Beyond “old world charm,” the siren song of amazing food, and romantic historic settings, certain destinations in Asia have distinctive attributes for pre- and post-conference activities that call out to meeting planners with MICE wish lists wanting to attract their industry’s best people. Tokyo and Seoul have pop culture-focused activities for days alongside their rich histories. Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Khao Lak offer a balance of otherworldly nature, wellness activities, and up-and-coming industries. Hong Kong and Macao are rooted in a culture fusing Eastern and Western sensibilities. Singapore is pure glamour co-mingling with stellar cultural sites, beachfront retreats, and a street food scene known worldwide.
So, where is Taiwan in this mix? About to shake things up, based on recently opened attractions and hotels, upgrades on time-tested hotels and must-dos, and other travel-like-a-local finds waiting to be uncovered in Taipei, Kaohsiung, and many points in between. The possibilities and potential are limitless for business and “bliesure” experiences beyond the convention centers. For starters, Taiwanese carrier Starlux Airlines continues to establish hubs throughout the U.S. (adding Ontario, CA to its West Coast docket), while EvaAir is a firmly established mainstay for travel to Taipei and throughout Asia.
Here is a sampling of hotels and attractions to stir inspiration among event and conference planners and in-house personnel of companies looking into sites and activities that will stir memories and conversation among participants and attendees.
Taipei and vicinity
Even with a post-pandemic influx of luxury business hotels, the award-winning Shangri-La Far Eastern Plaza (www.shangri-la.com/taipei) remains a favorite among leisure and business travelers looking for a perfectly situated downtown address steps from the iconic Taipei 101. When it opened 30 years ago, the 43-story property enjoyed status as the first modern luxury property in Taiwan. Today, it remains relevant with regular remodels updating the furnishings, color palettes, and amenities to stay in sync with the needs of business and leisure travelers.
Among the property’s many restaurants, the Shang Palace stands out for its elegant expressions of Cantonese cuisine, while the Shanghai Pavilion’s colorful menu blends Sichuan, Shanghaiese, and Taiwanese recipes. It is a fantastic choice as head chef Liew Chin Fei applies his training from stints at award-winning and MICHELIN-starred Cantonese restaurants to his interpretations of classic and original dishes. The Marco Polo Lounge remains a popular local hangout for its cocktail scene and its fanciful daytime afternoon tea service, and live performances on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, all accompanied by the best views of Taipei 101 and the surrounding mountains.
Guests staying in Horizon Superior, Deluxe, Premier Rooms, and other premium suites on top floors have access to the Horizon Club, offering private check-in and check-out services, a high-quality selection of wine and spirits, and flavorful breakfast and happy hour refreshments. In addition, a complimentary pressing service is available for one suit per stay, use of the meeting room for two hours, personalized concierge services, and a complimentary citywide Wi-Fi router upon request.
The most recent upgrade is the implementation of the SOCIE Spa on the 40th floor. The menu includes a wide range of body and facial treatments from the Japanese luxury spa brand. Interiors blend Japanese and British sensibilities, with traditional furnishings enlivened with vibrant robin’s egg blue and gold hues.
One of the property’s most noteworthy upgrades was the completion of the iconic Far Eastern Grand Ballroom’s $100 million TWD renovation project in October 2019. The biggest highlight is undoubtedly the implementation of a 350-inch (777 centimeters in width, 432 centimeters in height) giant LED display in the center of a pillarless space that spans over 650 square meters and has a 6-meter-high ceiling. Equipped with the latest sound and light technologies, the display, which is the largest found in a five-star international hotel in Taipei, will deliver an exceptional sensory experience.
