Have you ever been to Tainan but never quite sure on where to stay?
Want to be downtown, but still appreciate the quietness and luxury of a nice hotel?
Well, Silks Place Tainan could be the hotel you have been looking for.
Silks Place Tainan, which is situated in the center of the old capital city, represents the essence of the historic Silk Road, where East and West came together. The hotel’s timeless designs seamlessly combine the finer points of Eastern aesthetics with the comforts of Western technology. Silks Place Tainan is a hotel where award-winning design, effortless comfort, and enduring experiences all come together.
Here are some useful links for you if you are going to Tainan:
- Transportation
- Tourists Attractions
- Recommended Tours
- Book staying at Silks Place Tainan: Website | Klook | Booking.com | KKday | Agoda
Table of Contents
It’s going to take you around 4 hrs to drive down/get the bus from Taipei, or around 2 hrs on the High Speed Rail (you can book tickets here). When you arrive in Tainan, Silks Place Tainan is located in the West Central district which is around a 15 minute walk South West of the center of Tainan. What you’re faced with when you arrive is a grand building that doesn’t seem to look much from the outside, but is modern and understated enough to intrigue.
Upon setting foot on the inside the hotel you’re greeted by this cavernous entrance with vast, high ceilings, warm lighting, and clearly traditional decor. It’s clear that it has really focused on blending Tainan culture/Confucianism into the hotel, such an example is the drums that you can see either side of the grand entrance. They signify the local drumming troupe Ten Drum Art Percussion Group (十鼓擊樂團) – an important part of the culture of Tainan.
This consistent nod to Taiwanese culture continues throughout Silks Place Tainan with the structure of the side windows is imitating the similar design of that found inside the Tainan Confucius temple as seen below.
Furthermore, one thing that you might notice are the striking orange coloured column-like features at the end of the entrance hall. Those are stacks of tiles that also give a nod to temples around Tainan, and at night will create pretty reflections onto the floor up and down the hallway.
Check-In
Looking through the screens on the left side of the entrance hall, you will see the reception counter and drinks counter. The tea canisters there are partly there for show, but the more poetic meaning is behind the cultural significance of Tea in Taiwan. Tea is given to guests who visit your house, in the hope that it allows you to feel more comfortable and relaxed. As you reach the reception area, you will be greeted with a cup of the seasonal tea available at that time. When we arrived it was winter melon tea, but a month before it would have been a warm winter tea such as hot Roselle Tea (洛神茶).
When you check in, you’ll be presented with this brochure. Not only will you notice that they have mapped out some of the amazing eateries and landmarks in Tainan City, but you’ll also notice on the back page that they cooperate with many of the places they have indicated on the map, which allow you to get money off or discount on tickets at several tourist attractions and gift shops in Tainan – winner!
I would encourage you to sit and take in all of the atmosphere of the hotel with your tea before you head to your room. The sofas and chairs are welcoming, and there are enough of them that you shouldn’t have to share your space with other hotel guests. Drink in the delicious tea and surroundings, and relax into your stay at Silks Place Tainan.
One thing you will notice when you walk around is the appearance of the wild boar throughout the hallways. Why? Well, Silks Place Tainan takes their location really seriously. They cooperate with many of the local and aboriginal artists surrounding the area. There is a deeply ingrained culture of significance throughout the hotel, allowing you to feel more connected to the local community and the surrounding area around the south of Taiwan.
In addition to commissioning local artists to create incredible pieces such as those wild boar, the hotel also works to showcase the amazing produce that the south of Taiwan produces, such as these amazing gift boxes full of local delicacies. The hotel understands that you may not be able to tick off all of the places you want to visit on your trip, so they curated these gift boxes that you can see with some of the local delicacies that highlight the best that Tainan has to offer, allowing you to spend time seeing and visiting the places only at the very top of your list.
In addition to this, if getting married is something you are planning and you want to be part of the history of this incredible hotel, then that is definitely something possible here, too (not Vegas-style, don’t expect to turn up and get married on the day). You can talk with the reception and they will guide you in the right direction. Similarly, they have many meeting rooms here. So if you’re looking for a works/office party, then this is a place to keep in mind for that, too!
What I really like about the ground floor is that there are many spaces you can sit and relax either if you’re too early to check-in, or you want to relax after you have just checked out. This space on the ground floor further showcases the amazing artists in the south of Taiwan. Again, inspired by the nearby Tainan Confucian Temple, the library here is perfect for relaxation or private business meetings, and showcases many books on traditional culture, in addition to pottery and paintings from the local area.
In fact, those paintings that you can see are rotated on a semi-regular basis to continuously feature and support the amazing artists of the south.
Up on the 14th Floor, you will find the Silks Lounge, where if you are staying in any of the executive rooms or the level above that, you can exclusively dine here for your breakfast, and also enjoy happy hour drinks from 20:00-22:00, with views over the city.
