< Stayed in Jun 2016 | Nov 2014 | Jan 2014 | Apr 2013 >
In my initial years of visiting Taipei, Ximending 西门町 being the shopping and dining hive was a preferred location of stay. amba Ximending 西门町意舍 was 1 of my 2 favourites, the young-ish, stylish sub-brand of the Ambassador hotel chain.
And why amba Ximending 西门町意舍 among so many options in this district?
Location | While accommodation choices are aplenty here, many of them are actually not quite located in the heart of the main shopping zone, landmarked by Ximen MRT station 西门捷运站 exit 6. amba 意舍 - while not as close to the MRT exit as my other accomm favourite Via 丰居 - sits nicely at the "back" of the main shopping zone. Not to mention, the hotel shares the same building as Eslite Wuchang 诚品武昌店 (note: there are 2 Eslite malls at Ximending) - shopping and dining under the same roof in inclement weather or if you are lazy to head out far!
Rooms | Ranging from single-friendly Smart Rooms, Medium, Large, to Extra Large, Loft and Balcony, amba 意舍 caters for different group sizes and offers you enough space even when you have to share a room. Room size is also bigger than average. Increasingly common in newer accommodations, the bath and toilet are separated, an appreciated consideration when room-sharing.
Amenities | For a boutique hotel, amba 意舍 has the full works under one roof, including a restaurant, bar, event space and laundry room. Each is creatively named in sync with the amba brandname, which you will see later.
Creativity / interior design | The team's creativity is everywhere in the hotel premises, from the naming of its various amenities, art displays at the 5F Reception, thematic corrider on each floor, to how the rooms are designed.
Admittedly, amba Ximending 西门町意舍 may not be the cheapest lodging in Ximending, but considering the quality, experience and novelty, its mid-tier pricing is pretty worth it.
Related reading:
[Taipei 台北 ⌂ Stay宿] Via Ximending 丰居旅店西門町
From Ximen MRT station exit 6, amba Ximending 西门町意舍 is an approximate 6-minute stroll away (though you are bound to get distracted enroute).
▲ This side of Ximending is no less vibrant than the MRT station exit 6 zone, sans the meeting point congestion. When walking over from the MRT, you will approach the hotel from the right of this photo. Turn in here (under the movie billboard) to find a lift lobby to the hotel reception.
Before reaching the lift lobby, a partially-alfresco cafe under the hotel beckons. Called tianba 甜吧 (for "sweet"), I got to claim a welcome drink here later.
☷☷☷☷☷ Reception & F&B // 5F ☷☷☷☷☷
Two lifts take you from ground level to 5F, where the check-in reception, restaurant (hotel breakfast venue and opened to the public rest of day) and a pub-cum-event space are.
Encountered a number of private events during my stays, even spotting some celebrities.
▼ The check-in reception wenba 问吧 (for "ask") in sight.
The open space beside the reception serves as a gallery of sorts, with seasonal art displays.
There is also a corner selling products from local brand 薑心比心, provided for guests' enjoyment inroom. If you are into ginger as an ingredient for your hair and body care, be sure to check out their products. (I am personally a fan.)
The separate luggage depository is another spacious area. If you need to weigh your luggage before setting off for the airport, the friendly personnel here will be able to assist you.
The inhouse pub tingba 听吧 (for "listen") - near the luggage depository - is also home to Legacy Mini, an established music events brand in Taiwan. Check out their events calendar here.
Claimed a welcome drink here on another trip.
chiba 吃吧 (for "eat") is the venue for inhouse breakfast, and opens to the public rest of the day. On a later trip, I discovered they have a halal menu (available upon request), though not extensive but surely a thoughtful gesture for an increasing number of Muslim visitors to Taiwan, and an indication of the hotel's popularity with tourists. There are seats inside and outside the restaurant proper, so you will find patrons hanging out at the seats outside while waiting to check in, or before departing for the airport (and need space to get some quick final packing done).
I'll cover the hotel breakfast since we are on this floor. Flash your room card at this counter to be admitted for breakfast.
It's free seating during the designated buffet breakfast timing, inside or outside the restaurant proper.
Breakfast is an extensive buffet spread, both local/chinese and western, and is family/kids- and elder-friendly. Suffice to say my elders pretty much enjoyed the breakfast here during our stay.
☷☷☷☷☷ Guestrooms // 6-10F ☷☷☷☷☷
And now for the rooms experienced over 4 trips...
☷ Jun 2016 ☷ Medium Room with 2 Twin Beds / 9F
☷ Nov 2014 ☷ Extra Large Room with 2 Twin Beds / 10F
This room type lives up to its name with a very spacious sofa area, possibly to enable adding beds. It turned out to be a very functional "packing area" for our shopping and multiple luggages.
The sleeping area can be partitioned off from the sofa and bath area, a nice touch when room-sharing.
This room looks out to the central airwell and down to the 5F reception and dining area.
☷ Jan 2014 ☷ Large Room with 2 Twin Beds / 6 & 7F
Stayed here at the start and end of this trip, as we made our way to other parts of Taiwan in the middle.
☷ Apr 2013 ☷ Large Room with 1 King Bed / 7F
Enjoyed a room to myself as my elders took 2 other rooms.
☷ Other common inroom amenities ☷
The inroom naming maintains the xxx-ba format, consistent with the rest of the hotel.
▼ Keycards are 开吧 (kaiba/open) or 亮吧 (liangba/light up).
▼ Inroom information is 读吧 (duba/read) and the TV catalogue 看吧 (kanba/watch).
▼ Inroom slippers 穿吧 (chuanba/wear).
▼ Even the magnetic door signs are not spared - 扫吧 (saoba/clean) and 闪吧 (shanba/keep away).
▼ The earlier mentioned 薑心比心 range of ginger bath products, sold at the 5F reception.
Elsewhere in amba Ximending 西门町意舍...
▼ 冰吧 (bingba/ice)
▼ Laundry room 洗吧 (xiba/wash)
▼ Even the hangers in the 5F washroom - 挂吧 (guaba/hang).
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amba Ximending | 西門町意舍
(Website in Chinese, English, Japanese)
Address --- Wuchang Street, Section 2, no. 77, Wanhua District 万华区武昌街二段77号
*The amba hospitality brand has 2 other branches in Taipei
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