Among properties introduced after the pandemic, the MICHELIN-listed 425-room Grand Hilai Taipei in Taipei’s Nangang District business and tech hub has built up its business and leisure clientele through its calming Art Deco-flavored accents and reception area. Rather than skyscrapers, it is surrounded by lush rolling hills and tree-lined streets. It also boasts two international luxury hotel service certifications, the Golden Key and the British Butler Tea. Other features include its VALMONT spa, a 24-hour fitness facility, several high-end restaurants and bars (including Chinese, Japanese, European, and American), and a self-serve coffee station rolled out into the lobby every morning. French-made DAMANA toiletries and an in-room smart voice butler further enhance the rooms and suites.
Meeting planners will appreciate Grand Hilai Taipei’s proximity to the Taipei World Trade Convention & Exhibition Center and the main Taoyuan International Airport, as well as its five multifunctional conference rooms and social lounges. The in-house function spaces accommodate between 14 to 130 that can be adapted for conferences, product launches, small-scale exhibitions, VIP events, and other functions.
Getting to cultural and retail downtown hubs (Da’an District, Taipei 101, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, and Songshan Cultural and Creative Park) is easy, thanks to two MRT public transportation stops minutes away on foot. While the popular Raohe Street Night Market and other malls and restaurants are also accessible by public transportation and car services.
The historic Grand Taipei Hotel (https://www.grand-hotel.org/en) multi-tasks as a cultural landmark and museum. Since 1952, its legend took shape through a who’s who of prominent guests, including Elizabeth Taylor, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, and Nelson Mandela. Key historic events taking place here included diplomatic negotiation between Taiwan and the U.S. in 1979, the 1986 founding of the Democratic Progress Party, and the 1990 convening of the National Conference on Constitutional reform.
The palatial 14-story/500-room property is nestled into the landscape shaped by the Keelung River and Yangming Mountain and further enhanced by magnificent internal landscaping, respected restaurants, and fascinating architectural features such as secret tunnels and an escape slide built in the 1970s. There is also a full-service spa, multiple restaurants offering Western and Chinese cuisines, a short commute to the famed Shilin Night Market, and services such as a free shuttle bus to and from MRT Yuanshan Station, providing easy access to other parts of the city. For more information on event venues and meeting amenities, contact cc@grand-hotel.org.
Team building and cultural activities outside the conferences and meetings are as colorful as they are plentiful. For years, Silks Palace (www.silkspalace.com.tw/en) offered a perfect culinary pairing to the visual splendor of the National Palace Museum next door. Managed by the Regent Hotel Group, it offers group dining packages that includes the crowd-pleasing nine-course “Imperial Treasures Feast,” with dishes resembling items from the collection, as well as excellent share plates from the regular dinner and lunch menus organized into a multi-course feast that can be enjoyed in main dining areas or regal private dining rooms. However, cooking workshops have been added, allowing participants to get their creative juices flowing.
Business groups interested in a fully immersive cooking experience will appreciate the CookInn Cooking School (https://cookinn.tw/en). Leisure travelers often lean toward the comprehensive “Taiwanese Xiao Long Bao & Noodles Class,” a three-hour multi-course immersion that includes step-by-step preparations for soup dumplings, hearty braised beef noodle soup, smashed cucumber salad, and bubble milk tea. Conference and meeting planners, meanwhile, can choose among “Corporate Team Building ” programs such as the “Mystery Box Challenge,” “Taiwanese Street Food Truck Challenge,” and “Colorful Xionlongbao Team Building.” https://cookinn.tw/en/teambuilding-2/
Hotpot restaurants are also a local favorite, and a few minutes’ walk from landmark Taipei 101 lands you at Xin Dian Hotpot (https://inline.app/order/-LDKPhTT6bNhwjRVHpC2/-MWbDrcVGUuDMkYvCrz7?language=en). The cheerfully lit location offers vegetarian options as well as a two-broth pot guaranteed to please both hardcore spice-lovers and those favoring milder profiles that range in price from $25-30 U.S. per person. One can pick and choose extras from a self-serve condiments bar to add heat or texture to the broth, and meats and vegetables can be mixed and matched from the menu.
