Hostel Jiizu

“Simply perfect! Clean, cozy, great location!!”

While we are normally two travelling together, this time we were three, introducing our friend Kathy to a country we fell in love with on our first visit a couple of years ago. We knew from our last visit that accommodation in Taipei is both expensive (when compared to accommodation in South East… more

While we are normally two travelling together, this time we were three, introducing our friend Kathy to a country we fell in love with on our first visit a couple of years ago. We knew from our last visit that accommodation in Taipei is both expensive (when compared to accommodation in South East Asian cities), and small - much like Singapore. With three people we really needed a couple of rooms (three women and one bathroom is never going to result in a quick start to the day), we wanted a little bit of space for a better night’s sleep (did you know they estimate up to 45% of people snore - lol)… After much research we discovered Jiizu Hostel, and it was simply perfect!! Jiizu Hostel offers dorm and private rooms. They have rooms with and without windows, small rooms suitable for one or two people, and larger rooms fitting up to four people. With very reasonable prices we were able to afford to get a private room each - three women with three bathrooms is even better than three women with two bathrooms… And a room each meant no chance of disturbing each other during the night. We opted for studio rooms with windows, small at around 10m2 (110 square feet), but perfect for one person (to be honest while possible for two people to share, you would spend much of your time tripping over each other or crawling up on the bed to get out of each other’s way). There was just enough room at the end of the bed to fit a small suitcase or large duffle case, and a little bit of space along the side of the bed which easily fits carry-on luggage. We had three rooms next to each other. Each included a double bed, mini fridge, kettle, TV, free Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, and private bathroom. There is a small space for hanging clothing, and a wall mounted work-bench with drawer - plenty big enough for a laptop. The only thing missing that we would normally like in a hotel room is an in-room safe, but that didn’t really pose a problem. Our beds were super comfy, with very clean sheets, and lovely squishy pillows. We didn’t experience noise issues from nearby rooms, other than the usual doors closing in a hotel corridor. There was quite a bit of traffic noise from outside, but that’s not entirely unexpected in a big city like Taipei - we travel with earplugs. For future stays we would likely choose the internal studio rooms (no window so no traffic noise, and a little larger at nearly 13m2 or 135 square feet). The bathrooms were compact but well laid out, and spotless. The shower (with rainshower head) is semi open so the floor of the room does get a little wet, but that didn’t cause us any issues. We each had plenty of hot water for our showers! The hostel offers a communal kitchen with a couple of microwaves, hotplate, crockery and cutlery, sink, and shared fridge. A couple of shared computers are available to guests, and there is the biggest cuddliest teddy bear sharing some couch space in the small lobby space. Jiizu’s lobby / check in desk is located on the first floor (for those using US floor numbering, the second floor), accessed either via staircase or lift. As an added bonus, Jiizu Hostel offers coin laundry facilities - two washing machines and one dryer, at very reasonable prices. Jiizu hostel has limited reception hours (7am-10pm), however self-service check-in is available outside manned hours. We were scheduled to arrive at Taipei Taoyuan Airport at 8:15pm so were not sure we would be at the hotel before 10pm. We emailed the hostel and confirmed that our room keys would be available to us on arrival for self-service check-in, we simply needed to visit reception before checking out so formal check-in records could be completed; so easy! Location wise, Jiizu was perfect. We were 280 metres to exit 1 of Nanjing Sanmin train station, and in the opposite direction just 900 metres to Taipei Arena Station exit 5. There is a Family Mart just 9 metres from the hostel’s entrance, and a 7Eleven 100 metres away. The area is home to plenty of restaurants, cafes, shops, ATMs and more. Using Taipei’s awesome public transport system there is easy access to everything else Taipei has to offer. We loved our stay at Hostel Jiizu and can honestly say next time we visit Taipei it will be our first choice for accommodation! It’s not for you if you want space and fancy facilities, but if you just want a clean, safe, comfortable place to rest your head without breaking the bank, it is perfect!

less

“Jiizu is not a hostel, it should be a hotel”

Jiizu has spacious bedroom and WC, compare to a standard hostel. Room is very clean and new. Staff is very nice and helpful. It has high value for money. Location is very convenient. It's near bus stop, MRT, and many food store nearby. I will stay here again when come back to Taipei.

