Kaohsiung’s Hotel Scene Gets a Refresh, Targeting International Youth and Families

The “Zheyuan Academic & Cultural Education Hotel” officially opened on the 11th, targeting international youth, students, families, and global travelers. (Photo by Ko Tsung-Wei)

Celebrating its opening, the Zheyuan Academic & Cultural Education Hotel offers four-person rooms for just NT$1,688 on weekdays starting February 1. (Photo by Ko Tsung-Wei)

The Zheyuan suite offers spacious accommodation. (Photo by Ko Tsung-Wei)

Kaohsiung’s hospitality scene welcomes a new addition as Lili Sightseeing Group establishes a presence in the port city. In partnership with the Ministry of Education’s ROT program, they have launched the “Zheyuan Academic & Cultural Education Hotel,” which officially opened on the 11th. It targets international youth, students, families, and global travelers, differentiating itself in the market by combining public welfare with cultural and educational arts, while allocating a proportion of profits to the Ministry of Education’s Academic Property Fund.

“We won’t be absent from Kaohsiung,” said Cai Zong-yi, chairman of the hotel. Lili Group is Taiwan’s first publicly listed hotel management consultancy firm and aims to expand under a chain concept, planning to open 15 hotels across Taiwan. Kaohsiung is a key battleground—after launching “Jiujuzhan” by the Love River late last year, they partnered with the Ministry of Education to open the “Zheyuan Academic & Cultural Education Hotel.”

Cai Zong-yi explained that the hotel is part of the Ministry of Education’s assets and was awarded through an open tender process last year, with Lili emerging as the successful bidder. The property focuses on attracting international youth, students, and family guests, featuring home-like cozy spaces with each room over 8 ping (approximately 26 m²). Facilities include a lounge, meeting rooms, a gym, a billiards room, and a 50-ping exhibition space.

The hotel is located on Zhonghua 1st Road, adjacent to the National Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Ruifeng Night Market, and the High-Speed Rail station. It has 116 guest rooms across six different room types. He noted that weekday rates start at NT$2,400, with students eligible for a 50% discount on the published rate. Additionally, to celebrate the opening, four-person rooms including breakfast are available at an unbeatable NT$1,688 until February 1 on weekdays.

He added that the hotel’s core mission revolves around public welfare and cultural and educational arts. Between 2% to 4.9% of profits will be returned to the Ministry of Education’s Academic Property Fund based on earnings. This includes promoting the fund’s role in supporting disadvantaged students, offering scholarships to low-income students in Kaohsiung elementary and secondary schools, organizing collaborations between the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, civil organizations, and cultural associations, and setting up an “Academic Property Information Lounge” in the hotel to provide overseas visitors with exchange and travel information.