Kaohsiung and vicinity
Kaohsiung could be the “Los Angeles” to Taipei’s “New York,” with its tropical climate and beachy vibe. Yet it barely scratches the surface of what Taiwan’s second city has to offer corporate and leisure travelers above and beyond its more tropical climate. Grand HuLai Kaoshiung (grand-hilai.com/en/), founded in 1995, is not only close to the meeting sites and venues, but also has in-house conference centers and banquet halls (https://www.grand-hilai.com/en/space/conference) that can be adapted for a variety of business gatherings, product launches, and networking sessions running the gamut from small private meeting rooms to conference venues that can accommodate more than a thousand people.
On-site professional planners are available to coordinate with a company’s planners or decision makers, from pre-proposal and site layout to meal design and accommodations for attendees. There are also 13 conversation-starting restaurants, though the 2024 MICHELIN guide-listed Fu Yuan (“Lucky Garden”) Restaurant on the 9th floor offers an opportunity to “dine like a local” in a luxury hotel context. It is a popular choice among locals for milestone events, thanks to Chef Chin Wan Chen, who transforms some of his favorite traditional and family recipes into elegant presentations with his refined approach.
The location is also particularly good for conferences where participants can bring their families. An entire floor is dedicated to Hello Kitty and her Sanrio character friends (website), while a large shopping center anchored by the Hanshin Department Store can be accessed on the other side of the building. While the mall features Taiwanese, Asian, and international brands, there are many places around the city where one can kick back, shop for locally crafted gifts and souvenirs, and experience the city’s fabled street food.
Any time of the week, one can take advantage of walking paths, waterfront scenery, and bike rentals along Kaohsiung Fisherman’s Wharf. The adjoining Pier-2 Art Center, a repurposed industrial area with design shops that sell clothing, jewelry, and home décor items one won’t find at the malls, as well as stylish and independently-owned bars and eateries. However, the entirety of the district comes alive on weekends with outdoor food, craft vendors, and street performers offset with beautiful waterfront views and public art.
In the other direction, the historic and renovated Yancheng District (https://taiwaneverything.cc/2024/02/15/yancheng-district/) has its fair share of trendy boutiques and contemporary food shops such as Amain Mochi, as well as historic buildings and expressive murals. Several wonderful family-owned and “old school” specialty places thrive and have (deservedly) long lines. Among them, Duck Zhen is known for its painstakingly prepared duck to seal in its rich, satisfying flavors, while the 70-year-old Lee’s Tangyuan bakery and Po Po Shaved Ice have decades-old legacies for their dessert offerings.
The Liuhe Tourist Night Market is always packed and overflows with atmosphere and aromas coming from the many food stalls. Adventurous eaters who want to avoid crowds, meanwhile, can check out the Ziqiang Night Market, located at the intersection of Ziqiang 3rd Road and Lingya 2nd Road. While the signage is more subtle, the vendors are more liberal with spice, seasoning, herbs, and, in many cases, portion size. Rather than fight other foodies for a spot on crowded sidewalks, you can find a bench next to the Chenghuang (“City God”) Temple to eat your soup at leisure while savoring the surroundings.
The Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum (http://www.fgsbmc.org.tw/) has some good meeting spots and activity options for small groups amid its 250 lavish acres of temples, pagodas, gardens, and chapels. However, it is so stunning that it requires at least a full day to thoroughly and thoughtfully take in the artistry and cultural legacy that far transcends Taiwan and Asia. Its Hilai Vegetarian Restaurant, patronized by the museum’s Buddhist nun and monk staff and discerning vegetarians from everywhere else, reflects the philosophy that food that’s good for the soul can also make the palate and spirit happy. Group tour packages include its “Art and Culture Tour,” “Photographer’s Journey,” “Eco Tour,” “Treasure Hunt,” “Food Tour,” and “Life Education Classes.”
