Last Updated on 12-30-2023
If you’re someone who spends a lot of time working or traveling away from home and either aren’t accustomed to Taiwanese cuisine or enjoy cooking for yourself, you may consider staying in a monthly hotel that offers a kitchen. This can help you save on food expenses and allow you to experience the joy of cooking for yourself. However, in Taiwan, it’s not very common to find hotels with kitchens and there may be some drawbacks or limitations.
This article we’ll introduce the advantages and disadvantages of hotels with kitchens as well as two different types of monthly hotels that offer kitchens. This will allow you to choose the accommodation option that best suits your needs and preferences.
What are Monthly Hotels?
Monthly hotels, also known as extended stay hotels, offer accommodations for guests who plan to stay for an extended period, typically 30 days or more. These hotels are designed to provide a comfortable and convenient home-away-from-home experience for travelers, whether they are on a business trip, relocating, or simply need temporary housing.
Types of Kitchen Facilities in Monthly Hotels
Monthly hotels offer various kitchen facilities to suit different needs and budgets. The two most common types of kitchen facilities are studio kitchenettes and shared kitchens.
Studio Kitchenettes
A studio kitchenette is a small, self-contained kitchenette that is typically located within the hotel room. It usually includes a small refrigerator, microwave, sink, and a few basic kitchen utensils. Some studio kitchenettes may also feature a stovetop, oven, and dishwasher.
Shared Kitchens
Shared kitchens are communal cooking areas that are available for all guests to use. They are usually located on the same floor or in a common area of the hotel. Shared kitchens may offer a wider range of cooking facilities than studio kitchenettes, including full-size refrigerators, stoves, ovens, and cooking utensils.
Pros and Cons of Monthly Hotels with Kitchen
Advantages
- Save on meal expenses：Eating out in Taiwan on a daily basis can be costly and monotonous, with limited food options. To tackle this issue, having a kitchen in a hotel can provide travelers with the convenience of purchasing ingredients tailored to their needs and preferences. This option can result in substantial savings, as meals at restaurants can range from 100 to 300 NTD per person, whereas ingredients from local markets or supermarkets can be more affordable. The benefits of having a hotel kitchen are especially significant for individuals with specific dietary requirements or preferences, such as gluten-free, low-sodium, low-fat, or vegetarian diets, as they have more control over the ingredients and cooking methods used in their meals. Additionally, cooking one’s own meals can guarantee the hygiene and safety of the food consumed, as individuals can avoid eating stale or inferior food. To make this experience even more convenient, hotels with kitchens usually offer amenities such as a fridge, microwave, and kettle, allowing guests to easily store and heat their food.
- Increase quality of life：Staying in a hotel with a kitchen allows guests to enjoy a home-like atmosphere without having to eat fast food or snacks every day. They can eat healthier, fresher and more delicious food. They can also share meals with friends or family members who are traveling with them, which can enhance their relationships. Hotels with kitchens usually also provide basic kitchenware and tableware for guests to use more conveniently.
- Experience local culture：Staying in a hotel with a kitchen allows guests to experience local culture more deeply. They can visit local markets or supermarkets to purchase local specialty ingredients and try local recipes or cooking methods. They can learn about local dietary habits and flavors. They can also interact with locals to learn some life hacks or get travel advice.
Disadvantages
- Hotels with kitchens are not common in Taiwan so you may need to spend more time and effort searching for and booking one. Additionally, hotels with kitchens are usually more expensive than those without so you’ll need to consider whether it’s worth the price.
- Hotels with kitchens may have some rules or fees for using kitchen equipment and utensils such as requiring you to clean up after yourself or pay cleaning fees or limiting the time or number of times you can use the kitchen. You’ll need to understand these details in advance to avoid unnecessary disputes or additional expenses.
- Taiwan is known for its delicious cuisine with many different snacks, night markets and restaurants available for you to choose from. If you cook every day in your hotel room, you may miss out on many local delicacies and cultural experiences.
Studio Kitchenette：Making a feast at your accommodation
If you want to be able to prepare your own meals in your room and only occasionally cook simple dishes or reheat takeout food, a monthly hotel with a studio Kitchenette in the room is a good choice. This type of hotel room usually provides basic kitchen equipment such as a microwave, electric stove, pots, pans, and utensils, allowing you to easily heat up or cook some food. This type of monthly hotel is not only convenient but can also save you some money on dining, especially if you have special dietary needs or preferences. However, you should also pay attention to the cleanliness and safety of the kitchen and follow the hotel’s rules and guidelines.
