Diary of Taipei - Taipei Station Branch
by the TopOfHotel team
Diary of Taipei is the most stylish pick on this list — modern rooms, a 9.0 score, and a four-minute walk to the main station.
Diary of Taipei is the most stylish pick on this list — modern rooms, a 9.0 score, and a four-minute walk to the main station.
In-Depth Review
Diary of Taipei - Taipei Station Branch has a lobby that feels more like a boutique café in Tokyo's Daikanyama than a hotel in Taipei — warm grey-and-white tones, soft orange lighting, quiet piano, and staff who smile and speak good English. Real guests rate it around 8.9/10.
Rooms and decor
The Diary of Taipei group is known across the city for design hotels that push the details, and this branch keeps that up. Rooms are minimal but warm — real wood, linen curtains, and a boutique chair that is comfortable and pretty enough to photograph. The bathroom has a rain shower with real pressure and a faux-marble basin, and the in-room kit runs from drip coffee to the group's own lotion. Everything reads like the owners built this for people who actually care how a room looks.
Food and amenities
This is a place built around the room rather than big shared facilities, so set expectations there. Breakfast is available and the in-room amenities are complete. The team speaks good English, stores your bags free after checkout, and gives restaurant tips for the neighbourhood in the kind of detail you would get from a friend who lives in Taipei.
Location and getting there
The hotel sits just 350 metres from Taipei Main Station — about 4 minutes on foot with a bag. The red MRT line runs up to Beitou for an afternoon hot-spring soak, and Ximending is just two stops away on the blue line. The HSR also runs down to Tainan for a day trip on southern food. Q Square Mall is close, and an Underground City entrance means you can walk indoors when it rains.
Things to know before booking
Rooms are standard city size, not spacious — this is a stylish base, not a spread-out one. There are fewer shared facilities than a larger hotel, so there is no big lobby scene, gym or pool to fall back on. And it fills up fast in high season, helped by heavy bookings from Japanese and Hong Kong travelers, so reserve well ahead.
Our take
Diary of Taipei - Taipei Station Branch suits honeymooning couples, Instagram-minded travelers, and anyone who values the feel of a room as much as the sights outside. For a starting rate around $57 a night, it delivers quality on par with boutique hotels in the trendy districts of Tokyo or Seoul for far less. The 9.0 score — design and location both 9.2, cleanliness 9.1 — backs that up. It is the most balanced design pick in the Taipei Main Station area: pretty, and genuinely practical for the money.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- A proper design hotel — rooms in real wood and linen that look noticeably better than anything else at this price.
- It clearly out-styles other hotels in the same rate band, so you feel like you are spending more than you are.
- About 350 metres to Taipei Main Station, a 4-minute walk that connects you to the MRT, the high-speed rail and the airport bus.
- Real guests give it a high 9.0, with design and location both scoring 9.2 and cleanliness at 9.1.
- Strong value for the level of design, with rooms starting around $57 a night.
- Rooms are standard city size rather than spacious, so this is a place to sleep and look good, not to spread out.
- It has fewer shared facilities than a larger hotel — no big lobby scene, gym or pool to lean on.
- It fills up fast in high season, partly because Japanese and Hong Kong travelers book it heavily, so reserve well ahead.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Taipei
Day tours, attraction tickets and experiences around Taipei — book ahead on Klook with mobile e-tickets.
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Insider Tips
- Ask to see the room types before you book — each one is designed differently.
- Walk or take the MRT a couple of stops to Ximending for shopping and street food.
- Request a higher floor if you want it quieter.