[Taipei] Review: S Hotel - New Boutique Hotel Designed by Philippe Starck

Hello Taipei! It's been years since my last visit to this neighboring country and I was excited to be back to check out the food scene here. With plenty of hotel options in Taipei, you can always stay at a 5 star hotel but for this trip, I stayed at S Hotel - a new boutique hotel designed by renowned French designer Philippe Starck which offers style and luxury at a more affordable price. The owner is actually the husband of popular Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu ("Da S") where she served as the main inspiration for the hotel's concept.

Upon entering the hotel's lobby, I was immediately drawn to the numerous art pieces and paintings around the room. As I understand, most of the pieces came from the owner's personal collection. Unlike other hotel lobbies which can be rather stark and sterile, the design here emitted more of a cozy ambiance with electric fireplaces and non-matching furniture like a wooden ski lodge almost. 

I was most impressed by this massive two-story bookshelf which extends from the lobby down to the dining area (there are actually two bookshelves - one on each end of the room).

Another design that I loved very much was this swirling staircase that connected the lobby to the dining room downstairs (again there are two staircases - one on each end of the room).

I was staying in the S Deluxe room type and imagine my surprise when I found the bed right in the middle of the room! Apparently the designer wanted to shake things up and so this was a part of his design. The palette of the room was mainly white with pops of yellow here and there while the design was modern and stylish with amenities to fill the needs of both business and leisure travelers. 

To make use of all of the space, the workstation was smartly placed behind the headboard of the offset bed. 

B&O audio speaker

Samsung 43" LCD TV 

A welcome letter from "Da S" to all guests

Cute marketing collateral with the S theme. Hmm which S adjective best describes you?

Every corner of the room was decorated with style - check out this golden tree stump!

The open bathroom area was designed with lots of mirrors which gave it a more spacious feeling. The standing shower and electric toilet are behind separate doors and you can actually cordon off the area with a curtain if you wish. 

The hotel had their own bathroom amenities which utilized ginger grown locally in Taichung at an altitude of 800 meters. Chinese people believe that ginger has all kinds of health benefits and I thought it was a rather nice and personal touch for the hotel to use a local ingredient for their amenities rather than using a big brand. 

The mini bar was stocked with a Nespresso coffee machine along with tea, soda and snacks which were all complimentary! 

I didn't get a chance to eat a proper meal at HYG (the hotel restaurant with two Danish chefs at the helm) but I did pop down for breakfast in the morning. The breakfast offered standard buffets of bread, fruits and juices along with Chinese and Western breakfast like congee and eggs. I think the selection was rather limited to be honest but when I'm in Taiwan, I'd rather go out and get breakfast at a local joint anyways. The design of the restaurant and bar was gorgeous though as an extension of the cozy theme from the lobby. 

View of Taipei 101 from my room! Two nights flew by quickly but overall I enjoyed my stay at S Hotel. The hotel was very clean (well as it should be given it's still very new) while the service by the staff was on point. Other amenities at the hotel included a gym, business center, laundry, in-room dining and concierge which should satisfy the needs of all types of travelers. I think S Hotel is a nice choice for those who are looking for style and comfort as well as value for money.

*By Invitation

S Hotel
150 Dunhua N Road, Taipei, Taiwan

Tel: +886 2 27121777

http://www.shotel.com



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