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Taiwan Travel Information

Quality Accommodations
Taiwan has hotels to fit every budget, from opulent international-quality tourist hotels to bargain "bed-and-board" hostels. The better hotels compete to offer the best services, and to encourage this competition the Tourism Bureau regularly evaluates the facilities and services of all tourist hotels on the island. The best are awarded four or five plum blossoms (the ROC's national flower), which correspond to the stars awarded in the West.

The government has approved of 77 hotels in Taiwan as "international tourist" and "tourist" hotels. International tourist hotels (four and five plum blossoms) have larger bedrooms and better facilities; tourist hotels (two and three plum blossoms) have smaller bedrooms and facilities, and lower prices. Inexpensive hostels and youth activity centers (unrated) provide bed and board; many have private and dormitory-style rooms, and in some the staff speak very basic, if any, English.

Taiwan's quality hotels generally provide elegant shopping arcades (credit cards accepted), magazine or book stands, hair salons, fitness centers, cocktail lounges or nightclubs, Western movies on guest-room TVs, complete business services (including business centers), and meeting and banquet facilities (for groups of two to 2,000). Hotel tour services are informative and helpful; they will assist guests in arranging everything from bus or airline tickets to round-the-island tours.

Many of Taiwan's finest restaurants--though by no means all--are located in international tourist hotels, which generally offer several types of regional Chinese cuisines as well as Western food, coffee shops or lounges. Quality hotel restaurants usually have excellent service, an elegant atmosphere, and cuisine prepared by experienced chefs.

Travel agents and the ROC Tourism Bureau can provide specific information on each hotel's services and prices to make choosing one a bit easier.