35APT. — Hotel in Taipei

When we initially booked this place, we had no inkling as to what the place looked like and where it was located. We just needed a place that was affordable. Lo and behold, Metro Apartment was more than what we expected.||||The place was new, clean, comfortable, and more importantly, it was right across Taipei Metro (Minquang West Road Station Exit 4). From here we could travel conveniently all over Taipei. ||||In all of my travels, this place is perhaps the nearest to an MRT station I have stayed. Not only that, the place is also near the bus stop (150 meters) that services the airport (Taoyuan) to airport (Songshan) & vice versa route, making this place very accessible from both airports. ||||There are also a lot of restaurants and cafes nearby. We personally liked the Tonkatsu restaurant (2nd floor) beside Watson's. ||For grocery needs, there's 7-11, Family Mart, OK, Hi-Lite convenience stores nearby. ||For currency exchange, one can easily exchange US$ to NT$ at the different banks (open only during weekday business hours) nearby. Bank staff are conversant in English, which made the transactions fast and easy. ||For postal needs, there is a post office too, around 100 meters away from the apartment.||||I suggest you get a Easycard. It can be bought at the Metro Station or at 7-11 for NT$100, and you can have it charged (topped up/loaded) conveniently. We were able to use the Easycard to pay for the Metro, bus, zoo admission fees, buy from vending machines and buy stuff at 7-11. Saved us from having to count loose change all the time.||||However, please note that this is not a hotel, so guests are required to self-check in:||1. At the entrance, there is a phone on the right side of the door, lift the phone and talk with the operator. Operator will give entry instructions. using the coded keypad beside the phone.||2. Once inside, find the other phone on the table (just beside the elevator), call the operator to give you instructions re key card access.||3. When exiting the premises, please take note of the pass code (securely posted before exiting the building). It changes regularly so do check it every time you go out.||4. Use the same pass code when entering the premises.||5. Leave key card inside box (located in the table near the elevator) upon checking out.||||We got the room that was beside the entrance of the building. Meaning we could hear people coming and going during the late evenings or very early mornings. So if you want a quieter room, get rooms on the higher levels.||There is an elevator so carrying luggage is not a problem.||If you have a hard time going up and down staircases, the loft styled rooms are perhaps not for you. The room we got was loft style, bedroom/TV was located at the loft, luggage and toilet are downstairs. For us it was no problem even if it meant using the toilet during the night. ||The loft ceilings are very low, you can easily bump your head, not suitable for tall people.||||We shall definitely stay at this place again should we return...

The Metro Apartment (Hotel) is a dozen rooms shoehorned into an anonymous building that's literally opposite entrance #4 of the Minquan West Road MRT station. It's been operating since early December 2016. All the units seem to be on two levels, that is, the sitting room and bath are on the lower level, and the double bed is up a narrow staircase. What's really odd (and concealed in the adverts by artful photography) is that the ceilings of both rooms are extremely low: about 72 inches (1.83 meters) high downstairs and 68 inches (1.73 meters) in the sleeping room. I'm 5'10 (1.77 m) and wasn't so much endangered as disturbed that management chose not to disclose that for most non-Asian males there's an altitude problem. Other than that, and the weird sensation of dealing with management only by 24 hour phone, there was a lot to like about the Metro Apartments. Our room was immaculate, and tastefully furnished and designed with an eye to using every inch of space well. There's strong wi-fi, good lighting, plenty of sockets, a nicely functional bathroom (shower only, of course) and a comfortable bed. Entry to the building is via a door marked only '35 Lane 48' -- there's nothing to suggest the place is a hotel. With a good lock on our room door and an electronic combination lock controlling access from outside, we felt secure. We never saw our fellow guests, but occasionally heard them through the walls...

We arrived in Taipei at 3am, and we were still able to check in. You will only have to use the telephone outside to get inside, and use another telephone inside to get your card in the drawer. The owner/manager just needs to verify some information. It seems complicated (having to use the telephone and all) but it's very easy. Make sure to have the address on your phone to show the Taxi driver.||There's McDonalds, convenience stores, and some restaurant I think and a bank nearby. The apartment looks really nice inside. There's an elevator. It's like a mini hotel minus the lobby and reception area. Our room really is small though, but we're small people anyway so it didn't matter. Haha and we didn't have huge luggage. Overall it was a...