Below are some examples of monthly hotels in Taiwan that offer studio kitchenette:
Jasper Villa Banqiao
Jasper Villa Banqiao‘s suites offer a comfortable accommodation environment with fully equipped kitchen facilities, allowing guests to easily enjoy the pleasure of cooking their own meals in the room. The hotel also provides a self-service breakfast with a variety of delicious options, both Eastern and Western, ensuring a delightful morning for guests.
Situated conveniently near Banqiao Station, Banqiao High-Speed Rail Station, and Banqiao MRT Station, Jasper Villa Banqiao boasts an advantageous location with easy access to transportation, facilitating guests in exploring nearby attractions and business districts. The surrounding area of Jasper Villa Banqiao features several dining establishments catering to diverse tastes. Popular choices include BravoCafe draft beer bar, Very Thai, and Blue House Japanese Cuisine, offering guests a rich and satisfying dining experience.
The Denizen
The Denizen is a serviced apartment located in Da’an District close to Xin’yi District in Taipei, offering spacious studios as short term rentals. Each apartment is equipped with a washer dryer and a fitted kitchen including an induction cooker, range hood, microwave, full size fridge freezer, and all the essential crockery and utensils to fix up your favorite dishes in the comfort of your own room. House brewed coffee is also offered complimentary twice daily at the coffee bar paired with your choice of milk together with an all day snack bar so you can keep energized through the day!
Beyond The Denizen, a myriad of food choices can be found with the Tonghua Night Market within a 6-minute walk and a wide variety of local and international cuisines due to the melting pot of food and culture that is Da’an District. For daily necessities, both Mia C’bon Anhe Store, Cotton Field Organic Dunnan Store and PX Mart Da’an Jū ān Store are within just a 4-minute walk. Otherwise explore the same night market during the day to find a colorful traditional market where you can experience the unique charm and vibrance of the local lifestyle.
Read more：Taipei Main Station: A busy and lively station(台北車站)
Jolley Hotel
Jolley Hotel is a hotel located in the Zhongshan district of Taipei, offering spacious family-style accommodations with complete amenities, including a washing machine and dryer. One of the hotel’s main features is that each guest room is equipped with a studio kitchenette, which includes cookware, tableware for 1-2 people, a fruit knife, a frying pan, an induction cooker, and other utensils that allow guests to cook their favorite foods. The hotel also provides breakfast with a choice of Chinese or Western cuisine. In addition, the Jolley CAFÉ is available for guests to use, offering free drinks and snacks.
The hotel is surrounded by many restaurants and night markets, where guests can taste various Taiwanese delicacies. For example, guests can walk to the Shuangcheng Street Night Market, which offers a variety of street food and specialty dishes such as stinky tofu, oyster omelets, and braised pork rice. Guests can also visit the Qingguang Market, where fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, and seafood are available, as well as a variety of inexpensive food vendors.
If guests need to purchase daily necessities or snacks, they can visit the nearby PXmart Zhongshan Qingguang store, which offers a variety of goods and promotions. The PXmart store is only about 300 meters away from the hotel and can be reached on foot.
GLORIA RESIDENCE
GLORIA RESIDENCE is a serviced apartment hotel located in the Zhongshan district of Taipei. It provides spacious and comfortable accommodation with a focus on the concept of “home”. Natural oak flooring and walls, combined with warm-toned furniture accents, showcase the quality of metropolitan living and create a cozy atmosphere.
One of the hotel’s features is that each room comes with a studio kitchenette, including an induction cooker, basic cookware, a microwave oven, and various household appliances, allowing guests to cook their favorite foods. The hotel also provides a self-service breakfast with both Chinese and Western options.
There are many restaurants and night markets near the hotel where you can enjoy Taiwanese cuisine. For example, you can walk to the Ningxia Night Market, which offers a variety of snacks and specialty dishes. You can also walk 9 minutes to the Shuanglian Market, where you can find fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, seafood, and various affordable food stalls.
Read more：2023 | 5 Best Taipei Serviced Apartment – New Choice for Short-term Monthly Rental!
