BACKGROUND Part of Taiwan’s L’Hotel de Chine Group, Palais de Chine, which opened in May last year, is one of the company’s top-end facilities, with the décor reflecting the owner’s love for French culture. The group has been running hotels for 30 years. Other brands under its umbrella are Fleur de Chine, Chateau Chine, Maison deChine and Chinatrust; the company also has franchise operations. It has invested heavily in this property – other than the rather amazing hardware, the management even enlisted the help of two senior lecturers from The International Butler Academy of The Netherlands to help train 65 of the staff.
WHAt'S IT LIKE? The lower floors of the building are actually a department store, Q Square, so guests have to take a lift to reach the main lobby on the 6th floor. It is a setup I personally dislike even though there is a concierge desk by the street entrance. But once at the lobby, my slight annoyance was replaced by vivid curiosity: I was amused by the antique reception desk located against a textural stone wall, giant floor lamps, lavish floral arrangements, statues and two-metre-tall horse sculpture. The interior of the hotel is like the set of a historical epic movie based in a European castle. The main theme is French Art Nouveau, and many of the pieces are genuineEuropean antiques. With its velvet curtains and chadelier, the place feels a bit like an opera house or museum; some might consider it a little heavy.
When I was at the hotel, there were guests of many different nationalities staying there giving the place a very cosmopolitan feel.
WHERE IS IT? The hotel is located in Datong District, a rather nondescript neighbourhood on the western riverbank of the city. It is a short walk to the Taipei Station and rail services to the rest of Taiwan. In the same building are department store Q Square and a branch of cinem chain Vieshow Cinemas. Taipei Bus Station is right next door. Ximending, arguably the city’s most famous shopping district, is a five-to-10 minute cab ride away. In normal traffic, it takes about 40 minutes to reach Taoyuan International Airport by car.
ROOM FACILITIES Room size stars from 30sqm; I stayed in a 37sqm deluxe room, the second most basic type. But it didn’t feel basic at all. It was theatrically lit and featured a lot of wood and stone. The bathroom is in an open design so when you are washing your face, you are looking at the desk, but a big, rectangular, swiveling mirror is cleverly placed in the middle to serve as a partition.
The room came with coffee- and tea-making facilities, wifi and a LCD TV with all-in-one control system for radio, movie and music, as well as lighting and temperature. It even offers pre-designed ambiance light settings and I particularly liked the sleep mode which is dark enough for a restful slumber but not so dark that you can’t see your hands. The hotel’s own brand of toiletries comes elegantly packaged in Chinese-theme containers and the big oval bathtub looks inviting, although I never found the time to actually use it.
RESTAURANTS AND BARS The food and beverage outlets here are French restaurant La Rotisserie, Chinese outlet Le Palais, European tea house Le The and North African-style Le Bar. As with the rest of the hotel, all of them are spectacularly designed. I only had chance to try breakfast, which was slightly disappointing – the sausages were a little tough.
BUSINESS AND MEETINGS FACILITIES The VIP lounge Le Salon on the 17th floor looks like the private library of some billion-dollar mansion, with a curious selection of books. It has various types of tables and sofa areas that are great for small meetings. The complimentary drink selection offered here during happy hour was, however, unexciting. There were only red and white wines, beer and soft drinks, and a variety of nuts, dried fruits and sweets as snacks, including some gummies meticulously presented in an antique-like jar. But we are happy to hear that in recent months the choice has improved, and finger sandwiches and sushi are being served.
There are various function halls on the fifth floor for up to 320 people in a classroom setting. Four meeting rooms are available, with all the usual technological features.
LEISURE FACILITIES The fitness centre features high-end equipment by Italian manufacturer Technogym. The entertainment system in the room offers free films, although when I tried to watch them, the soundtracks of some were barely audible.
Reggie Ho
Fact File
HOW MANY ROOMS? There are 286 guestrooms from the seventh to 16th floors in nine categories starting from superior rooms.
ROOM HIGHLIGHTS The LCD TV features a panel for lighting and room temperate settings so the guest can use the remote control to adjust the ambiance.
PRICE Superior room starts from NT$7,370 (US$252).
CONTACT Palais de Chine Hotel, No. 3 Section 1 Chengde Road, Taipei 103, Taiwan; tel +886 2 2181 9999; http://palaisdechine.hotel.com.tw
Verdict
If you are suffering from the “been there, done that” syndrome, this hotel might be the cure. Whether or not the extravagant décor is to your taste, it is certainly amusing and something different. I just wish there were a pool and a spa.
