Family Friendly Luxury at Kimpton Hotel Taipei
Kimpton Hotels have landed in Asia! We were beyond excited to start our Asia trip with a stay at the Kimpton Da An.
Taipei has been on our family travel radar for a while. We are usually "beach and chill" types of people, but we love to switch it up sometimes and visit a big city. We had heard that Taipei is a great city to visit, with an awesome cafe culture but also tons to do just outside the city that lets you really enjoy the natural beauty of the island. So it sounded like a win-win for us! Here’s our run-down of our time at Kimpton Taipei and a few of our favorite finds.
Getting to know Taipei at the Kimpton Da An
Where to Stay
We did a lot of research to make sure we found a place that was not only family friendly, also had some of the “western” comforts we appreciate while traveling. The newly opened Kimpton Taipei fit the bill for us perfectly. The hotel opened in March 2019 so everything is fresh and new. Its like a sanctuary in the middle of the city and It’s my modern minimalist dream come true. The hotel is located in the Daan district which has tons of great shopping and a metro station nearby that connects you to the rest of the city.
The Kimpton brand offers great amenities and this location is no exception. They have complimentary bikes and biking maps to explore the city, running maps with local routes, and in-room yoga mats. Their in-house restaurant, The Tavernist, is super hip without making us feel too out of place toting along our crazy toddler! Adjacent to the restaurant is their rooftop terrace with incredible city views. Liesel liked using it as a running track. Kimpton also offers a social hour every night in the lobby with complimentary wine, beer and snacks. It was a great way to take a break after a long day of exploring.
One thing we were amazed by was the friendly staff. They really went above and beyond to strike up a conversation, make us feel welcome, and offer local suggestions. They were more than happy to help us order dumplings off a menu entirely in Chinese, they played with Liesel at social hour, and kept me company when I was up working in the wee hours of the morning.
Teetering and Tottering in Daan Forest Park
Enjoying the flour rice noodles from Ay-Chung
What to do
If you have kids, you know the value of a good playground. Staying at Kimpton Da An, Daan Forest Park was nearby. It’s a nice walk or easy MTR (Taipei’s metro) ride from the hotel. Liesel loved the playground and we loved the huge green space in the middle of the city! After working up our appetites at the playground, we were on the hunt for great street food. We found the Ximending district had great options: plenty of savory pancakes, dumplings, and famous flour-rice noodles at Ay-Chung.
Coffee and bubbles in the garden at Kimpton Da An
When choosing a place to stay we always look for
Where we can stock up on kid essentials (diapers and milk)
Where we can get grown up essentials (coffee)
What’s nearby or how do we get around?
Is this place a good value?
Here’s how Kimpton Da An delivered:
Breakfast at The Tavernist inside Kimpton Da An
Where to find diapers and milk: There is a Family Mart (similar to 7-eleven) pretty much right outside the hotel door. It’s got great basics: milk, precut fruit, small packs of diapers, ramen. If you need something a little more thorough, the Wellcome Supermarket is just across Zhongxiao road (about a 5 minute walk). Honestly, I didn’t even need to visit the supermarket since the hotel and Family Mart had almost everything, but it was nice to know it was nearby in case of emergency.
Where to get your caffeine fix: Kimpton had us covered in this department. We had an in-room Lavazzo coffee machine, and the lobby staff was always happy to brew a to-go cup for us, too! For an afternoon snack and quick adventure, we also loved nearby cookie shop, Mamalia.
Rooftop views at Kimpton Da An
Getting around: There’s definitely no need for a rental car here. The neighborhood is super walkable, and the Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT station is about a 5 minute walk from the Kimpton. All the rides we took were about 20 NTD or ~70 cents USD. Also, the MRT goes right to the airport so there’s no need to get a taxi or driver! We found it super convenient. Also, here’s a fun fact: some airlines even allow you to check your bags at the MRT station! This means you drop off your bags before you get on the train to the airport and they are checked all the way through all the way to your final destination! How cool is that and why don’t we have that in the US?!
Value: Rooms at Kimpton Da An start around $185 USD / night. The rate is comparable to other nice hotels in the Da An district. But Kimpton sets itself ahead of the rest with an incredible brand-new hotel, incredible service, and super fun amenities.
Loved the free bikes to peddle around Taipei
The bottom line
If you are looking for a family-friendly hotel in the heart of Taipei, this is a great option. When you’re traveling, it’s so nice to have somewhat familiar surroundings. Kimpton Da An delivers on providing western-style comforts with Taiwanese hospitality.
Note: Accommodations were provided by Kimpton Da An, but opinions are always my own!