Location
Tango Xinyi is located near downtown Taipei, within mere minutes walk to YongChun Subway station. The subway station is within a few stops from the main Taipei Subway station. With the subway system in Taipei, the hotel is conveniently located within reach to major parts of Taipei via the subway. There are several banks and 24hour marts around the hotel. The location is rather quiet and seem to be located in a local neighbourhood. There isn't any mega shopping malls within walking distance from the hotel, however with the subway system, it makes staying in this hotel convenient.
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| Hotel Logo |
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| Entrance of the hotel |
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| Entrance of the hotel |
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| Facade of the hotel |
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| Hotel lobby |
Hardware
The hotel seem to be falling part perhaps due to poor maintenance. We were checked into our suite (having made to pay extra half a day's rate) and discovered the door to the wardrobe come loose. When my friend and I were getting ready to head out to explore the city, we discover the door was about to give way. When we returned to our suite at the end of the day, the entire wardrobe door was missing. We contacted the hotel reception, whom subsequently changed our suite for us. As we thought this might be a one-off incident, my friend and I were soon being disappointed even with another suite being assigned to us.
The hardware of the hotel suite was decent. The decor is contemporary and comfortable to be in. However if you are looking for a window room, do not bother. Even the Eagle suite, though there are windows, those pathetic panels are only good to let sunlight in. It is placed so high that one can't even see through it. The certain between the bathroom (Where the only window is located) and the bedroom is only blocked my fairly thin sheets of curtain, which sunlight would still pass through. There a glass door between the bathroom and the bedroom. Once one enters the suite, a couch and a study table welcomes one into the suite. This area is small and there is a TV in this area. Here is where one would find the minibar. We mainly used this area to stow our luggage. There is a translucent glass panel dividing the lounge area and the bedroom.
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| Study Desk next to the main door |
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| Couch just beside the study desk |
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| TV in the lounge/study area |
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| Mini bar next to the main door |
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| Overview of the lounge /study area |
The centre piece of the bedroom is the king-sized bed. The bed was comfortable for one to rest the night. However I do find the pillows too soft (it is a personal preference). In front of the bed is another huge TV. Beside the TV is a smallish wardrobe, which has little space for storage and is definitely too small for 2 person.
Further into the suite is the bathroom. The bathroom is huge and has a small TV in front of the jacuzzi tub, which is rage enough for 2 persons. The jacuzzi tub has a unique feature, where the water will fall from the ceiling. In front of the tub is a sink and behind the sink is the walk in shower area and the toilet bowl. I am impressed with the tub (that is one of the reason why we opted for this hotel over others). However there are a few areas that demonstrated the hotel was poorly maintained. Firstly the wardrobe door in the first room as maintained earlier on. Secondly, the nozzles for the bubbles in the jacuzzi were all gone except for one. Thirdly, metal piece on the taps were all loose. The suites are already in such bad shape, i can't imagine how the other type of rooms would fair.
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| Walk-in shower |
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| Toilet area in the bathroom |
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| Oversized jacuzzi tub with a 3rd TV |
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| Sink area |
Heartware
We stayed in one of the top range Eagle Suite. I was initially very excited to stay here and looked forward to a wonderful stay on my first trip to Taipei. I was shortly disappointed by the hotel's response when my friend tried to arrange a complimentary cake for my birthday. The hotel mentioned that they do not give out complimentary cake, and leave it as that. Given a 4-star rating, the hotel did not bother to do much to impress my friend. As we arrived early in Taipei, we were given the option to leave our luggage at the concierge or pay for early check in. This is the first time i was made to pay for early check in, granted this is a 4-star hotel, however I have stayed in hotels ranging from 3-star to 6-star rating, they did not have such a policy. Nonetheless we paid for the early check in and caught up some rest.
Prior to resting, as we were unpacking, we found one of the doors to the wardrobe came lose. When we were about to head out to the city, the whole of the defective door seem to be coming off. We highlighted to the staff at the front desk, whom assured us that they will have it sorted out by the time of our return. We also requested for make up room while we went out to explore the city. By our return at night around 10pm, we were horrid to discover our room was not made up despite leaving the make up room light on and informing the front desk staff about making up our room. When we returned to our unmade up room, we also discover the defective door to the wardrobe is missing. No one has left any messages nor inform us of what they have done to our room. We called up the front desk and was told that the parts to the defective door is not available and had to be ordered. We were given the option of either staying put, while the hotel get someone to remove the bulb in the wardrobe or to change to another room. Without hesitating, we opted to change room. These series of incidents has further increase the already existing bad impression of this hotel.
The most ridiculous part is the stinginess of the hotel in giving out bathing amenities. I had requested for 4 sets of bathing amenities on the first night, fearing that we might run out of it soon. We used the bath foams for the huge jacuzzi tub and the 2nd day when we returned from our day trip, we found that the bathing amenities was not topped up. I called the reception to request for more amenities, to my horror I was informed that the hotel has given us 4 sets and that's all they will give. I questioned if the hotel expect their guests to run to the nearby 7-11 to get our own amenities and upon questioning, the reception agreed to replenish a set each day. To think the worst is over, on the 4th day the housekeeping staff did not replenish our bathing amenities again. I called up the reception, again the same excuse is given. I told the staff to check with her colleague about the agreement that I had 2 days ago. After waiting for 5 mins, the reception got her housekeeping counterpart to deliver a set of bathing amenities.
On the night before checking out, I was shocked to discover that the hotel did not book my airport transfer. When in my prior communication with them via email, I had booked for return airport transfer on their Mercedes sedan. It was already 3 am when I argued with the staff over the phone regarding airport transfer and we have yet to pack our luggage. When I demanded to speak to their duty manager or supervisor the next day, the staff was still trying to pacify me in accepting his offer of hailing a cab to the airport. Despite my persistence in wanting to leave the issue till the next day when the manager or supervisor is in, the inconsiderate staff still persist on getting me to take a cab instead. I had mentioned to the staff several times that it is already late and I would want to pack my luggage and turn in soon. However these requests (along with my other requests) were turned to deaf ears. I had to scold the staff to get him off my back.
The next day the supervisor called and apologise for all the service hiccups. She assured me that they already has a Mercedes waiting for me. When we were about to leave the room (after packing up all our stuffs, there was a bottle of red wine and a box with all the bathing amenities inside. This was meant to be a gesture of apology from the management of hotel. To think they even dare to pull such a stunt was laughable. We left whatever they have left outside our door in the room and checked out. We did not want to go through the trouble of squeezing the bottle of wine into our already full luggage. The service is NOT up to standard and do not even deserve a 1 star. The apology gesture is insincere and laughable.
Overall
If one to be looking for a great time here, FORGET IT!! This hotel has the cheek to make us pay for early check-in and yet provided service that is not worth the money. I certainly did not expect a hotel who is stingy of bath amenities. The service is below par and the quality of the hotel is ageing. The food selection for breakfast is boring (we only had 2 breakfast out of our 5 days stay). The service level is sub-standard, the rooms are ageing. Do not bother staying here, go elsewhere. I WILL NOT RETURN TO THIS HOTEL FOR MY FUTURE TRIPS TO TAIPEI. They do not even accord guests staying in one of their most expensive suites the status befitting of it.
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