With that being said, if you do want to indulge in a little more privacy but aren’t staying in an executive room, you can pay an extra $580+10% to have afternoon tea here, and relax into your stay further.
Down on the 4th Floor, you will find the Kids room, swimming pool, fitness center, outdoor seating area, and the Glass House.
If you have been travelling for a while and need to unwind with a dip in the pool, or if you need to energize yourself by pumping some weights, then the 4th floor is where you want to be. Similarly, if it’s raining outside and you don’t want to have the hassle of planning something kid-friendly, the 4th floor has a large kids room where you can spend a few hours.
The Room’s at Silks Place Tainan
The Corner Suite
We were really fortunate to get a comprehensive tour by their wonderful staff, and as part of that we got to take a look in some of their rooms. We started with their Corner Suite, which is one of the biggest rooms that they offer. Enough to fully relax like you’re at home, the corner suite has ultimate comfort in a separate living and dining room, and a bedroom big enough to have a grand old rocking chair in it. An en-suite bathroom and a guest bathroom allow for couples getting married in the hotel to spend the night in the same suite, while keeping alive the tradition of not seeing each other on the wedding day.
Junior Family Suite
The Junior Family Suite is a slightly smaller version of the corner suite above. The tatami dining area remains, separate from the living room area with the sofa. Plenty of space is still available here in this room, with the room being flooded in light allowing for a wonderful open feel.
Deluxe Room
The Deluxe room is the smallest room on offer, but to say ‘small’ does it somewhat of a disservice. The space inside the room is more than enough to feel comfortable inside. You’re probably not going to be able to do your morning Tai Chi without having to move a table or chair to the side a little bit, but you’ll easily be able to navigate around the room without bumping into one another.
Inside the rooms – the amenities
In each room you’ll be greeted by fresh fruit, and your fridge will be complimented with some sparkling tea and water. You’ll have a coffee machine and some coffee pods, and you’ll also have some delicious fancy teabags. In fact, as I am writing this I am drinking the Dong Ding High Mountain Oolong Tea – and it’s delicious! One thing that you’ll notice throughout the entire hotel, is that the culture of Tainan is championed, preserved, and showcased wonderfully.
From this beautiful light, which mimics the shape of the calligraphy brush, with yet another nod to Taiwanese culture and creativity, to the face masks, and further to the Calligraphy brushes in each room. They’re all little touches that can easily go unnoticed if not showcased properly. But, here at Silks Place Tainan, they are perfectly chosen and situated in each room to command respect, whilst being understated enough to elicit intrigue.
Important to also know is that if you run out of any of those amenities, you can ring up reception and ask them to be refilled. They will usually get to you within 20 minutes or less, and you may even have the luck for those amenities to be sent by this little robot dude! This guy has been programmed to use the elevator, find your room, and then deliver smaller amenities such as water, without problems!
However, if you are looking to get out of the room, then you should definitely go and check out the café at the reception desk.
I had a cup of the Silks Place Tainan X Dongshan Coffee, and it was incredible! On the bag it says Longan, citrus, and peanut. You know when you try a drink and they say the flavours that should be discernible, and you take a sip and have absolutely no idea what you have tasted? Well, that won’t happen here, as this Dongshan coffee is absolutely packed with Longan flavour, subtle tones of citrus, and richness akin to peanuts. The fact that the coffee plantation is surrounded and within a forest of Longan trees allows it to take on that Longan flavour, and it really comes through amazingly.
I sat here for quite a while enjoying this coffee, and chatting to the wonderfully friendly staff there at the bar who take what they’re doing seriously. However, if you notice the ‘Oceanrich’ car at the side, you can also get stuck in to making your own coffee, too. The staff will teach you what to do, and you can go ahead and select, grind, pour, and drink your chosen coffee right there and then.
Food @ ROBIN’S Teppanyaki
One of the best Teppanyaki’s I have had the pleasure of eating so far is ROBIN’S Teppanyaki in Silks Place, Tainan. You absolutely must check out their incredible Spring Menu for 2023 right here.
ROBIN’S Teppanyaki’s Spectacular Spring Set Menu at Silks Place Tainan
Drinks @ Glass House
At night, Glass House opens its doors to offer up cocktails to its guests.
Inside, you'll be greeted with lots of wood, lots of comfy chairs and deep sofas.
Later in the evening, there will be live music outside, but they may also play some music or sporting events on this screen throughout the evening, too, giving it that comfortable and friendly feel. You can even feel free to take your drinks outside to the seating area and listen to the live music, if being inside is not what you're feeling.
There are two sittings at Glass House, those being 17:00-20:00, and 21:00-00:00, with a 1hr break in between.
What's that LED-lit tower? That's a tower of shots. Yes, a tower of shots. Whilst Glass House serve cocktails, they pride themselves on putting some incredible alcohol together, and showcasing that in the form of shots. The spirits used for the 12 different shot types available in that tower are the ones in the picture above. Expect vodka, gin, rum, tequila, pisco, and whisky of various tea infused variations ranging from different varieties of oolong tea, black tea, and green tea. If you're interested, make sure to book in advance.
