Hotel Proverbs Taipei — the boldest stay in Da'an
Ask anyone who's stayed in Taipei which hotel made them stop in their tracks the moment they walked in — Hotel Proverbs comes up again and again. It's a 42-room member of Design Hotels (Marriott Bonvoy), inspired by Goya's print series "Los Proverbios" and built around copper, wood, leather and green marble. Opened in 2016, it has a rooftop pool with Taipei 101 in full view, the EAST END bar on Asia's 50 Best Bars, and is just a 3-minute walk from MRT Zhongxiao Fuxing.
Picture stepping out of the lift to find copper-clad corridors running the full length of the floor, then walking into a room where the bathroom is lined with green marble, and every single item in the minibar is complimentary. That moment is what guests describe over and over in their reviews. Architect Ray Chen drew on Francisco Goya's print series "Los Proverbios" and created something that reads more like a private hideaway than a hotel — a raw, industrial shell on the outside, warm and deliberate inside: copper, wood, leather, every square metre placed with intent. This isn't a design hotel that looks good in photos and nothing else.
"Copper-clad corridors the whole way, a green-marble bathroom, an entirely complimentary minibar — it's photogenic from every angle, and the service is genuinely warm, not a design hotel that's all surface."
The rooms are what guests talk about most. Even the entry-level Urban Room is a generous 33 sqm — noticeably bigger than most boutiques in Taipei — rising to the 49 sqm Proverbs Room. Each room is laid out in three clear zones for resting, working and bathing, and that layout is what gives it the feel of a private apartment rather than a hotel room. The full minibar is free (non-alcoholic drinks and snacks), there's a Nespresso machine, and the green-marble bathroom has become the hotel's most-photographed signature. Guests who come expecting a tight boutique space consistently leave surprised by the scale.
The EAST END bar is the other thing people won't stop talking about — it's the first hotel bar in Taiwan to make Asia's 50 Best Bars, and that reputation holds up. The space is moody and characterful, the cocktails are properly made, and there's outdoor seating that catches a breeze on warm evenings. One floor down, L'IDIOT GRILL & PASTA is where à-la-carte breakfast is served each morning, and also where guests eat steak and pasta that many have praised in reviews. On the 12th floor, a 15-metre rooftop pool is open from 6:30 AM to 9:00 PM with Taipei 101 clearly visible from the water — several guests mention they went up for a morning swim and didn't want to come back down.
The Da'an location is a quiet, practical strength. It's roughly a 3-minute walk to MRT Zhongxiao Fuxing — the junction of the blue (Bannan) and brown (Wenhu) lines — and only 2 stops from Taipei Main Station. The hotel sits right inside the Dongmen–Zhongxiao shopping district: SOGO, hundreds of restaurants, cafés and dessert spots all within walking distance, and both Da'an Forest Park and Tonghua Night Market are close enough to make a spontaneous evening stroll worth it. It's the kind of location that combines ease of movement with the real texture of Taipei neighbourhood life.
A few honest things to know before you book. The corridors and rooms are deliberately kept dim — it's part of the design concept, and guests who prefer bright, airy rooms sometimes flag it. Some bathrooms have see-through glass walls, which reduces privacy for certain couples. A few power outlets are awkwardly placed, there's no gym, and the à-la-carte breakfast has a limited menu. Prices sit at the top end of the Da'an district. None of this hurts the 9.0 overall score, and none of it is the kind of flaw you'd find mentioned in the headline — it's just honest detail that's worth knowing before you arrive.
The short version: Hotel Proverbs Taipei is for travellers who want a stay they'll actually remember — not just a bed and a lobby. It's the right call for couples, honeymooners, lifestyle travellers and anyone who's tired of 5-star hotels that look identical wherever you go. If you want a small hotel that feels like a personal hideaway in the middle of a real city neighbourhood, this is the standout option in Da'an.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Characterful design — copper and green marble, photogenic everywhere
- ✓ Rooms larger than most boutiques, from 33 sqm in three zones
- ✓ The entire minibar is free — non-alcoholic drinks and snacks
- ✓ Warm, friendly service with attention to detail
- ! Prices at the top of the Da'an district, especially in peak season
- ! Rooms and corridors are quite dimly lit
- ! No gym at the hotel
- ✓ Da'an location — 3 min to MRT Zhongxiao Fuxing, shopping all around
- ✓ 12th-floor rooftop pool with Taipei 101 views
- ✓ The EAST END bar and L'IDIOT restaurant on site
- ✓ Green-marble bathrooms and Nespresso machines
- ! Some bathrooms have see-through glass walls — little privacy
- ! The à-la-carte breakfast has limited options
- ! A few power outlets are awkwardly placed
- 💡If you like bright, airy rooms — the hotel keeps lighting deliberately low to fit its design concept, and the corridors are quite dark. Ask for a higher-floor room with larger windows, or consider a brighter modern-style hotel instead.
- 💡If bathroom privacy matters to you — some rooms have see-through glass bathroom walls. State your preference when booking or at check-in to request a room with more solid walls.
- 💡If you need to work out during your trip — there's no gym, only the rooftop pool. Use the 12th-floor pool for a swim, or check one of the several day-pass gyms around Da'an.