The DNA: A cool alternative to the flashy neon of downtown, amba Taipei Ximending is a hip eco-friendly design hotel located in the Ximen business district. Both the MRT station and Huaxi Street night market can be reached within a 10-minute walk. A 12-metre-high foyer, encased in a silver-fringe curtain leads to the fifth-floor lobby, decorated with rustic wood benches and vintage leather sofas. An all-day café doubles as a wireless workplace for creatives, who can rendezvous in the gallery, atrium or, by night, the music lounge. The 162 rooms, with streamlined, eco-friendly interiors come with air conditioning, a flat-screen cable TV and a seating area. Bathrooms come with slippers, a hairdryer and high-end bath products made with local organic ginger.

Seen: Wallpaper*

✅ free Wi-Fi • size matters: 162 rooms (21-36m2) (226-388 sq ft) • hotel opened: February 2012 • architecture: XRANGE Architects • interior design: Eugene Yeh • bathroom amenities: custom ❌ no parking available • pets not allowed • 24-hour front desk