One you’ve figured out the basics like The Best Time to Visit Taiwan: A Month-by-Month Guide (2026–2027) and How Much Does a Trip to Taiwan Cost? Our Real 2026 Budget Breakdown, comes the fun part! Figuring out where to stay in Taipei, the capital.
Taipei is a mid-sized city with 2.5 million inhabitants. However, as a visitor you will most likely expand from the city limits toward the greater Taipei metropolitan area, which englobes also New Taipei and Keelung. If we take into account this broader area there are 7 million inhabitants.
Our honest take on size is that is feels like a big capital, with all the buzz you would expect, but because transport is genuinely so good, and the city is so compact, it doesn’t tip toward overwhelming.
Figuring out which neighborhoods to stay in Taipei can be overwhelming, so let’s dive into out top picks.
Our quick answer
- For a first trip, if you want everything close & lively, stay in Ximending.
- Hotel Pick: Cityzen M Taipei North Gate
- If you’re a foodie who wants the local feel but still staying central, stay in Da’an.
- Hotel Pick: Green World ZhongXiao
- If you’re someone who loves trendy cafés and a mid-range base, stay in Zhongshan.
- Hotel Pick: Parkview Taipei
- If your goal is to be conveniently located for day trips, stay in Zhongzheng, close to the Taipei Main Station.
- Hotel Pick: Hotel Resonance Taipei
- If luxury & being next to Taipei 101 is your vibe, stay in Xinyi.
- Hotel Pick: W Taipei
Though this list can seem overwhelming, and you might tick many of those boxes, for most-time travellers (and what we personally did) I’d stay in Da’an or Ximending. The former being more of a calm base and the latter a city buzz base.
Our golden rule for accommodation
Something that became clear to us as soon as we landed was that the most important thing was staying near an MRT station. The districts are very large, so it’s not all about which neighborhood you stay in, but also how close you can get to a station. We’d recommend the one closer any time.
If you’re confused about transport, we’ve done a deep dive on How to get around in Taiwan: Train, HRS, Bus, Car, Scooter and more.
Now let’s dive into each neighborhood.
Ximending
This is our recommendation for first timers and those who enjoy nightlife. Think of neon signs and packed pedestrian streets, street food in every corner, cinemas, shops… that’s what you can expect here. We enjoyed the loud, young and fun atmosphere, but if you get overwhelmed, skip directly to Da’an and visit Ximending for specific activities.
This neighborhood is a great place to stay in Taipei because it’s only two stops from Taipei Main Station and also has Ximen Station. It’s also where you can find budget & mid-range beds in the city, so for budget travellers, don’t think twice.
Tip for our queer readers 🏳️🌈 : Ximending is the heart of Taipei’s rainbow scene.
Keep in mind, this area is noisy at night, so if you decide to stay here choose a hotel that has a high floor. No need to steer away from the fun, but make sure to take some precautions!
Where to stay in Ximending:
- ⭐️⭐️: For a more budget alternative, we like Wonderwall Ximending, or a female only room option at Dan Hostel丹居青旅.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fun Stay Inn Hanzhong: well-located, nice & clean hotel with small but stylish double rooms.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Cho Hotel: lovely & clean hotel but with a social feel (perfect for younger people or anyone who wants to potentially get to know people on their trip).
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Citizen M Taipei North Gate: one of our overall favorites. Nice, clean, close to the metro and good value for money.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ the closest thing to a genuine luxury hotel within walking distance of Ximending is Suz & Catorze Taipei, riverside on Huanhe South Road. However, value for money, we think options like Citizen M are better.
Da’an
Da’an is the area a lot of repeat visitors move to once they’ve “done” the headline sights. Think tree-lined streets, tiny specialty coffee shops, Japanese-era houses turned into cafés, and a pace that feels like a place you could actually live rather than just visit.
It’s also the food quarter. Yongkang Street was recently voted one of the coolest streets in the world, home to the original Din Tai Fung, legendary beef noodles, and mango shaved ice worth crossing the city for.
Da’an Forest Park gives you a proper green lung in the middle of it all, which is rarer than it sounds in central Taipei.
So if you’re a foodie, a couple, a family, slower travellers, café people or someone looking for a more homely Taipei, this is the place for you.
Where to stay in Da’an:
- ⭐️⭐️: For a more budget alternative, we like Star Hostel Taipei East.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 玩行旅大安分館, a three star lovely hotel next to the night market and great location and ammenities for the price.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Green World ZhongXiao, great clean and nice rooms, two minutes from a metro station. Unbeatable location and good price.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ our two luxury picks are HYATT – EPISODE and UKETAMO, two great high-end hotels worth the buck if you want to spend a little extra on accommodation for the premium experience.
Zhongshan
Zhongshan is great for design-y vibes, café-hopping and boutique shops. We noticed the area to be full of hotels, which makes the prices great with bigger rooms and more comfortable stays. This area is north of Taipei Main Station.
