Biggest apartment I could find on the market for the price that still offered convenience of location. Two large, clean rooms with generous space; a very comfortable queen bed with a brand new mattress that was neither too soft or hard, dressed in brand new linens, comforter, and pillows all also brand new, comfortable, tasteful, and very clean.
A two minute walk was all it took to begin my access to a seemingly endless choice of restaurants and shops. This area is dense with food choices, from pricier Western menus to TWD70 meals, including very good vegetarian spots. There are at least 5 coffee/bakery shops in a five minute walking radius. I did not need to cook at all, though the microwave and stove top did come in handy in the narrow but adequate galley kitchen stocked and equipped with the basics for 2 guests.
Being off the main road but not far from it, it was fairly quiet at night although slightly muted traffic could still be heard. The air conditioner worked well and doubled as effective white noise on those warmer Autumn nights.
My objective was to get some writing done but this location is well situated for sight-seeing, being so close to the MRT red line that can take you to Taipei Main Station, 7 quick stops away, about a 15 minute ride. The buzz of the famous Shillin Night Market is either 1 (the end) or 2 (the start) stops away, and the even more famous Beitou Hot Springs is 5 stops in the other direction. Old injuries slow my walk to the MRT to 15 minutes, a walk I enjoyed for taking me past other coffee shops, past Lefe supermarket, past SOGO, past the fantastic MiaCucina Vegetarian restaurant that I highly recommend even if you aren’t vegetarian. Carrefour is very near the MRT.
It was extremely convenient having both a washer and dryer in the apartment, the only apartment to offer both at the price I paid. Two old and dated but serviceable wardrobes, an armoire, and lots of open shelf space provided more storage than I, or even 4 guests, could possibly need.
As their first Airbnb guest, some issues presented for attention: the water heater started acting up with some clanking and wildly fluctuating water temperature that made showering a bit challenging. Johnson turned up in a very timely manner to address this successfully but the problem returned at the end of my stay. I have no doubt a plumber has been organized to resolve this issue for the next guest.
Thank you Johnson, for being a very helpful and welcoming host, always responding promptly, answering questions intelligently, and turning up when needed. The welcoming plate of fruit and crackers, bottled water, and variety of tea were appreciated.
With the heater/plumbing issue addressed, I’d highly recommend this apartment as extremely good value for budget conscious travelers who like having more room and the convenience of added facilities.