Grand Banyan Hotel

The rooms in this still relatively new hotel are clean and minimalistic with wooden flooring. The service was good, and the staff was attentive. I did not like the breakfast at all. Choices are limited, and the omelet I ordered had almost cold ingredients despite the outside temperature. For breakfast, I chose a daily 20 min walk to the near by Shangri-la, where the breakfast choices are plentiful, though the rooms are understood to be stuffy and old.

The hotel styles itself as five star accommodation, but three star may be more fitting. The hotel features pleasant rooms with plenty of space, modern features and good amenities. The hotel also features a cafe/restaurant, but no bar. There are no bottles of water to the rooms, but there is a water dispenser on each floor. Located very close to the station, but a reasonable walk away from many of the main attractions of Tainan. There are convenience stores, an ATM and several bars and restaurants within a five minute walk. Staff were generally polite but overcomplicated check-in and subsequent dealings. During check-in, there were times when the receptionist would simply go quiet and stand smiling awkwardly; it fell to us to ask if there was anything else (there was, it turned out). No information about the hotel was given during check-in (locations of facilities, opening times, check-out time, etc) but left to us to consciously ask about.

Expecting a comfortable experience, but we ended up incredibly disappointed. Aside from the excellent service from the concierge team, every other part of our stay fell short. Check-in The check-in process was unorganized and lacked clarity. The staff member assisting us didn’t provide basic information about our stay. We had to ask for everything ourselves, and even then, her responses felt unsure and lacked confidence. While she was friendly, she clearly needs to improve her knowledge and be more proactive in sharing essential details with guests. Concierge The best part of our stay was the concierge service. The employee working the evenings of June 11 and 12 was friendly, professional, and helpful. He gave us useful information about the hotel facilities and even escorted us to the elevator. Another staff member working with him on June 12 was also great. Although we didn’t experience other concierge services, both of them stood out and deserve recognition for their excellent service. Overall, the concierge team was consistently excellent throughout our stay. Lobby restaurant Our experience with the lobby restaurant staff was quite the opposite. On the mornings of June 12 and 13, a female employee with a ponytail and straight bangs was noticeably rude and unfriendly. On the first day, she was stationed at the entrance checking in guests. On the second, she was clearing plates. Her attitude made us feel uncomfortable, like she didn’t want to be there at all. It’s disappointing to be treated this way when you’re simply trying to enjoy breakfast. If staff aren’t willing to engage with guests professionally, they shouldn’t be on the floor. Front desk The front desk team needs the most improvement. Although they were overall friendly, it felt like they were either quite new or simply not motivated to improve their service. In addition to the underwhelming check-in, we approached the front desk on the evening of June 12 and the morning of June 14 to confirm some details, but the staff seemed unsure, unengaged, and unable to provide clear or accurate answers. Room condition and amenities While we understand the hotel promotes environmental sustainability, the lack of bottled water was inconvenient. Each floor only has one water dispenser, which isn’t ideal when you’re in a rush or just need a quick refill. The room door was also extremely heavy and shut very quickly, which actually hurt our hands when we weren’t expecting it, guests should be warned. In one of the rooms, we also noticed mold around the air conditioning vent, which was both unpleasant and unacceptable. Breakfast We booked a 4-night stay with breakfast included daily, but the food never changed. The variety was limited and the overall taste was just average. By the second day, it already felt repetitive and unexciting. Even the simplest egg dishes we tried, sunny side up, omelet, and eggs benedict were poorly cooked. Laundry We used the self-service laundry every day. Each time, we registered at the counter as required. We had used the facility more than 6 times during our stay and not once did we go past the stated closing time. We always finished and collected our laundry well before 10pm. Despite this, every time we showed up around 9pm, the staff would repeat the same warning that they close at 10pm and made us feel like we were causing a problem. It became increasingly frustrating. If staff want to leave early, then the hotel shouldn’t advertise the laundry as open until 10pm. The hotel is rated as a 4-star property but promotes itself as 5-star. Aside from the concierge team, the service felt more like what you’d expect from a 2 or 3-star hotel. Even the breakfast, which we had enjoyed during our last visit, was a disappointment this time in both quality and variety. Based on how things are, it doesn’t seem like the hotel takes feedback seriously. I’m sharing this so other guests can consider these points before booking.