A recent proliferation of five-star hotels in Taipei reflects that the Taiwanese capital is hitting its stride as a luxury destination. The successes of the Regent Hotel Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei paved the way for buzzy recent and future openings, including Capella Taipei, Hilton Taipei Sinban, and the Four Seasons Hotel Taipei. On the other hand, there is something to be said for booking a stay at a hotel that helped set the standard for Taipei luxury yet continues to evolve for an increasingly discerning international clientele seeking hotels with a balance of plush, extra-effort comforts and an interesting backstory that connects to the destination’s complex history, aesthetics, and culinary highlights.

The Shangri-La Far Eastern, which turned 30 last year, remains a favorite among leisure and business travelers looking for a perfectly situated downtown address. Upon its 1994 opening, the 43-story property was the tallest hotel in Taiwan and Taipei‘s first modern luxury property. Even as new properties have opened across the city, ongoing efforts on the part of the management to keep the hotel relevant are impressive, with renewed furnishings, color palettes, and amenities that are in sync with the needs of modern travelers yet respect its place as an enduring destination hotel.

Although there have been many upgrades in its three decades, Shangri-La Far Eastern’s aesthetic remains inspired by China’s Song Dynasty. Panoramic views on higher floors either frame the ever-evolving cityscapes and Taipei 101 or the natural mountains and valleys surrounding the city. Most of the 420 spacious guest rooms, including 37 suites, the Marco Polo lounge, and a new outdoor pool area, are surrounded by dramatic city views. Among the many eye-catching art installations in the hotel, “Along the River during the Qing Ming Festival” by Taiwanese artist Shen Cheen frames the lobby reception area. It stretches across two large silk scrolls and is embellished with natural amazonite gemstones. This neatly reaffirms the hotel’s mission of treating guests like royalty.

The Shangri-La’s rooms tastefully integrate historic Taiwanese touches into contemporary minimalist design, high ceilings, and in some rooms, window-side sitting areas that create a relaxed residential feel. Other features include complimentary high-speed internet access, spacious walk-in closets, marble bathrooms with small flat-screen LCD televisions, and luxury bedding.

The 72-square-meter Plaza Suite is a great premium room option for family or business travelers planning to entertain colleagues. It has a spacious living room and dining area with famous city views and a separate restroom. The suite is also equipped with state-of-the-art technology, such as a flat-screen LCD television, Bose surround sound stereo, and a Blu-ray disc player. The mini-bar offers a personal Nespresso coffee machine. The extensive marble bathroom with a bathtub and a separate shower cubicle has two sinks and an automatic motion-sensor washlet.

Guests staying in Horizon Superior, Deluxe, Premier Rooms, and other premium suites on top floors have access to the Horizon Club, housing private check-in and check-out services, a high-quality selection of wine and spirits, and flavorful breakfast and happy hour refreshments. In addition, a complimentary pressing service is available for one suit per stay; use of the meeting room for two hours, personalized concierge services, and a complimentary citywide Wi-Fi router upon request.

The Shang Palace stands out among other restaurants for its elegant expressions of Cantonese cuisine, while the Shanghai Pavilion’s colorful menu blends Sichuan cuisine and specialties from Shanghai and Taiwan. If time is limited during a stay, Shang Palace is the obvious choice as head chef Liew Chin Fei applies his training from stints at award-winning and MICHELIN-starred Cantonese restaurants to create classic and original dishes. One cannot go wrong either going à la carte or with a set menu. The Marco Polo Lounge, meanwhile, remains a popular local hangout and a showcase for its daytime afternoon tea service, a fleet of creative cocktails, and live performances on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, all accompanied by the best views of Taipei 101 and the surrounding mountains. The deliciously creative tea service overflows with handmade sandwiches, desserts, and a curated selection of fine Taiwanese teas.

The most recent upgrade is the implementation of the SOCIE Spa on the 40th floor. The menu includes a wide range of body and facial treatments from the Japanese luxury spa brand. Interiors blend Japanese and British sensibilities, with traditional furnishings enlivened with vibrant robin’s egg blue and gold hues. The Shangri-La Signature Treatment converges some of the most popular services, including a massage, body wrap, and aromatherapy with a choice of Detoxifier, De-Stresser, Muscle Relaxer, Jet-Lag Reviver, Immune Booster, or Energizing add-ins. The equally unique Bamboo Joint Release Massage begins with swinging and swaying of the body to relieve body tension. It is followed by a heated bamboo massage that soothes stiff and sore muscles in deep layers and hand techniques to release joint pressure.

Among the many properties introduced after the pandemic, the 425-room and Michelin-listed Grand HiLai Taipei, No. 168, Jingmao 1st Road, Nangang District, Taipei, Taiwan), opened in late 2023 in Taipei’s Nangang District tech hub, has won acclaim for its futuristic architecture from  C.Y. Lee & Partners offset with interior design with a clean Art Deco flavor from DP Design and Dynasty Design. Even with metal, glass, and neon in the structural recipe, the result is warm and inviting as it embodies current “modern luxury” lifestyle trends.

Although it may take a little more effort for guests to travel from the hotel to Taipei’s dynamic city center, the Grand HiLai Taipei has a beautiful location going for it, surrounded by lush rolling hills and a fashionable tree-lined neighborhood. It is minutes from Taipei World Trade Convention & Exhibition Center and a 45-minute drive to and from Taoyuan International Airport. It is also a short walk to two MRT public transportation stops, ensuring an easy commute into Taipei’s downtown core, including the Da’an District, Taipei 101, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, and Songshan Cultural and Creative Park.

Two international luxury hotel service certification standards, the Golden Key and the British Butler Tea, further ensure international guests will feel at home in stylishly-appointed public areas such as the infinity pool, VALMONT spa,  24-hour fitness facility, outdoor wedding chapel, and a lobby coffee station rolled out every morning stocked with different flavors and strengths of premium espresso. French-made DAMANA toiletries and an in-room smart voice butler also add an international sensibility. Most importantly, the front desk staff and housekeeping team are kind, attentive, and helpful, especially as there are many hidden perks, bells, and whistles.

While the popular Raohe Street Night Market and many surrounding malls and restaurants are accessible by public transportation and car services, on-site restaurants include Chinese, Japanese, European, and American options. While the breakfast buffet at Hi-Lai Harbour is exceptional, adventurous guests can indulge in heavenly breakfast street food at the Longzhou Market in Songshan.

It’s worth noting that the family tree of Taipei luxury travel has its roots in The Grand Taipei Hotel (below), which opened in 1952 and is still worth a visit or a short stay. Over the decades, it has remained a landmark for Taiwanese and international travelers, thanks to an all-star cast of luminaries, including Elizabeth Taylor, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, and Nelson Mandela. The 14-story palace-inspired building is nestled into the landscape holding the Keelung River and Yangming Mountain and multi-tasks as a museum with interesting architectural features, including secret tunnels and an escape slide built in the 1970s. The old-world luxury property contains 500 guest rooms, a spa, multiple restaurants offering different permutations of Western and Chinese cuisines, and services such as a free shuttle bus to and from MRT Yuanshan Station that provides access to other parts of the city.