Let the world see the beauty of old Taipei! A first look at Taiwan’s first artist-in-residence hotel

▲ Folio Hotel will officially open in August.

Reported and photographed by Tsai Wen-Jun / Taipei

Fubon Group has stepped into the hotel market with its self-created brand “Folio Hotel 富艺旅.” The first property—Folio Hotel Taipei Da’an—officially debuted on the 26th. This artsy and distinctive hotel is also Taiwan’s first to feature an artist-in-residence program. Before its official opening in August, this article takes readers on a sneak peek inside this wall-less art gallery-style urban inn and showcases its beautiful details.

Folio Hotel was transformed from a typical four-story Taipei apartment building, formerly the dormitory for senior executives of the Cooperative Bank of Taiwan. Fubon Travel Management invited architect Kris Yao and designer Huang Mei-Hui to preserve the exterior and structure entirely, including the internal steel beams and columns, where traces of time remain visible on the pillars, as well as the classic old-apartment pebble-dash staircases, all left intact.

▲ Folio Hotel retains many old Taipei elements, such as these pebble-dash staircases.

▲ A skylight was added to the rooftop, allowing natural sunlight to pour in.

▲ Some rooms at Folio Hotel have balconies—step outside, and you’re greeted by old Taipei apartments, like entering a different world.

The interior spaces were slightly modified, including the addition of a skylight on the roof to let sunlight stream in naturally. Translucent corridors offer direct views through to the ends, creating a more expansive spatial feel. There’s also a section of the hotel with floor-to-ceiling windows, where standing in the hallway allows you to see the white exteriors of Folio Hotel opposite the old apartments—a striking contrast that lets guests truly experience how locals once lived here.

In addition, designer Huang Mei-Hui used a wealth of vintage elements—like retro mosaic tiles found in old kitchens and bathrooms, as well as frosted glass lattice windows—to decorate the interiors, highlighting the style of old Taipei.

▲ Floor plan of Folio Hotel.

Folio Hotel’s 57 guest rooms are spread across the first, second, and third floors. Notably, each floor has a different signature color, starting from the first floor upwards: Turkish blue, yellow, and pink. The furnishings and design colors used in the rooms also correspond to their respective floors. Bathrooms feature a wet-and-dry separation setup and offer amenities co-developed with local Taiwanese brands, exclusively crafted for Folio Hotel. Room types range from largest to smallest: Fu Lu (富旅), Fu Yi (富藝), Fu Le (富樂), and Fu Yu (富寓), averaging around 5 to 7.5 pyeong (approx. 16–25 square meters) each.

▲ %The tones of gray, beige, and pink extend from the hallway into the rooms.

To share diverse views of Taipei with travelers from around the world, celebrity host Show Lo spearheaded a project that brought together 55 artists to capture “Profound Taipei” through their lenses. Folio Hotel then displays these photographic works inside guest rooms, turning each room into an exhibition space. Stepping into the hotel feels like entering an art gallery. Participating artists include Jolin Tsai, Dee Hsu (小S), Kevin Tsai,玛莎 (Masa), JJ Lin, and Vivian Sung, among others.

▲ %The hotel displays artworks from various artists, showcasing different perspectives of Taipei, bringing rich artistic inspiration to guests.