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The Far Eastern Plaza Hotel is located in one of two towers between the business and financial district on Dunhua South Road and trendy Anhe Road, with its chic lounge bars and just down the road from the bawdily popular Carnegie’s. Service is excellent and food is top-notch. While its Italian restaurant, Marco Polo, is deservedly famous, try to eat when the executive chef is actually working in the kitchen. The hotel’s basement restaurant, Hollywood Underground, serves simple, tasty meals, but never managed to make it as a bar or disco. Finally, the two rooftop pools are an excellent venue for wiling away the afternoon.
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The Grand Formosa Regent has recently installed two special floors to provide guests with uniquely themed, ultra-comfortable décor and services. While food quality has slipped somewhat over the past few years, it still offers some of Taipei’s best, especially Robin’s Steakhouse on the second floor. Rooms are some of the largest in Taipei and the hotel is conveniently located between two major shopping streets: Zhongshan with its boutiques and Linsen with its watch and jewellery shops. Service is generally excellent and the hotel is popular with Japanese tourists.
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The Grand Hyatt Taipei is located smack bang in the centre of the Taipei World Trade Centre, International Convention Centre, next to the International Trade Building and 101 skyscraper and shopping centre. What the Grand Hyatt lacks in personal charm—its massive, marble interior hints at Grand Central Station—it more than makes up for with efficient, courteous service and some of Taipei’s top dining venues. The Bel Air restaurant is certainly very impressive. Ziga Zaga, an Italian-inspired pizzeria and pasta joint, serves up some excellent cuisine. Though staff really push the bottled water, tap water is available too, though you will have to demand it. After 9.30pm, Ziga Zaga becomes a popular disco with live music.
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Located on a particularly attractive, tree- lined Section of Zhongshan North Road, this charming redbrick hotel is the much-favoured [address] of well-heeled Japanese visitors; no surprise given that it is a member of Nikko Hotels International. The hotel’s decor tends toward the bright and flowery. Service is discreet, unobtrusive and very efficient. Hotel dining is top notch if a little uninspired. Its smaller lobby guarantees that it is much less heavily trafficked by non-hotel guests compared with the Grand Hyatt Taipei and Grand Formosa Regent Taipei.
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With its steep prices, the Imperial is not much of a bargain. Rooms are small and dining facilities are generally substandard. Nor is the location of the hotel particularly convenient. It lies right off the former red-light district, which doesn’t have quite the same reputation, now that most of the bars are pale ghosts of their former selves. If staying at the Imperial, bargain hard for discounts and head down the alley to Tutto Bello, a lovely Italian restaurant, or next door to Malibu West, a cheerful bar with simple sandwiches and daily specials, rather than dining in.
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