Leofoo Residences
Leofoo Residences is a serviced apartment hotel located in Zhongshan District, Taipei City. It is situated across from the Lin Sen Park on the first section of Nanjing East Road, offering spacious and comfortable accommodation with complete facilities including a laundry machine and dryer. One of the hotel’s main features is that each room has a studio kitchenette, equipped with pots, a microwave, an induction cooker, a refrigerator, and an electric kettle, allowing you to cook your own favorite food. The hotel also offers a self-service breakfast with both Chinese and Western options.
There are many restaurants and night markets near the hotel where you can taste Taiwanese cuisine. For example, you can walk to the Nanjing West Road shopping district, where there are various snacks and specialty dishes such as beef noodles, scallion pancakes, and stinky tofu. You can also walk 6 minutes to the Kangle Market, where there are fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, seafood, and various inexpensive food vendors.
If you want to buy daily necessities or snacks, you can find a PX Mart nearby, which is a chain supermarket offering various products and discounts. The PX Mart Zhongshan Nanjing store is only about 500 meters away from the hotel, and you can walk or ride a YouBike to get there.
CHECK inn Select New Taipei Sanchong Waterfront
CHECK inn Select New Taipei Sanchong Waterfront, New Taipei City, is a hotel located across from Shuiyang Park and Sanzhong MRT Station (Taoyuan Airport MRT A2 Sanzhong Station), providing convenient access to the main business district of Taipei and New Taipei City. The hotel offers a variety of room types, designed in a fashionable and warm style, with each room equipped with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV, a private bathroom, and free wireless internet.
The hotel’s suite room types (Deluxe Double Suite, Deluxe Triple Suite, and Deluxe Family Suite) are equipped with a studio kitchenette that includes only an induction cooker. Guests will need to bring their own cookware and utensils, allowing them to cook their favorite dishes. The hotel also offers a self-service breakfast with a choice of Chinese and Western styles.
There are many restaurants and night markets near the hotel where guests can taste Taiwanese cuisine. For example, you can visit the Sanzhong Night Market, which has a variety of snacks and specialty dishes, such as salt and pepper chicken, oyster omelets, and beef noodles. You can also walk to the Guangyang Morning Market, which offers fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, and seafood, as well as a variety of affordable food stalls.
If you want to buy daily necessities or snacks, you can find a PX Mart Sanzhong MRT store, a chain supermarket that offers various products and discounts, near the hotel. The PX mart store is only about 100 meters away from the hotel, and you can walk there.
Read more：Taiwan Family-Friendly Monthly Hotels: A Perfect Place for Your Next Family Trip
Shared Kitchen: An Enjoyable and Social Experience
If you are someone who enjoys interacting and sharing with other travelers, and don’t mind sharing a kitchen with other guests, then you may want to consider choosing a hotel with a public kitchen. This type of hotel typically provides a spacious and well-equipped kitchen, including an oven, cooking utensils, knives, spices, etc., allowing you to showcase your culinary skills and creativity. In the shared kitchen, you can also interact and engage with other travelers from different countries and cultural backgrounds, learn different cooking methods and flavors, and even share delicious dishes with each other, adding fun to your journey. Of course, you should also pay attention to kitchen cleanliness and etiquette, and follow the hotel’s rules and guidelines.
Here are some hotels in Taiwan that offer shared kitchens：
ART’OTEL Ximending TAIPEI
ART’OTEL Ximending TAIPEI is a hotel located in the Wanhua District of Taipei City, just about an 8-minute walk away from Ximending commercial district and Ximen MRT Station, making it very convenient to access. The hotel offers various room types with minimalist and artsy design, each equipped with air conditioning, flat-screen TV, private bathroom, and free Wi-Fi.
One of the hotel’s unique features is a shared kitchen that provides guests with a microwave, refrigerator, cups, tea bags, and plates for use. The hotel also offers 24-hour front desk, luggage storage, travel consultation, and airport shuttle services.
If you want to purchase daily necessities or snacks, you can find DON DON DONKI Ximending store which is only about 350 meters away from the hotel. It is a Japanese supermarket that offers various products and discounts.
Read more：Bangka: A Corner of Old Prosperity (Wanhua District)
NK Hostel
NK Hostel is a youth hostel located in the Songshan District of Taipei City, only a 7-10 minute walk from the Raohe Street Night Market and the Nanjing Sanmin MRT Station, making it very convenient to get around. The hostel offers a variety of room types with simple and stylish designs, each equipped with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV, a private or shared bathroom, and free Wi-Fi.
