World Scholar House - Taipei, Taiwan

Comment by Marcus, USA

August 2007

Awesome place!
I booked a single room at this hostel, intending to stay there temporarily until I found an apartment and a job teaching English. The hostel has weekly and monthly rates, making it convenient for that purpose. Around 50% of the guests are either long-term residents or repeat visitors, so advance reservations are a must. The rooms are rather spacious, compared to the closet-sized single rooms at other hostels. There's a comfortable living room, where everyone hangs out. World Scholar House is a very social place, so be prepared to make new friends! The people are the main reason I ended up staying there for five months, long after I'd found a job. The residents are very cool and fun. They're a pretty close-knit group, but are welcoming to new guests and English teachers. This is a big relief for someone first arriving in a foreign country, when you urgently need friends and reliable advice. The bad? The area around MRT Zhongxiao-Xinsheng is a business district, so there aren't as many places to drink and party. It would be nice if it was closer to the MRT. It's not a long walk, but the station isn't on its doorstep, either. Luckily, there's a bus stop nearby that has buses to go to most places you'll want to visit. The furnishings are basic, but functional. The manager isn't around so much, so the other guests will be answering most of your questions. Directions: From Taoyuan International Airport, take the Evergreen bus to the Evergreen Laurel Hotel. It's the tenth stop. Don't make the mistake I did and get off in front of the Evergreen Marine Corp. building. From the hotel, cross Songjiang Road to the side of the road with the Burger King, then go left. Cross the street at Chang'an Road, then continue until you see the sign for Lane 38 at an alley on your right. Go into the alley, and it's the first building on your left. Look at the intercom for the eighth floor, there's a label for World Scholar House. Have a good stay!