Capella Taipei — Hotel in Taipei

Capella Taipei kicked off on April 1st, and we rocked up from April 5th to 7th for a two-night stay to celebrate our anniversary.

Much like the top-notch design of Capella Sydney, Capella Taipei’s whole vibe is inspired by “contemporary art living,” blending in heaps of local Taiwanese culture. You’ve got killer views of Taipei 101 and the city skyline right there. The place is chock-full of that signature Capella scent, instantly taking us back to last year’s anniversary stay at Capella Sydney—bloody good memories.

The room itself was a ripper—stunning. Only downside was the bathroom towels—they were a bit stingy with ‘em. Three or four on hand would’ve been spot-on, plus a bath mat and a box of tissues wouldn’t go astray. And the welcome gift? Chalk and cheese compared to what we’d seen. Before we checked in, we’d clocked heaps of guests on social media showing off their Capella Taipei unboxing hauls—most got a bottle of Capella’s own-brand champers (some even scored an extra red wine) as a welcome pressie, plus local guava, dried guava, and the pineapple puffs every room gets. But when we got to ours, we were gobsmacked—just three measly apples and the puffs! Talk about a letdown, especially since we’d noted over a month ago when booking that we were celebrating our anniversary! Makes you wonder if Capella Taipei’s more fussed about influencers than punters who actually love the Capella brand and might come back.

The Indigenous weaving class we did on check-in afternoon was heaps of fun—really felt like Capella Taipei’s trying to weave in that local culture, and we loved it. Every arvo at the Living Room’s Happy Hour, you can smash as much of Capella’s new French champers and cocktails as you like. The staff, even the bigwigs like General Manager Dennis, have a yarn with guests, making it feel real matey. The crew are flat out trying to do everything right, though you can tell they’re not quite across it all yet—some of ‘em aren’t super smooth dealing with guests, and a few just wander around looking a bit lost, not sure how to step up and be more on the ball. Most of the staff were professional and friendly, but there was this one Asian bloke bartender who was a right grump—no smile, and the way he served us was so off-putting, like he’d rather be anywhere else.

The localised brekkie menu was a cracker—tons of Taiwanese classics like radish cake, spring onion pancake with egg, salty soy milk, and even Taiwanese beef noodles (we were mad for it). Even better, they had French Gillardeau oysters and champers every day—kept us grinning ear to ear! Worth a shout-out: the coffee was top-notch, could give Aussie brews a run for their money (and we’re bloody fussy about our coffee). The brekkie staff were bang-on—didn’t even need to chase ‘em down, they had the whole meal sorted smooth as.

We’re mad for Cantonese grub and had booked Rong Ju for dinner the night we arrived, but when the menu got locked in, it was only set menus, no à la carte. Gutted, we canned the booking and went to Ya Ge at the Mandarin Oriental for Peking duck instead. Had a bit of a chinwag with General Manager Dennis later, and he reckons they’ll have à la carte sorted soon—promised next time we’re back, he’d shout us some Rong Ju duck.

The gym’s brand spanking new and stacked with gear—all Technogym stuff. The change rooms have lockers with towels and disposable undies, but no slippers or bathrobes, so you can’t just shower and head upstairs comfy—you’ve gotta chuck on your own kit or wear your sweaty clobber back.

Even though Capella Taipei only opened a few days back and there’s still some rough edges to iron out, the three-day, two-night stay was still a bloody good time. All that said, next time we’re in Taipei, we’d still crash at Capella Taipei—decent five-star hotels here are thin on the ground. But here’s hoping they can polish up those little details and make it more pro. Looking forward to...

Capella Taipei is probably the best hotel in Taipei at the moment.

From the moment I arrived at the entrance, the intimate yet artistic atmosphere of the interiors by André Fu truly shines. The signature Capella fragrance makes you feel like you’re entering a different world—one that feels distinctly separate from the hustle and bustle of Taipei.

My bags were taken to my room while a staff member escorted me to the Living Room for check-in. However, she struggled to gain access to the elevator using her keycard. I later found out from another staff member that she didn’t have access to the Living Room floor, which was confusing since she was responsible for leading guests to check-in. Perhaps more first-floor staff members could be given access to the Living Room floor to assist with check-in more efficiently.

