Amba Taipei Songshan – The Urban Chic Hotel for Solo/Couple & Families!

Songshan MRT . Taipei 101 View . Keelung River . Raohe Night Market . WuFenPu

This was not my first trip to Taipei and to date I had always been staying faithfully near XiMenDing which we all know is the the hot favourite tourist spot where is shopping, food (e.g. Ah Zong Mian Xian, BBQ Cuttlefish, Teppanyaki Beef etc) and swarmed with human activities including busking and street stalls. It is also conveniently located near the XiMenDing mrt station. Thus less than 2 years back, I was at Amba XiMenDing which I had a very different experience altogether. You may want to read about that in the link below.

http://msbabelovebebes.blogspot.sg/2016/07/taipei-amba-hotel-in-ximending.html

Taipei Songshan Hotel is the latest addition to the amba family. Unlike the other hotels which were refurbished from an existing building, this hotel was built from scratch and thus many details were well thought out for comfort stay purpose. The alluring part of the hotel was also the panoramic views of Taipei 101 at night and Keelung River especially during sunset.

I travelled the local way via the airport express at NT160 to Taipei Main Station and changed from there to Songshan MRT which took me about an hour without much hassle using my Easycard (悠遊卡) that is also the same as our local ezlink store value card which you could easy purchase it from the mrt stations. When you reached the Songshan mrt, it is connected to the shopping mall. Proceed to the level 2 of the mall and exit via the right side of the UNI-QLO store where you will see a bridge. Cross the bridge and on your left take a lift to Level 17 towards the hotel lobby.

Alternatively, you could just cross the road after Exit 4A and you will see amba Songshan. This would be the grand entrance welcoming you with the beautiful chandeliers made of cane material handcrafted by Taiwanese artists.

Proceed to Level 17 lobby for your check in. There are also meeting rooms which you could book for your corporate functions. I must make a mention that on Level 18 you could even do your laundry with washing powder provided and while waiting just pop into the fitness room next door to burn away your night market food fats. :p

As you can see the lobby from XiMenDing is vastly different. I would say this exudes more elegance and suitable for corporate stay too. There is an amba for everyone. 🙂

Let me just show you to my room first and after which bring you around few other rooms for a little tour!

We will usually get a door tag to activate the housekeeping but for amba in place of it is a magnetic sign in theme with amba which were labelled as shuiba in yellow (means to sleep so do not disturb) and shaoba (means to sweep so please clean up).

I was warmed by this personal welcome note from the Ms Jeanie, GM of amba along with the Taiwan childhood bubble soft drink and snacks placed in a glass jug plated with a rustic tile.

The room has a generous amount of natural light and the size of the room I would say is much bigger than those I had stayed at the same range. The style of simplistic chic, thoughtful, creative and space is consistent.

At the pantry table you could have your freshly brewed coffee from the Nespresso machine else try the Taiwanese tea with the quick heating electric kettle. There are free mineral water provided and you could chill it in their mini fridge if you prefer it cold.

One of my favourite features of the room is the free wired and Smart WiFi with super high-speed data transfer rate of up to 200 Mbps hotel-wide and the best part is that you don’t have to share as there is a separate access point in each room for optimal WiFi experience so I could work on my blog uploading all my photos and videos without any disruptions and at the same time connect to the Wireless Bluetooth® speaker with 360º stunning sound with my Spotify playlist.

If you happened to just wanna laze in the room, the 48” Sony BRAVIA Full HD TV, complete with built-in YouTube, Instagram, Netflix, music and Satellite channels include CNN, HBO, Discovery, TLC, Disney, NHK, BS1, Phoenix, and Arirang will keep you occupied.

The comfortable bed with pure cotton linen awaits me while you could also request for hypoallergenic pillows and blankets with 3M™ Thinsulate™ Insulation.

This spot was my favourite throughout my stay either on the day couch or just seated on the window area. I would just have a drink, read a book or just daydream into the spectacular day/night view of Taipei 101.

This was a beauty trip for me where I did my chin augmentation and love handle liposuction so having a good rest was a must. You could see my face was still swollen after the surgery. As someone who is claustrophobic, space and comfortable are always the top of my list when I travel especially when I need a room where I could recover in comfort alone. Best of all, the shopping mall and Raohe night market is just a stone throw away so food would never be an issue.

All you need to know about the hotel in this eco friendly booklet where you could find a selection of thoughtful extras for you to borrow or rent to make your stay more comfortable and fun, including HDMI cable, Apple TV, fitness ball, yoga mat, and baby amenities.