One of the hostel’s great features is a shared open kitchen that provides guests with a microwave, oven, refrigerator, induction cooker, and cookware for their use. The hostel also offers 24-hour service at the front desk, luggage storage, travel consultation, and airport shuttle service.
There are many restaurants and shops near the hostel where you can enjoy Taipei’s cuisine and shopping. For example, you can walk 6 minutes to the Raohe Street Night Market, where you can find a variety of Taiwanese snacks and specialty dishes such as pepper cakes, medicinal stewed pork ribs, and stinky tofu. You can also walk to the Nan Song Market, where you can find fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, seafood, and various affordable food vendors.
If you want to buy daily necessities or snacks, you can find the PX Mart Songshan Bade store, a chain supermarket that offers a variety of goods and discounts, near the hostel. The PX mart is only about 550 meters from the hostel, and you can walk or ride a Youbike to get there.
Read more：Taipei MRT Brown/Green Line Guideline and Day Trip Attractions
Beimen WOW Poshtel
Beimen Wow Poshtel is a youth hostel located in Datong District, Taipei City. It is an 8-minute walk from Taipei Main Station and Taipei Bus Station, and offers spacious and comfortable shared lounge areas as well as free Wi-Fi throughout the property. The hostel offers a variety of room types with an industrial design, and each room is equipped with air conditioning, hardwood floors, a refrigerator, a flat-screen TV, and a private or shared bathroom.
One of the hostel’s main features is a shared kitchen with a microwave, oven, and refrigerator for guests to use. The hostel also provides a 24-hour front desk, luggage storage, and travel advice.
There are many restaurants and shops near the hotel where you can enjoy Taipei’s cuisine and go shopping. For example, you can walk to Ningxia Night Market, where there are a variety of Taiwanese snacks and specialty dishes such as pig liver soup, egg yolk taro cake, and oyster omelets. You can also walk to Dadaocheng Wharf, where you can admire the river view and cultural atmosphere and visit the historic Dihua Street and Dadaocheng Park.
If you want to buy daily necessities or snacks, you can find a PX Mart Yuanhuan branch near the hotel. It is a chain supermarket that offers various products and discounts. PX Mart is only about 500 meters away from the hotel, and you can walk or ride an Ubike to get there.
Read more：Your Ultimate Guide to Taipei Travel in 5 Days for Solo Travelers
Tainanwow
Tainanwow is a youth hostel located in the North District of Tainan City. It is approximately an 8-minute walk from Tainan Train Station and Tainan Bus Station. The hostel features family-friendly bubble houses, grassy spaces, a common room, and free WiFi throughout the property. There are various room types available, all designed with a minimalist style and equipped with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV, and a private or shared bathroom.
One of the main features of the hostel is a shared kitchen equipped with a microwave and refrigerator for guests to use. Other services provided by the hostel include luggage storage, travel consultation, and self-service laundry.
There are many restaurants and shops near the hostel where guests can taste Tainan’s local cuisine and go shopping. For example, guests can walk to Chikan Tower, one of the oldest buildings in Tainan and one of Taiwan’s most important historical sites. Guests can also walk to the Sìdiǎn Wǔ Temple, Taiwan’s largest temple dedicated to Guan Yu and other martial deities.
If guests need to purchase daily necessities or snacks, they can find a PX Mart Tainan Zhongyi nearby, which is a chain supermarket that offers various products and discounts. PX Mart Tainan Zhongyi is only about 350 meters away from the hostel and can be reached on foot.
Hualien WOW Hostel
Hualien Wow Hostel is a youth hostel located in the Ren’ai District of Hualien City. It is about a 3-minute walk from Hualien Train Station and Hualien Bus Terminal, and offers free WiFi and a sunny terrace. The hostel offers various room types, including backpacker rooms and suites with en-suite bathrooms, all designed in an industrial style. Each room is equipped with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV, and a private or shared bathroom.
One of the unique features of the hostel is a shared kitchen, equipped with an induction cooker, microwave, oven, and utensils for guest use. The hostel also provides services such as luggage storage, travel consultation, and a self-service laundry machine.
If you want to buy daily necessities or snacks, you can find a PX Mart Hualien near the hostel, which is a chain supermarket offering various products and discounts. The PX Mart is only about 450 meters away from the hostel and can be reached by walking or other means of transportation.
Read more：Discover the 4 Best Hostels in Taiwan for Long-Term Stays
