The Howard Plaza Hotel Taipei

Rooms and decor

The Howard Plaza Hotel Taipei has been part of Da'an for a long time, and while the building looks older than the newer hotels around town, the reason families keep choosing it is the family suite built around a bunk bed with a slide. The slide runs from the top bunk down to the room floor, which is laid with thick soft carpet for a safe landing, and the room comes with toys, a real ride-on car kids can sit on, and a low play table in the corner. Thai families who've stayed put it plainly — the kids hit the room and refuse to leave, and on day one the parents actually got to sit and watch Netflix because the slide held the children's attention for an hour and a half. Baby cribs come on request, diapers are free, and the bathroom is roomy enough to bathe a small child.

Food and amenities

Beyond the slide room, Howard Plaza runs an outdoor pool open from April to November, with depth split into zones so small kids can stay in the shallow end, plus a steam room and sauna for the grown-ups. There's a kids club inside the hotel, an outdoor playground, and babysitting on request — handy for parents who want to slip out for a private dinner at the Din Tai Fung branch in SOGO. Families travelling in the cold months from December to March will have to pick somewhere else if a pool matters, since it's closed then, but the kids club and the in-room toys stay open as usual.

Location and getting there

Howard Plaza sits in Da'an, a 400 m, 5-minute walk to MRT Zhongxiao Fuxing on the Blue line, and 8 minutes on foot to Da'an Forest Park — Taipei's big city park, with a lotus pond, a playground, and open ground for kids to run. SOGO and Breeze Center are both an easy walk, so getting around is simple. From the MRT it's about 30 minutes to Taipei Zoo on the Brown line.

Things to know before booking

The guest score lands at 8.4, with kids amenities at 9.0, location at 8.9, and value at 8.6. What keeps the overall number below the newer hotels is the building itself, which looks dated, and some of the decor that hasn't been refreshed. The pool only runs April to November, so winter visitors lose it. And the slide family suites are limited — reserve 2 to 3 months ahead to confirm one.

Our take

The Howard Plaza Hotel Taipei fits families with kids roughly 3 to 10 on a mid-range budget of $120 to $157 a night who want a room their children genuinely love. For that you get the slide suite, in-room toys, the seasonal outdoor pool, a kids club, a playground, and a Da'an address within walking distance of Da'an Forest Park. If you don't mind the age of the building and you value the kids' experience over a shiny lobby, this is the best-value pick in the mid-range — we'd recommend it honestly for families who want their kids excited every day.