A Posh Check-In at P&F Hotel, Taichung

21 May 2018 Taichung City, Taiwan

As soon as I decided to visit Taichung, I couldn't wait to hunt down some of the coolest boutique hotels in the city. After a bit of online research, I fell in love with the dark and sophisticated design of P&F Hotel so we booked in for a night.

P&F Hotel is a boutique and quaint hotel in Taichung located at 101 Shifu Road in the Central District. Central District is incredibly convenient area to stay in Taichung. It's close proximity to Taichung Railway Station and Yizhong Street Night Market, is another reason that swayed my decision to stay here.

Here's my take on this posh Taichung hotel...


FIRST IMPRESSIONS

There is a stark contrast the moment you walk through the unassuming yellow and the hippest door of P&F Hotel. One minute you're on the bright, busy streets of Taichung and the next you're walking in to a warm, dark, intimate, and vintage and futuristic space. The dark woods, incandescent lighting, and sumptuous textures of the past make the futuristic space feel very sexy and very cool at the same time.


The vintage pieces combined with futuristic bits mixed perfectly and transcends all the way through the hotel and into the rooms. The lobby was more like a cafe than a hotel reception. It's the kind of hotel lobby you actually want to spend time more.

The reception was unattended when we arrive but it never makes as feel unwelcome. Then a beautiful lady greeted us, as we ogle at the intricate pieces fixed to its right places. The lady began the check-in process, and she helped us choose our breakfast for the next morning. There are two breakfast choices to pick from, a traditional Taiwanese breakfast and a Western breakfast.


A KING ROOM

Despite being a Taichung newbie, I knew that our king room was incredibly spacious for a hotel in Taichung. The 31.4 square meters room featured a spacious king size bed, a desk on the side, and a double seater-sofa. The sofa was the comfiest sofa I have sit on.

The added crate in the room (which was propped next to the sofa) simply made the whole room oozing with goodness. I assume, you can use the huge crate as a luggage stand, a table, or anything that comes to your mind.


The showstopper was definitely the square bathtub, which was intricately placed in the bathroom. On our first night, I took a warm bath and immersed myself in the bathtub. It was an indulgent bath, accompanied with the sweet scent of lavender. I was able to relax my sore muscles which is a much needed breather. It feel more like a luxury spa treatment with the complimentary lavender bath oil added on it.


MY FIRST TAICHUNG BREAKFAST

After a tiring day biking around Chiayi, finding "Dao" (a fictional character from Meteor Garden 流星花園) at the Chung Cheng University, and catching our train from Chiayi to Taichung, we slept incredibly well in the plus king size bed. The next morning we went down to the P&F Hotel's lobby where our chosen breakfast awaits us. It felt a little strange having breakfast in such a dimly-lit setting under those incandescent bulbs, but it's all part of the hotel experience.


Being curious how local cuisines tastes like, we gladly opted to have a traditional Taiwanese breakfast over the Western breakfast. The choice of drinks was adventurous but I decided on my all time favorite; "Dou Jiang" (hot soya milk) over others. The soya milk was definitely a taste of heaven.


BIKES & GOGORO SCOOTERS

P&F Hotel offers bicycle rental service that comes for free with any room reservations. If you opt for a faster and a more convenient transportation, you can zip around the city on the faster and stylish GOGORO scooters (a must-try for anyone staying at P&F Hotel), which you can rent for a minimal fee. As a city large to explore by foot, and which can not be easily navigated via public transport, a GOGORO scooter provides an utmost convenience. Ditch the traffic which is a total waste of time, instead opt to travel in style using bicycles and GOGORO scooters, and invest that time to perfect Taiwan moments.


AN ACQUIRED TASTE

I will say that the dark interiors and low lighting of P&F Hotel definitely make it an acquired taste. The hotel is set between two streets, which means that the layout is long and thin with windows at either end. This means that there is a distinct lack of natural light and the interior design definitely plays on this. If you crave bright rooms and maximum daylight from your hotels, this may not be the hotel for you. However, if you’re looking for a boutique design hotel that oozes elegance and style with relaxation at its finest, then P&F Hotel should definitely be on your Taichung shortlist.


P&F Hotel was done by an exceptional designer, incorporating intricate elements into a beautiful combination of the past and the future. There is no doubt that the design concept has been imagined by a talented perfectionist. It's stunning interior design and furnishing looks like it is out of an interior magazine at every angle. It has a huge dose of wow!


Rates at P&F Hotel start at NT$1,580 ($52; PhP2,700) per night for economy room and NT$2,280 ($94; PhP4,900) per night for a deluxe family room. The closest airport is Taoyuan International Airport, which is an hour to two hours drive away.

Book your stay at P&F Hotel: Booking.com | Agoda | Hotels.com | Expedia

Read more reviews of P&F Hotel on Trip Advisor.

What do you think of P&F Hotel? Is it the type of hotel you love to stay in? Perhaps you’re planning your own trip to Taichung? I’d love to hear from you so please leave me a comment in the box below.


P&F Hotel
No. 101, Shifu Road, Central District, Taichung City, Taiwan 40045

My stay at P&F Hotel was complimentary in exchange for this review. All opinions and images are my own.