On the 4th, Taipei city councilors were accompanied by dozens of residents who held up signs such as “Beggars Driving Out Temple Keepers” and “Hiking Requires Paying Toll Fees” in front of the Grand Hotel Taipei archway. They protested against the hotel’s continued illegal collection of “toll fees” despite its expired parking permit, demanding the hotel immediately halt charges and return hiking rights to the public. The business acknowledged the oversight of operating with an expired license and stated they would refund the public, while the municipal government decided to issue a fine of at least NT$3,000.
Taipei City Councilor Chen Jian-ming said that the government spent NT$200 million renovating the Yangmingshan Scenic Area, yet citizens exercising on the mountain now have to pay an hourly parking fee of NT$80. There was also a monk who stayed at a temple for three days but ended up having to pay over NT$3,000 in parking fees. He questioned how the Grand Hotel Taipei had effectively taken over the land, demanding the municipal government protect the rights of residents in the Yangmingshan area, as the mountains ultimately belong to the people of Taipei.
Expired Parking Registration Permits, Yet Fees Still Collected
Another city councilor pointed out that the usage license for the Grand Hotel Taipei parking lot expired at the end of last year, and for the past month, it has been charging fees illegally. Furthermore, the mountain is a shared asset. The Grand Hotel Taipei only leases a bit more than 8 hectares out of a total of 13 hectares and has not rented the entire mountain. Yet hikers are still required to pay a toll fee — a round-trip hike takes at least four hours, and “the daily parking fee of NT$320 is more expensive than going to the movies.”
Mr. Huang, who frequently hikes and exercises in the area, said he has lived behind the Grand Hotel Taipei for over 20 years. In the early days, people could come and go freely without paying, but about ten years ago, if you didn’t pay, you couldn’t go home. “The only way home became blocked,” so he had to pay the hotel NT$1,200 per month as a “toll fee,” which he finds completely unreasonable. He emphasized that there are twelve other households, around twenty-some people, who share the same predicament.
Monopolizing the Land and Forcing Parking: Public Outraged
Hiker Qiu Ming-yan criticized that she has been hiking this mountain for over 20 years, and previously, no parking fees were required. Yet the hotel painted red lines on both sides of the road in front of its archway, “essentially forcing people to park here,” and even if you don’t park within a designated spot, you still get charged.
Huang Li-ya, head of operations at Taipei City’s Parking Management Office, stated that the Grand Hotel Taipei parking lot is operating without a license, which violates Article 37 of the Parking Lot Act, punishable by fines ranging from NT$3,000 to NT$15,000. The exact amount of the penalty is still under discussion, but typically, first-time violations result in a base fine of NT$3,000. She emphasized that the Grand Hotel Taipei’s parking fee standards are not illegal, and the business is currently applying for a new parking lot registration permit.
Yu Li-ying, PR manager of the Grand Hotel Taipei, admitted the oversight—continuing to charge fees despite the expired parking registration permit—and stated they suspended charges starting on the 2nd. Additionally, the public can present their parking receipts from January to February 1st of this year to the hotel counter to apply for refunds.