TRAVELIFE MAGAZINE: Floating Above A Big City

TRAVELIFE MAGAZINE

PHOTOS BY CHRISTINE CUNANAN

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VOL.8 - ISSUE 6

TRAVELIFE MAGAZINE

Floating Above

A BIG CITY CHRISTINE CUNANAN checks into the GRAND HYATT TAIPEI for a short and serene stay

VOL.8 - ISSUE 6

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“Upon entering the Premier suite, I noticed just how well the space was used to maximize style and functionality, although at 132 square meters, this is certainly far from a modest hotel room.”

I

t was a long hot weekend in Manila and we were looking for an easy destination for a stress-free holiday when I suddenly thought of Taipei.

Only two hours away, it offered a completely different environment in terms of culture, food and climate, with some great shopping thrown in. The temperature was especially welcoming; it was a good five degrees cooler in Taipei when we landed on a Saturday afternoon and soon we were speeding down the highway in the stretch BMW of the Grand Hyatt Taipei, enjoying views of lush greenery and quaint buildings on both sides, on our way to the hotel.

I’m a hotel junkie so choosing the Grand Hyatt Taipei was an easy decision. It’s literally the grand dame of luxury hotels in Taiwan, with mammoth exteriors and a massive dramatic lobby of marble and gold, all aglitter, that will impress even the most jaded travelers.

A BRAND NEW LOOK But happily, there’s more to this 853-room hotel than size. It underwent a major renovation several years ago so that its new rooms now offer serenity amidst the bustle of Taipei, plus the best of Oriental design, Chinese accents and modern comforts. Yes, you actually leave the white noise of the big city behind once you swipe your key card and close the doors.

Moreover, its location in the fashionable Xinyi district is perfect, as it’s only a short walk to Taipei’s Manhattan area, including the trendy Eslite building, mecca for Taiwanese yuppies; and Taipei 101 Mall and Financial Tower is just across the street. The hotel is also linked to the Taipei World Trade Centre and the Taipei International Convention Centre. And from almost every window of this most central point in the city, I could see the hills of Taipei all around.

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TRAVELIFE MAGAZINE HOME AWAY FROM HOME For this stay, we chose the hotel’s Premier Suite which is really like the cool apartment everyone wants to have in Taipei—and much more since all its windows face Taipei 101. I don’t think too many luxury apartments enjoy this advantage.

Immediately upon entering the suite, too, I noticed just how well the space was used to maximize style and functionality, although at 132 square meters, this is certainly far from a modest hotel room.

An entrance done in dark paneled wood leads to one long horizontal space divided quite methodically according to functions.

A living area runs along one entire side; meanwhile the opposite side with windows houses the dining area for six at one end with a private kitchen adjacent to it complete with a family table and separate staff entrance. There’s also an extremely well-designed study with ample workspace and a very comfortable chair.

This entire room was filled with contemporary furniture, calming artworks, and warm lighting to contrast the bright lights outside—making for what the hotel calls, and quite appropriately so, the most relaxing hotel space in Taipei. Then there were the quirky design touches such as figurines on top of the television and decorative vases along the waist-high shelf running the entire length of the public room that added some fun to the suite.

BEHIND THE CLOSED DOOR In the next room is the private space consisting of a bedroom with an adjoining master bathroom. In contrast to the dramatic public space of this suite, large enough for a cocktail party for 20, the bedroom is designed quite simply with almost nothing to catch the eye, enabling a night of excellent sleep in monotone.

Directly on top of the bed, too, are French windows that open up completely when awake, making everything bright even on the cloudiest day.

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“In contrast to the dramatic public space of this Premier suite, large enough for a cocktail party for 20, the bedroom is designed quite simply with almost nothing to catch the eye, enabling a night of excellent sleep in monotone.�

Dimsum fo r breakfast at the Gran d Club Loung e

Mango cake at the past

ry shop

Strawberry pastries for dessert in the lobby

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TRAVELIFE MAGAZINE The bathroom, too, is a design aficionado’s dream, with a stand-alone bathtub and corner walk-in shower, plus a streamlined two-basin set-up. It’s really the kind you see more in interior magazines featuring the homes of the rich and famous rather than in actual hotel rooms.

This suite was undoubtedly reconfigured according to feng shui principles because the flow of movement is natural and effortless, encouraging an unburdening of the mind and the relaxation of the spirit.

In fact, in this room, I didn’t just move, I floated. I felt like I was home. n

GRAND HYATT TAIPEI www.hyatt.com

Pork neck appetizers at the traditional Chinese restaurant Yun Jin

Berries on a cake at the pastry shop

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Added Perks at the Grand Hyatt Taipei A team of VIP guest relations officers are on-site to ensure a seamless stay. When you book a suite and make use of the hotel’s limousine transfer service, a WiFienabled sedan takes you from the airport to the hotel driveway where a team member is waiting to escort you straight to your suite for private check-in.

WHAT’S NEARBY IN TAIPEI • Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall • Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall • Taipei Fine Arts Museum • National Palace Museum • Confucius Temple • Beitou Hot Spring • Shihlin Night Market • Shogshan Cultural and Creative Park

SHOPPING CHECKLIST • Taipei 101 Mall and Financial Tower • XinYi District • Yung-Kang Area • XiMenDing • DingHao Area in East Taipei

© Taipei Financial Center Corporation - CTBUH

• Mirama Entertainment Park

EVA Air operates daily direct flights to Taipei from Manila

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