Taiwan Adds 34 New Star-Rated Hotels to Its List

By Wei Ruyu, compiled and reported

The Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications held its fourth Star-Rated Hotel Certification Ceremony today (12/26), during which 34 hotels were awarded certification. To date, a total of 111 tourist and general hotels have joined the ranks of star-rated hotels (33 tourist hotels and 78 general hotels).

To enhance the service quality of Taiwan’s hotels and align their standards with international benchmarks, the Tourism Bureau introduced an international evaluation system for hotel hardware and service quality starting in 2009. Over the past three years, 205 hotels have applied for evaluation. The star-rating system has successfully improved the quality of the hotel industry, prompting many establishments to upgrade their hardware. For instance, the Hua Shuai Seaview Hotel in Keelung and the Jiashibao Business Hotel in Chiayi, both originally aging properties, received subsidies from the Tourism Bureau. With the help of professional design teams, they renovated their exteriors, guest rooms, and restaurants, transforming them into bright, clean spaces with significantly enhanced overall quality, earning them three-star ratings. Well-known historic hotels such as the Chengpin Hotel in Hualien County, the Boqi Hotel in Taichung City, and the Jiajia West Market Inn in Tainan City have also undergone revitalization and are regaining their vitality.

Through the evaluation of both the hardware facilities and service quality of hotels, not only do star-rated hotels segment their clientele by market level, but consumers can also find accommodations that match their needs based on the star rating. According to the Tourism Bureau, a dedicated website is being planned as a gateway for travelers to select accommodations, with priority given to promoting star-rated hotels to encourage more businesses to participate in the evaluation. To celebrate the achievement of earning star certification and to seize future business opportunities, many certified hotels are rolling out attractive promotions. For example, the Norwegian Forest Premium Motel offers birthday guests discount vouchers and wine, while the Golden Park Hotel in Kaohsiung provides complimentary upgrades to sea-view rooms on weekdays, along with discounted tickets to the observation deck and special offers at the fitness center.

For the full list of star-rated hotels, please visit the Tourism Bureau’s official website: www.taiwan.net.tw/m1.aspx?sNo=0017401