Between and beyond the cities
The Wyndham Sun Moon Lake (wyndhamsunmoonlake.com), opened in November 2024, provides international visitors an even greater incentive to rent a car or take high-speed rail (TaiChung HRS) to explore this “best-kept secret” area beloved by Taiwanese families and friend groups with its fresh air, thick forests, clear water, misty sunrises, and alpine views.
The 203-room and suite hotel is located in the heart of Yuchi Township, with one entrance facing the town center and Ita Shao Street. Many of the rooms either face the lakeshore or the Central Mountain Range. The award-winning interior aesthetic, created by Taipei’s Infospace Design Ltd., starts with a fresh minimalist foundation that sprinkles in Asian and European influences. The lobby and other public areas are adorned with vibrant canvases from regional artists. The most distinctive feature of the rooms is hot spring tubs that can be filled with healing waters obtained from a 1,000-meter-deep hot spring discovered near the entrance.
Wyndham Sun Moon Lake has two restaurants, Shao Chinese Restaurant and The Gourmet Kitchen buffet restaurant, serving a delicious Eastern-Western breakfast with vegetarian and vegan items. Family-owned eateries such as Lusian Restaurant, five minutes from the front door, and Sun Moon Lake Hsin Shan Wei/Flavors Restaurant prepare multicourse share plate dishes with indigenous influences and local ingredients specific to this area. Naturally, reservations are necessary for groups, given the limited number of tables and word-of-mouth from locals.
Hanbi Trail, Sun Moon Lake Bikeway (connecting the Xiangshan, Yuetan, and Huantan Bikeways to make a full loop around the lake), ferry ride access, and water activity rental companies are readily accessible for outdoor activities. Other attractions worth checking out include the Taoist Wenwu Temple and Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village. Tea connoisseurs will want to check out the establishments of small artisanal producers in Lugao Village or tea gardens with tours such as Hugosum (hugosum.tw.tw) en route between Taipei and Yuchi Township.
Fine tea and gorgeous vistas can also be savored aboard the Haifung (“Sea Breeze”) Dessert Train (liondomestic.com/en-us/index), overseen by Lion Travel and Taiwan Railway Company. Art Deco interiors bridge a bygone era of rail travel and the present-day art form of Instagrammable premium desserts. Ocean-inspired music and diffused green-note fragrance waft through the air. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the vistas outside, while the train’s slow speed (20 mph) compels passengers to take in and appreciate the journey’s multi-sensory elements. Sweet and savory bites are served in jewelry box-inspired packaging, “omikaze”-style, and accompanied with a tea of choice. After stops in small villages and nature lookouts along the route (which changes seasonally), the journey concludes with a scoop of ice cream or sorbet by Minimal, the world’s only Michelin-starred ice cream.
Tainan City, Taiwan’s former capital in the southwest of the country, is regarded as a culinary hub for numerous restaurants committed to serving authentic foods from recipes dating back generations. The “Michelin Bib Gourmand”-acclaimed Chang Ying Seafood House (facebook.com/milkfish.dragon/) on the outskirts of town in Sanliao Bay, embodies this commitment. Reservations are required as the mother-daughter owners, Huang Ying Qing and Xie Jia Xin, want to confirm dietary limitations of those in the party and source only the right amount of raw ingredients.
Additive-free and EU-certified milkfish and other fish from the family’s farm are served in a tempura-fried preparation, a signature milkfish fillet aged and seared in its own oil, and “Three-Cup Milkfish Sausage,” the house specialty. The dining experience can be extended to include a visit to the family fish farm. Huang Guoliang, Xie Jia Xin’s uncle, continues the discourse by explaining that the fish farm’s production method goes beyond “feeding people and supplying restaurants” and “giving back to nature, and growing your own fish to prevent future overfishing.” The “round two” to the feast is sushi preparation back at the restaurant, where Huang demonstrates his sushi preparation methods, freezing and slicing the day’s catch with surgical precision.