The Agora Garden Hotel

Ever since I first arrived in Taiwan, I have been wary of staying in hotels. I have though not had much choice really as I travel allot and so I have stepped with trepidation across many a supposedly hotels doorstep in search of a bed for the night and a lock on the door.

The first hotel that I stayed at was a supposed four-star hotel, booked by my company prior to my joining a vessel. My room was seriously decorated in reds and pinks, hardly big enough to swing a cat in and the waterbed that filled the entire floor space gained light from the sole 10watt bulb above it. A hotel good enough for a night with a girl for a price, not one for a travel weary seafarer to put his feet up for the night! Oh and when I stepped out that evening to stretch my legs (impossible to walk successfully on a waterbed) a dog jumped out of the shadows and bit me on the leg!

Five years down the line, a few more shady hotels cleverly disguised on the outside as five star resorts for the business executive, a few more supposed upright establishments that sell condoms instead of guide books and a few more hotels that thought 'breakfast included' meant a glass of water and yesterdays leftovers I have eventually found one that puts every other to shame, that lives up to its name and one that I would return to without second thought!

Looking up from the entrance outside the hotel
Photo Copyright © Ieuan Dolby, 2006

The Agora Garden Hotel
I don't want to sound like an advertisement or hotel website so I will dispense with the necessary tour guide spiel as quickly as possible and then get down to what was actually good about the hotel.

This Hotel resides in close proximity to the Shinkong Mitsukoshi Department Store Complex and within walking distance of the newly erected and tallest building in the world the Taipei 101. Each room is actually a fully-serviced apartment with separate bedroom and living room. All apartments feature a fully serviced kitchenette and a balcony that either looks over a beautifully landscaped garden or an interesting view of the city.

The Sitting Room
Photo Copyright © Ieuan Dolby, 2006

The Bedroom
Photo Copyright © Ieuan Dolby, 2006

Looking down from the rooms balcony
Photo Copyright © Ieuan Dolby, 2006

Okay? All true! The Agora Garden does boast a lovely and well kept garden, small but compact and lovely to sit in should the blisters on the feet from traipsing around department stores be screaming for attention. The rooms are big, airy and well kept! The price of the hotel comparable to any other and comes packaged along with additional space and a kitchen to boot. Yep, this hotel certainly pulls the socks off any other resort, hotel or imitation thereof in Taiwan.

Naturally with any service there are a few complaints that arise! My main one was the supposed swimming pool, a reason that I had opted for this hotel in the first place. It advertised an indoor pool of Olympic Lengths - superb. My son, wife and I attended this pool in anticipation and suitably equipped with life rings arm bands, cameras, dressing gowns and thirst quenchers we charged (full of spice and protection) into the deep end.

The Cold Water at the Agora Garden Swimming Pool
Photo Copyright © Ieuan Dolby, 2006

I have never in my whole life swum in such unexpected cold water! My son was blue in the kiddie's pool before he had got further than knee level - so much for the indoor pool! So deflated we returned to our room to deflate our equipment. Oh, and the cheese platter that I ordered on room service at great cost came up looking like a plastic mould for a car part. I don't eat plastic cheese; you know the stuff I am talking about? The slices that you could give to the cat to chew on and it would still come out the same afterwards (or was that compact discs?). But anyway, I like a bit of fresh brie or cheddar but what came up was a small platter of heavily fortified and preserved lumps, flavored with anything from mushrooms to salmon and which had as little in common with real cheese as the salmon flavoring had with a salmon.

The Lobby of the Hotel
Photo Copyright © Ieuan Dolby, 2006

But apart the hotel was excellent in every aspect imaginable. The rooms were cleaned efficiently and everything was tidy, free Internet was available in the lobby, the staffs were helpful and kind and the included buffet breakfast in the morning served up fresh juice! Wow, a first for me in Taiwan!

Previous to this I have had the displeasure of staying at some hotels whose names still bring sweat to my forehead. The five-star in Taidung that gave us a cot for the baby that had more screws missing than remained and that didn't know how to serve coffee. Then there was the one in Taipai who refused to give us a cot on the grounds that we had not prior booked one and who just didn't have coffee and of course the one in Tainan that apologized profusely but they just didn't have any cots to give us or coffee for that matter. Yep, everywhere I have been in Taiwan bad hotels have been placed in front of me, I feeling like a trainee soldier having failed an assault course every time I wake up in the morning.

Many thanks to the Agora Garden Hotel, her staff, the mangers and owners for such a pleasant surprise! Maybe just get that English Language website sorted out, the kiddie's pool water a bit hotter and I like Cheshire Cheese on my cheese platter. Okay, okay, I'll be back!