The Menu
Cocktails come in at $350 per glass, and their incredible whisky selection ranges from $260-$900 per glass. Don't go for that $260/glass Chivas Regal, though. You should really treat yourself to either the 12 year old Macallan, or the Glenmorangie 10 year old.
House Special Tea Shots
Glass House have spent a lot of time curating their extensive tea infused alcohols, and showcase their amazing creations through their tea shot set. This set comes in at $1880+10%, and you should book around 1 week in advance to ensure availability. The 36 shots you will be presented with are split down the middle, with the 18 on the left side being infused with Chinese tea, and the 18 on the right side being infused with Western tea. Each row is a different alcohol - the row at the front is vodka, working from row by row further back you will then find rum, then gin, then tequila, then whisky, then the final row is brandy.
Cocktails
We ordered 3 cocktails, opting for the (from left to right) 南部美人 South Beauty, 日洋混血兒 Boulevardier Twist, and the one on the far right was a virgin cocktail for which we asked them to give something slightly more sour than sweet, with lots of fruit.
南部美人 South Beauty - The ingredients on the menu state that this has tequila, plum wine, tea, rose, amaretto, and matcha. I found that the flavour of plum came out really strong in this cocktail, with the taste of matcha coming out at the end. It was more on the sweet side.
日洋混血兒 Boulevardier Twist - The ingredients on the menu state that this has whisky, tea, port, cherry bitters, and balsamic vinegar. When I tasted it, it was intensely bitter, with a sweet and sour aftertaste. If you like an old fashioned or a whisky sour, then this could be the one for you.
Virgin fruity cocktail - I couldn't tell you the ingredients to this, but they hit the brief really well. I wanted something fruity, that balanced sourness and sweet more so on the sour side. Non-alcoholic, and a light way to finish the evening.
Breakfast
We slept incredibly on the great mattress in our room, but we awoke ready to choose our breakfast. Did we want the Western style breakfast, or did we want the Eastern style breakfast?
It had to be the Eastern style breakfast, which is then translated as a 'Tainan Traditional Breakfast' on this sign.
I'll let your eyes just drink in the massive amount of options available at this spread. Expect things such as scrambled eggs, pork braised rice, fried rice, porridge, steamed buns, steamed Tainan classics, salad, fruit, and even beef soup!
So, naturally, we had to try everything on offer. It would be rude not to, right?
Some of the highlights were:
- Beef soup
- So a traditional food in Tainan is their amazing beef soup. What makes it so special? We can get beef everywhere, so what's so special about this one? Tainan pride themselves on not freezing their beef before it is put into a dish like this beef soup. Whereas almost everywhere else on the island, they will freeze the beef to prolong its use-by date. Not here. Fresh beef is cut up, added to your bowl raw, and then a deep, rich broth is spooned over the top of it to 'cook' it. This method of cooking allows it to remain delicate and juicy. I strongly recommend this.
- Steamed oil rice
- If you can stomach rice for breakfast, you won't be disappointed by their 'oily rice'. The name doesn't do it justice. What you'll get is a stickier rice than usual, packed with mushrooms and shallot flavour, that melts into deep and rich flavours.
- Sweet peanut soup
- Having never had sweet peanut soup for breakfast before, I was skeptical. But, I really enjoyed it. Yes, it was a little sweet, but I added some of the in-house fried dough sticks to it, which balanced it out a little.
Check-out
One thing you absolutely must do is to make sure that you take this with you when you check-out of your room. Remember that you can get lots of money off all over Tainan by using this. I know it's in Chinese, but if you have highlighted a place you're going to for their gifts, it's likely on here somewhere. Ask the staff at reception and I am sure that they'll be happy to help you.
Gifts from Tainan
It would be rude to go back home without getting some of the delicious snacks that Tainan has to offer and sharing them with your friends, family, or coworkers. Here are some of my top recommendations.
Barely a brownie, but more a sticky, deliciousness of infused chocolate stickiness. These are unreal, and absolutely must be bought!
Not particularly sweet, these cookies/biscuits go really well with an afternoon coffee or tea. They won't break the bank, they're delicious, and they are perfect for your coworkers.
Shuansen mung bean smoothie - 双生綠豆沙
If the queue isn't too long, I think you're not likely to find a better mung bean smoothie on the island than this one. Tidy.
The bottom line
Is it worth going all the way to Tainan just for Silks Place Tainan? Without a doubt. Staying here will recharge your batteries and is also really central and in walking distance to most landmarks.
What's the best thing about the hotel? Robin's Teppanyaki for food. But in terms of the hotel itself, I really liked the atmosphere and ambiance in the hotel. The continuous nods to Taiwanese culture with modern touches were great.
Book staying at Silks Place Tainan: Website | Klook | Booking.com | Agoda
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