They even have 2 USB charging ports on their phone for the ever conscious gadget person like me who needs to charge everywhere I go. That is another one at the workspace area.

Some features of their Bathroom area:

Separate washroom and shower room
Dual Ecostat Comfort rain shower and massage showerheads for a revitalizing yet eco-friendly shower experience
Oversized bathroom vanity for your belongings
Free trendy amba flip flops for you to wear and to take home
Free bath gel, shampoo, hair conditioner, body lotion, tooth brush, tooth paste, shower cap, and cotton buds

All-natural, calming ginger bath amenities, exclusively provided by socially responsible Taiwanese brand Two Acres.

The breakfast area would be at Que woodfired grill, a modern approach to the classic chophouse, located on level 17 of amba Taipei Songshan hotel. Overlooking the beautiful Keelung River, Que is a contemporary and inviting all-day-dining restaurant that is perfect for any gathering or celebration.

Breakfast by the day and dining choice for the rest of the day using the most primitive cooking premium, all-natural steaks and fresh seafood over an open wood fire using native fruit-tress woods that will give an irresistibly aromatic with a hint of smoke and a subtle fruity flavor in the beautiful open kitchen . You will have a choice of their healthy inhouse sides and salads, specially selected wines by the glass, and mouthwatering home-style desserts.

Let’s take a look at their breakfast selection. The photos said it all!

This was probably one of my favorite station. The freshly made rice rolls that Taiwanese usually have for their breakfast. My must have when each time I am in Taiwan.

Time to dig in! Forgive me for my not so glam eating look with my plasters still on my chin. Having some porridge, noodles, yoghurt, passionfruit (my fav!) and brown sugar mantou for my round 1 before I go on to the next round.

After breakfast and time to relax a bit before my next meeting. The lounge area allows you to have small meeting, play table games, read magazines, have a game of table soccer or just relaxing with the beautiful view in front of you.

Thanks to Jeanie I got a chance to go around the hotel and had a look at some of the rooms. Allow me to quickly bring you through 3 different rooms.

There is a choice from 189 contemporary, thoughtfully designed rooms, ranging from the 27-square-meter Smart 101 View Room (291 square feet) to the 107 square-meter one-bedroom Studio (1,150 square feet). Majority of the rooms feature spectacular views of Taipei 101 or the beautiful Keelung River and mountains.

Studio:

107 square meters/1,150 square feet
Breathtaking Taipei 101 and sunset views through floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides
Perfect for fun gatherings, creative meetings, and romantic getaways
Living room with high ceilings, separate dining/meeting space for 10 guests, a wet bar, 55-inch Sony BRAVIA Full HD TV, stereo speakers, and a guest bathroom
One bedroom with a king bed or two twin beds, comfortable workspace, and a 48-inch HD TV
Spacious master bathroom featuring an oversized circular tub overlooking Taipei 101, a 22-inch TV, separate rain shower, and large bathroom vanity
Maximum two adults and two children aged 12 or below based on existing bedding
One extra bed may be added for an extra person

My verdict: Great for stay after meetings and a romantic getaways especially that round bathtub with view!

Loft Riverview Room:

48 square meters/517 square feet
Beautiful river view through 90-degree wraparound windows
Abundant natural light
One king bed or two twin beds
Sitting area for relaxation
Spacious bathroom with a bathtub with river view and separate rain shower
Maximum two adults and two children aged 12 or below based on existing bedding
One extra bed may be added for an extra person

My verdict: Spacious urban chic room with an open bathtub for that instagram shot!

Extra Large River View Room:

Average size of 40 square meters/431 square feet
Beautiful river view, sunrises, and eastern exposure
Ideal family room or for friends to share
One king bed or two twin beds
Spacious bathroom with a bathtub and separate rain shower
Maximum two adults and two children aged 12 or below based on existing bedding
One extra bed may be added for an extra person

My verdict: Perfect for a family getaway with the huge bed and space for kids to room about!

Aren’t you just excited as I am in trying out their other rooms?

I will be back Amba Taipei Songshan and hope you can welcome me with open arms with your warm hospitality like you always do!

amba Taipei Songshan
8 Section 7 Civic Boulevard
Taipei 11562 Taiwan
+886 2 2653 2828 Hotel
+886 2 2525 2828 Reservations
400 120 6226 China Toll-Free
+800 0088 2828 Hong Kong Toll-Free
0800 88 2828 Taiwan Toll-Free