W Taipei

Living vertical planters form green walls embedded with the glowing red "W" on either side of the hotel's glassy main entrance. Inside the ground-floor lobby, a ceiling installation of mirrored plastic and bamboo hangs like a cloud of exploded chopsticks above oversized circular couches. There's a small reception desk, but the main lobby is actually on the 10th floor (a navigational annoyance for some). Rough wooden beams and finished panels adorn the walls throughout, mixed with stone blocks or tile, all accented with colored mood lights and the occasional neon floor panel. Steel sculptures and Taiwanese video art add even more stimulation, along with high floor-to-ceiling views of the city. Guests come and go between the shopping malls, including the one below the hotel itself, before settling in at the outdoor pool and bar, which stays open all night long.

The W Taipei is located in the fashionably upscale Xinyi district, surrounded by shopping malls and big luxury retailers. The hotel itself sits in a building above the Uni-Hankyu department store. Taipei City Hall and the Taipei International Convention Center are within walking distance. Taipei 101, one of the world's tallest skyscrapers, is a 13-minute walk away and is surrounded by a cluster of exhibition centers. The MRT Taipei City Hall station is just outside the hotel, easily connecting guests to the many businesses and shopping malls located along Ban Nan Line. Taipei Songshan Airport is just an 11-minute drive north, but it mainly serves flights from China and Japan. Expect a 40-minute drive to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, or alternatively, just over a 90-minute ride via high-speed rail. 

The hotel's 405 rooms all have great floor-to-ceiling windows to take in the city views, though not all face the spectacle of the Taipei 101 tower. Glossy white decor pervades, tempered by wood accents and carpets with floral flourishes. Big 42-inch flat-screen TVs with Bose speaker systems sit above integrated wall shelves/desk combination with stylish roller chairs. Minibars and white noise machines come standard, as do older model iPod docks, though they don't support newer devices. Wi-Fi is free throughout, but only for guests who sign up to join the SPG rewards club (free of charge). The large bathrooms have electronic toilets and open rainfall showers next to separate soaking tubs. Suites add big living rooms with retro couches and Nespresso machines. 

The heart of the W Taipei is its 10th-floor rooftop pool (on the same floor as the main lobby) surrounded by a sundeck with lounge chairs shaded by black-and-white striped umbrellas. A watery sculpture garden overflows with huge stainless steel spheres that were inspired by water droplets, and there's a pool bar with covered seating. There's also a sunny cocktail lounge adjacent to the lobby that has a nightclub atmosphere, complete with live DJs, in the evenings. Of the two dining options, The Kitchen is the most casual, with standard international buffet-style offerings (breakfast not included in most rates). There's also a restaurant and bar on the 31st floor called Yen, which specializes in new Chinese cuisine. The 24-hour fitness center is packed with modern cardio and strength-training machines, with changing rooms adjacent to a sauna and steam room. A full spa has all the expected services along with a hot tub, though the exhibitionist-style setting of the bright treatment rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city may make some guests uncomfortable. There's also a business center and 10 different stylish meeting rooms, with a combined capacity to host up to 950 people.