operate less frequently, particularly late at night.
For cities without comprehensive MRT coverage, such as Taichung, Tainan, and smaller towns, the same principle applies to train stations. Being within walking distance of a Taiwan Railways (TRA) station provides similar freedom, connecting you to the island’s extensive rail network.
Convenience Store Access: Taiwan’s Unique Infrastructure
Western travellers often underestimate how fundamentally convenience stores shape daily life in Taiwan. This isn’t about picking up emergency supplies or late-night snacks, though they excel at that too. Convenience stores function as an essential layer of urban infrastructure.
Taiwan has one convenience store for approximately every 1,703 people, giving it the world’s second highest density of convenience stores. In practical terms, this means you’re rarely more than a few minutes’ walk from a convenience store in any urban or even semi-rural area.
Why does this matter for accommodation choice? Because Taiwan’s convenience stores offer services that Western travellers typically associate with specialised businesses or post offices:
Financial services. Need cash? Every convenience store has an ATM. Need to pay a bill? They handle utility payments, parking fees, even traffic fines. This eliminates the need to locate banks or payment centres.
Transport connectivity. Purchase and top up your EasyCard (the contactless card used for MRT, buses, and even some purchases) at any convenience store. In some stores, you can even buy SIM cards for your phone.
Parcel services. Many online purchases in Taiwan can be delivered to your local convenience store for pickup. If you’re buying souvenirs or items online, having accommodation near a designated convenience store becomes your personal parcel collection point. You can also send packages through convenience stores, making them a convenient all-in-one logistics hub for travellers.
Food and drink options. Beyond packaged snacks, convenience stores offer fresh coffee, ready meals you can heat in-store, and even seating areas where you can eat. This isn’t emergency food—many locals genuinely prefer convenience store coffee and eat there regularly.
24-hour availability. Most convenience stores operate round the clock, providing a safety net for early flights, late arrivals, or simply odd-hour needs.
Putting It Together: Making Your Choice
These two factors: MRT access and convenience store proximity, interact rather than standing alone. An accommodation’s value comes from how these elements work together to support your particular travel style.
Consider these scenarios:
Scenario: You’re spending a week in Taipei, wanting to explore the city thoroughly whilst making day trips to Jiufen.
Prioritise: Accommodation within 5-10 minutes’ walk of an MRT station on the Bannan (Blue) or Tamsui-Xinyi (Red) lines near Taipei Main Station. This gives you easy access to both the MRT network and intercity trains. Convenience stores will be abundant, so that’s less critical to optimise for.
Scenario: You’re splitting time between cities, moving between Taipei, Taichung, and Tainan.
Prioritise: Accommodation near train stations or High Speed Rail stations in each city. Since you’ll be moving frequently, proximity to intercity transport outweighs perfect positioning for exploring any one neighbourhood. MRT access matters in Taipei, less so in Tainan where the system doesn’t yet exist.
Scenario: You’re staying a month, working remotely whilst exploring Taiwan gradually.
Prioritise: A neighbourhood you genuinely enjoy, possibly slightly away from tourist centres. Here, local character and your personal comfort matter more than optimising every journey. MRT access remains valuable for flexibility, but you might accept a 15-minute walk in exchange for a neighbourhood that feels more like temporary home. Convenience store proximity becomes more important for everyday life: paying bills, picking up parcels, daily coffee.
Scenario: You’re exploring rural and coastal Taiwan, with minimal time in major cities.
Prioritise: Proximity to bus stations or train stations in smaller towns. MRT access is irrelevant outside major cities. Convenience stores remain valuable, but remember they’re so ubiquitous that this largely takes care of itself.
The goal isn’t to find objectively perfect accommodation: it’s to find accommodation that supports your specific intentions for visiting Taiwan. By understanding how location, transport access, and local infrastructure interact, you can make informed choices rather than relying on generic recommendations that might not suit your particular style of exploration.
Taiwan’s infrastructure makes it remarkably easy to explore, provided you understand how to position yourself within it. With these criteria in mind, you’re equipped to evaluate accommodation options through the lens of how they’ll actually function for your visit, rather than simply trusting hotel star ratings or generic neighbourhood reputations.