Kindness Hotel (Kaohsiung Station)

Rooms and decor

The Standard room goes for around $43 a night and is small and compact, which is what you'd expect from a city 3-star. It's simply done up in bright tones, with a firm but comfortable bed, a small desk, a chair, a wardrobe and plenty of plug sockets. The bathroom is clean, the shower has good pressure and the hot water comes through fast. The room isn't big and it isn't fancy, but everything is clean and works well. Higher floors on the inner side are quieter than the street side, the air-con cools quickly and the curtains block light well. For a starting price of about $43 a night, it's strong value and a perfectly good place to rest up.

Food and amenities

The thing that sets Kindness Hotel apart, and the reason guests love it, is the free food, available 24 hours. There's a self-serve corner with ice cream, coffee, tea, snacks, soft drinks and even beer, all you want, day and night. Reviewers mention stopping for ice cream after late nights out and saving a good chunk on snacks. The other genuinely useful perk is free laundry, great if you're staying a while or heading on to another city. Breakfast is a simple buffet with basic Taiwanese and Western dishes, the free Wi-Fi works fine, and the front desk is open 24 hours. On the whole it gives you more than the price suggests.

Location and getting there

This branch sits directly opposite Kaohsiung Main Station — about the most convenient spot a traveler could ask for. You can jump straight on the MRT Red Line, or take a regular train and the HSR high-speed line to Taipei, Taichung and other cities, all from one place. That makes it a great base if you're planning to hop between cities. Take the MRT to Formosa Boulevard for the Dome of Light, or carry on to Central Park or Sizihwan. The streets around the station are full of restaurants, convenience stores and markets to poke around, with plenty of local food on hand.

Things to know before booking

This is a budget 3-star, so set your expectations accordingly. Rooms are small and plainly fitted out — they're built for function, not luxury. The area around the main rail station is fairly busy and crowded, so a higher floor on the inner side is worth requesting if noise bothers you. And there's no pool or full gym here the way there would be at a pricier hotel — the draw is value, free snacks and the rail connection, not resort facilities.

Our take

Kindness Hotel's Kaohsiung Station branch is the best pick for backpackers, solo travelers and anyone after a good-value base right by the rail station. You get free food 24 hours, free laundry and a spot directly opposite the main station, all for a 8.4/10 score from real guests. The rooms may be small and simple, but at a starting price of roughly $43 a night with perks you'll actually use, the value is hard to beat. It's our recommendation for anyone doing Kaohsiung on a budget.