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We’ve just seen the opening of a new hotel in Taipei, which should set a new standard of luxury among hotels in Taiwan. This is a property I’m really excited about.
In this post:
Basics of the new 86-key Capella Taipei
Capella is one of the most well regarded boutique luxury hotel groups out there. The group has just eight properties, with another eight in the pipeline. While I wouldn’t put much weight on this, The World’s 50 Best Hotels list recently rated Capella Bangkok as the world’s best hotel.
Anyway, the brand’s newest hotel has just opened in a market that could very much use more luxury options. The Capella Taipei has opened as of early April 2025. The 86-key hotel looks breathtaking, and is supposed to give the feel of a “modern mansion.”
It’s designed by André Fu Studio, the same company behind many other luxury properties, ranging from the St. Regis Hong Kong, to the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok, to Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto.
In terms of wellness, the property has everything from a full-service spa with five treatment rooms, to a sauna and steam room, to a 24-hour gym, to an outdoor heated pool. The Capella Taipei also has five dining venues, comprised of the following:
- Ember 28, an international restaurant with a focus on the grill
- Mizue, a Ryokan-inspired Japanese restaurant
- Rong Ju, a Cantonese restaurant
- Plume, a cocktail bar serving light bites
- Atelier Plume, a French patisserie serving coffee, pastries, and more
As far as rooms go, entry level accommodations are the superior rooms, which measure a generous 48 square meters (517 square feet). The entry level suites are the deluxe suites, which measure an impressive 106 square meters (1,140 square feet). Between those two categories there’s also an interesting pool terrace room option, which includes a private plunge pool.
Perhaps the one downside to this property is the location. It’s located near Taipei Arena, in the Songshan District. That’s not exactly ideal for the average visitor, so that’s one consideration.
Taipei otherwise lacks many decent luxury properties. Previously, the Mandarin Oriental Taipei and Shangri-La Far Eastern Taipei were probably considered the city’s best, but neither are among the best of their respective portfolios.
There’s supposed to be a development with both a Park Hyatt and Andaz coming to Taipei, within The Sky Taipei building. However, construction on that project seems to be delayed quite a bit, despite the “shell” of the building being almost done. So it remains to be seen if/when those properties become a reality. Furthermore, a Four Seasons Taipei is also planned, though there’s no opening timeline.
Capella Taipei rates & how to book
With the Capella Taipei now open, what are rates like? Currently, I see rates starting at just under NT$20,000 per night, which is right around $600 USD.
Obviously this sets a new standard for rates in the city, as even the other luxury properties typically retail for well under $300 USD per night.
But that’s also fair enough, given that this property will be on a completely different level than the existing options, not to mention that this is also a boutique property, with fewer than 100 rooms.
If you are going to book the Capella Taipei, I’d recommend doing so through a Virtuoso travel advisor. You’ll pay the same rate you find directly with the hotel, and you’ll receive a room upgrade subject to availability, a $100 property credit, and early check-in and late check-out, subject to availability. Ford and his team are happy to help with these requests, and can be reached at [email protected].
Bottom line
The Capella Taipei has now opened, and should set the new standard for luxury in Taiwan, as Taipei doesn’t otherwise have many true five-star properties. I really need to stay at a Capella, because all of the brand’s hotels look breathtakingly beautiful. I’ve been meaning to return to Taipei soon (I still have to fly Starlux first class!), and hope to check this place out.
I feel like the Capella brand is really coming into its own. It’s strange, because historically Capella has really struggled to keep its branded properties. For example, Breidenbacher Hof Dusseldorf, Cala de Mar Ixtapa, Rosewood Washington DC, and Waldorf Astoria Pedregal, among others, are all former Capella properties, which were ultimately rebranded. I think Capella now has such a focus on high quality properties that the brand will have a lot more name recognition and appeal.
What do you make of the new Capella Taipei?
If you think this is a “bad location,” you clearly haven’t spent much time in Taipei.
100% Second that.
to say this is a bad location means you have no idea of the dynamics of Taipei.
Anything in the grid of inner Taipei: South of the Keelung River, North of Heping Dong rd is great location.
Also it's literally across the road from the Mandarin Oriental.
Marc von Arnim, the former GM of the Park Hyatt Sydney, is now the GM of the Capella Sydney, and that can only augur well for the Capella group. I only stay at the PHS out of inertia, but his departure can be felt there, and not in a good way.
I wouldn’t call the location bad. Where would you rather stay? Ximen is nice for a walk and some shopping, but also not the ideal place and most tourist sights are rather dispersed around Taipei anyway.
TBH I preferred the Taiwanese countryside anyway. So much beauty. Taipei is just a modern big city with an iconic skyscraper.
@Maxi any places you recommend in the countryside?
@Lucky - Also in the pipeline: Hyatt Centric Taipei which is about a mile east of Capella on Nanjing East Road and Intercontinental Taipei near Taipei Dome. The building has actually been complete for a while for that one but no opening date announced (supposedly this year).
A brand new Intercontinental in Taichung just opened -supposedly very nice- which compliments the Intercontinental in Kaohsiung which is a fantastic property, easily one of the best...
@Lucky - Also in the pipeline: Hyatt Centric Taipei which is about a mile east of Capella on Nanjing East Road and Intercontinental Taipei near Taipei Dome. The building has actually been complete for a while for that one but no opening date announced (supposedly this year).
A brand new Intercontinental in Taichung just opened -supposedly very nice- which compliments the Intercontinental in Kaohsiung which is a fantastic property, easily one of the best Intercontinental’s in Asia.
it's already open. I saw a baseball game there last month
Taipei Dome is open (finally, after much delay) but the Intercontinental Hotel Taipei isn’t open yet. It’s not even showing on IHG’s website.
The Intercontinental Kaohsiung is beautiful. The indoor pool is stunning to a fault. Loads of people taking IG pics there when you go for a swim,
This shows what lower wages can do. It can result in a nice place at a price that the average person can afford if they splurge a little.
If everyone gets a "living wage" then a person may need to earn $500,000 to have a semi-comfortable life.
The location is not ideal but it depends on where you need to go. If you need to take a taxi everywhere no matter what hotel you stay in, this may be not so bad.
I've been reading many reviews, and even the higher rated ones seem to have one thing in common, which is the poor service quality.
I've been seeing prices as low as the $480s to $500 mark, I suspect their rates are not sustainable, especially during peak summer, where they will not be able to get a premium.
I wouldn't go to a newly opened hotel and expect it be its best.
I would go to a five star hotel and expect service quality to be good, otherwise, what's the point?