It’s the pick if you want somewhere stylish and grown-up but don’t want to pay Xinyi prices, and it’s a quietly great choice for families for the same reason.
As we mentioned, as long as you’re close to a metro station, there should be no problem getting around, even if the area feels calmer.
Where to stay in Zhongshan:
- ⭐️⭐️: For a more budget alternative, we like Green World Mai – NanJing
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Tango Hotel is a great middle-ground option we almost stayed at.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ParkView Taipei is a great pick and our personal favorite. For the price you get great value.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ this more luxury pick is still a great deal, with beautiful rooms and great location: The Landis, or San Want Residences Taipei for a five-star park view you can’t miss.
Taipei Main Station (Zhongzheng)
For trips that involve a lot of moving around and day-trips (such as Jiufen, Shifen or the coast), or even onward travel to Taichung, Taroko, Alishan or Sun Moon Lake, then staying around the main station is the smartest choice to make.
Everything connects here: regular trains, the high-speed rail, the intersection of the red and blue MRT lines, the Airport MRT, and the intercity bus station.
Plus, we were suprised to find out there are many historic things to visit such as:
- Chiand Kai-shel Memorial Hall
- 2/28 Peace Park
- Botanical Gardens
Where to stay in Zhongzeng:
- ⭐️⭐️: For a more budget alternative, we like Sunny Hostel for mixed travellers and for female-only the Wondertime Taipei.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 玩行旅台北分館 is a lovely 3-star hotel with bigger rooms than average.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Gracery Taipei is a solid reliable mid-high range option.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for a more luxury pick we like the Sheraton Grand and the Resonance by Hilton.
Xinyi (Taipei 101)
Xinyi is gleaming and cosmopolitan. There’s plenty of designer malls, rooftop bars, and of course, the famous Taipei 101 tower. For a modern, polished, skyline-view stay, this is your area.
Think an anniversary, a splurge, or luxury in mind at a fraction of the western cost. Also, if you’re travelling for business, you’ll probably want to stay here.
However, don’t expect the traditional charm (which is our personal favorite). You can also combine your Taipei stay with a more local vibe for a couple nights and top it off here for a special end to the trip.
Where to stay in Xinyi:
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Pacific Business Hotel is a good lower-range option, but for mid-range we’d stay away from this area, as you loose a lot for the price.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Tango Hotel has big, comfortable and clean rooms.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for a more luxury pick we like the W Taipei, the eslite hotel (Forbes Star Award Winner) or the Okura Prestige (with a rooftop pool).
When to book
A few things we learned during our trip which are worth knowing:
- Weekends cost more. Many hotels and hostels bump prices on Friday and Saturday nights. If your dates are flexible, mid-week saves you money. This isn’t a small difference, it’s actually quite considerable compared with other destinations.
- July is cheap, December is expensive. You get most value for your money in summer, and December is their peak season. Check out our guide on the best time to visit Taiwan.
- “No window” is normal. Lots of Taipei rooms, especially cheaper ones, have no window. If it matters to you, read the room description. I’m a bit claustrophobic, so I always ended up paying a bit more for a window.
FAQ
What’s the best area to stay in Taipei for first-timers? Ximending or Da’an. Ximending puts you in the middle of the buzz with the best-value beds and superb MRT links; Da’an gives you a calmer, food-forward local base. If you’re doing lots of day trips, base near Taipei Main Station instead. We stayed in Da’an and would do it again.
Is Taipei expensive to stay in? No, it’s one of the better-value big cities in Asia. Dorm beds start around NT$500 (US$16), comfortable mid-range hotels run NT$2,000–4,500 (US$65–145), and even proper five-star luxury undercuts Western prices. Full numbers in our Taiwan cost breakdown.
How many nights should I spend in Taipei? Three full days is a solid start, which is enough for the headline sights, a couple of night markets, and a day trip. Add more if you want to slow down and eat your way through Da’an.
Do I need to rent a car in Taipei? No. The MRT, buses and Uber cover the city easily, and most hotels sit near a station. Save the car (if any) for rural day trips. Check out How to get around in Taiwan: Train, HRS, Bus, Car, Scooter and more.
Is it safe to walk around Taipei at night? Taipei is one of the safest major cities you’ll visit, and wandering at night is part of the fun. We go into the detail (solo travel, crime, the China question) in Is Taiwan Safe?
Our final recommendation
If you take nothing else from this: pick a hotel near an MRT station and you’ve already won. Beyond that, it comes down to your vibe. Want to be in the thick of the neon and street food? Ximending. Want tree-lined streets, great coffee and the best food in the city? Da’an. Stylish and mid-range? Zhongshan. Doing loads of day trips? Taipei Main Station. Splurging with a skyline view? Xinyi.
Next up: map out the days themselves with our Ultimate 2-Week Taiwan Itinerary and sort your trains and metro cards with our Taiwan transport guide.
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