“Will Stay Here Again”

We stayed here and we were very satisfied. There's nothing extravagant but you get more than your money's worth. The white bed and pillows were comfortable and clean.The bath and toilet are spacious. The room may be small but I'm not complaining because the rates are really cheap here. You'd still… more

We stayed here and we were very satisfied. There's nothing extravagant but you get more than your money's worth. The white bed and pillows were comfortable and clean.The bath and toilet are spacious. The room may be small but I'm not complaining because the rates are really cheap here. You'd still have space for your luggage, so don't worry. Towels. toiletries, water (but the coffee and tea bags are at the common room) are provided. There's also a hair blower, electric kettle, television (which we didn't use because we cant understand Chinese), drawers, closets are also provided. There's a Family Mart just beside this hostel. It's very convenient. The location is actually my favorite. It's near a lot of food establishments and tourist spots are easily accessible. We can even afford to go back here during the afternoon to rest a bit before heading out again to visit tourist spots. That's how accessible the hostel is. The staff were also very courteous. They don't speak fluent English but their English skills were enough that we can understand each other.

less

“No-frills, clean, but common bathrooms are tiny”

Stayed for two nights in a 4-bed females-only dormitory in Feb 2019 on a solo trip to Taipei to catch a concert at Taipei Arena. I chose this place for its proximity to the concert venue - a 15-20min walk - and its value-for-money. The room and toilets were clean and so were the common areas like … more

Stayed for two nights in a 4-bed females-only dormitory in Feb 2019 on a solo trip to Taipei to catch a concert at Taipei Arena. I chose this place for its proximity to the concert venue - a 15-20min walk - and its value-for-money. The room and toilets were clean and so were the common areas like the kitchen and TV room. Service at reception was prompt and I was always greeted with a smile. I had to contact the hostel ahead of my trip and I did so via Facebook and email - both times they responded within minutes - very efficient! A pillow case, bedsheet and comforter cover along with toothbrush, toothpaste and a small face towel were provided in the dorms. You have to put on the sheets yourself. You have the option of asking for a new towel if staying for more than a night, but the towel is really small so bring your own bath towel if you need a bigger one. Each dorm bed comes with a tall but not too deep locker, two power sockets and a reading light. There is one clothes hanger and a 3M hook inside the locker. Bring your own lock or rent a lock from reception. If using your own lock, I would suggest bringing a lock on the smaller side as different lockers have different sized lock clasps. There is nowhere to hang stuff to dry in the rooms - no hooks on walls - so you could either improvise with an S-hook or dry your things at the common drying rack on the topmost floor. There is no wastepaper basket in the dorm room either and eating is not allowed in the rooms. Minor inconveniences that I was willing to accept given that communal living can sometimes get a little messy. The main gripe I had was that the bathrooms were really small. The toilet stalls were so tiny even for the 1.6m, 50kg of me. I had to sit sideways on the toilet because there is no space for your knees when you shut the door. The shower stalls had no hooks, just a rack at head height, so bring a waterproof bag and your trusty S-hook or else risk everything getting wet when you shower. There was a plastic shelf mounted just atop the sink for your toiletries - but the problem was that the sink was small, so the shelf juts out above half the sink and you can't really lean over the sink properly when washing your face, brushing your teeth etc. There were hairdryers but no hand soap provided at the sinks. Surely the bathroom design could be better thought out. Otherwise, with regards to location, the hostel is a less than 5 minute walk from Nanjing Sanmin MRT station, right next door to a Family Mart, 5 minutes away from a McDonalds and KFC, and on a street full of local food options. It's not centrally located nor near touristy places like Shilin or Ximending, but the Taipei Metro is so convenient this isn't a problem at all. In summary, a no-frills, simple, clean hostel that ticks most boxes. A re-design of the bathrooms would improve the overall experience. I had a pleasant stay here and would stay again if on a budget.

less