Once I arrived at the Living Room, I was offered a welcome drink and a cold towel, and the check-in process began. There was a minor issue with their payment system, though it was resolved promptly.

I was then shown to my room, which was truly stunning. It perfectly captured my dream hotel room aesthetic, with birch wood walls, aqua coloured carpets, a free mini bar (only the soft drinks are complimentary), and a travertine-tiled bathroom featuring a Japanese-style bidet, dual sinks, and a stone cladded bathtub. This is easily my favorite hotel room design by André Fu, and in my opinion, it offers the best entry-level rooms currently available in Taipei. I also appreciated that the staff proactively switched out the standard Bamford amenities for an alternative due to my allergy.

The Living Room is another highlight of the property. With cozy interiors, plush seating, and complimentary drinks, snacks, and treats available throughout the day, it’s a very pleasant space to unwind. The only suggestion I’d offer is to provide a greater variety of food options.

I also dined at Plume, their all-day dining restaurant. The service and food were both good, with prices in line with what you’d expect at a five-star hotel.

The pool, while visually stunning and offering views of Taipei 101, unfortunately closes at 6 p.m., which is a bit of a shame given its ambiance.

I’m aware that Taiwan’s hospitality industry is currently experiencing a staffing shortage, and understandably, Capella Taipei has been affected. For example, I requested laundry service, but nobody came to collect my clothes for 35 minutes—despite calling guest services again at the 15-minute mark. I eventually handed them over to the housekeeping staff during turndown service. That said, the hotel has only been open for three months, and considering the current labor challenges, this didn’t leave a negative impression overall. The staff as a whole remained consistently polite and friendly.

Breakfast is also served at Plume and is included for all staying guests—which is a huge plus. The breakfast is semi-buffet style with an all-you-can-eat à la carte menu. While the food was decent, there are a couple of areas for improvement: the oysters had bits of shell in them, making them slightly unpleasant to eat; and on my last day of breakfast service, both cups of water I was served were bitter—even after switching to mineral water—indicating possible dishwashing issues. The fruit selection could also be expanded to include options like mangoes and berries.

To wrap it all up, Capella Taipei is probably my favorite hotel in the city. I would return just for the aesthetics and rooms alone. In fact, this stay has genuinely transformed my perception of Taipei for the better. If they can iron out their growing pains regarding service and staffing, Capella Taipei would become a truly exceptional...

Dear Capella Taipei Hotel Team,

I am writing to update my review based on my stay from April 12 to 13, 2025, and my subsequent experience with your team.

To be honest, the stay was disappointing from the very beginning. I didn’t even get to enjoy the most basic service of your Living Room Lounge due to the overall confusion and lack of proper service throughout my stay. While I had hoped the matter had been resolved after our prior communication, I was unexpectedly contacted yesterday, asking me to locate and return the hotel invoice for accounting purposes.

Frankly speaking, I could have chosen not to respond at all. But I didn’t want to make things harder for unrelated team members. So, despite my assistant being on leave, I asked her to return to the office to help find the invoice. Considering that our team is going on a two-week company trip starting May 2 and that it involves a month-end reporting period, I asked her to handle it before departure.

I personally delivered the invoice to your hotel on May 2. Not only was it inconvenient and costly (nearly NT$500 in transportation), but when I arrived, no one offered even a basic courtesy—such as a glass of water—in this hot weather. The staff took the invoice, glanced at it, and simply said, “If there’s any issue, we’ll let you know.” That left me speechless. If there is another issue, I frankly will not be responding further.

I would like to emphasize that I am not seeking compensation. However, it should have been your responsibility to send someone to collect the invoice. I made the effort to deliver it myself despite not being in the office, and the way I was received made me feel that my goodwill was completely unappreciated.

That said, I want to sincerely thank Mr. Dennis Laubenstein for his efforts and support over the past two days. I know he worked hard to help correct the situation and make amends. Unfortunately, your hotel team still has much room for improvement in terms of management and staff training. From check-in to room issues, the problems we encountered were shocking, and the way your staff responded was often frustrating and unprofessional.

Thanks to Dennis, I was able to enjoy at least one comfortable night. But it is very disappointing that even the check-out process still had issues. It truly makes me question whether this is the standard of a hotel that claims to be five-star. Despite the General Manager’s efforts to patch things up, new issues continued to arise.

Honestly, I am unable to give even a one-star rating for...