Where to stay in Tainan - stylish boutique hotel

While planning a Southern Taiwan trip to Tainan, Kaoshiung and Taichung, I was specifically looking for stylish boutique & Instagrammable hotels to stay in. These type of hotels are so hard to find, because the websites that turn up in search engines are usually third party booking sites. After researching and scrolling, I finally found a nicely designed hostel/hotel situated in the heart of Tainan, U.I.J Hotel & Hostel. The best thing about this hotel is that they have rooms that cater to all sorts of guests – whether you are a backpacker and you are looking for a bed in a 6-person dormitory or if you are looking for a simple double room. I opted for the Superior King Size Bedroom which was worth every penny.

Rooms – Superior King Size Bed Room

Washroom & Shower Area

In this particular room, the shower, toilet, and sink were separated into three different areas which are quite handy if two people are living together in the hotel room. U.I.J Hotel & Hostel boasts shower amenities by Malin + Goetz for their shampoo, shower wash, and hand soap. The smell is quite nice and very refreshing. Other essential amenities were provided, which included toothbrushes, cotton floss, shower camp, a comb and razor. If you end up not using these amenities, you could exchange them for a bottle of spring water at the front desk.

Lobby & 1F Common Area

The lobby is essentially a spacious coffeeshop where you can sit and read a book while sipping on a cup of Washida coffee. There are ample seats with not too many people on an weekday afternoon. I loved the interior design of the lobby and felt myself snapping photo after photo. I could have easily sat here for a whole afternoon to avoid the harsh hot summer weather of Tainan.

Lobby Cafe – Washida Coffee

U.I.J. Hostel exterior

3F- Shared Lounge, Kitchen and Outdoor Terrace

On the third floor is a laundromat, a spacious shared lounge, comfortable seating area and a gorgeous open-space kitchen. In this space is also where you can find a computer, vending machine, water dispenser and phone. The comfy shared lounge area leads out to the outside sundeck and terrace. (more photos below!) The dormitory rooms can be found here, and also on the 4th floor. Private guest rooms are on the 5th to 9th floors.

Outdoor Terrace

The outdoor terrace at U.I.J. Hotel & Hostel is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen and certainly a lot of effort was put into making one. If it wasn’t so hot today, I would have liked to sit outside and read a book. There were lots of comfortable chairs to recline in, away from the hustle and bustle of the busy streets outside. At night, this place is lit up with dozens of lights, and it makes a very romantic setting suitable for photos.