TAOYUAN
Touch down at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and whisk your group to the nearby Westin Tashee Resort for some well-deserved R&R so they can feel like champions.
What’s it like? The resort has a plush business centre, nine meeting places spanning 1,400 sqm, lush mountain views and super food menus for “mindful and healthful” gatherings. After business, groups can try the tournament calibre, 27-hole Tashee Golf and Country Club course, played by Tiger Woods. Alternatively, enjoy a swim, spa, or wine and dine.
Atmosphere If golf’s pleasures leave delegates cold and relaxing in idyllic surroundings doesn’t float their boat, there are organised trips to Daxi Tea Factory, the curiosities of Daxi Old Street and the vibrant night-market experience of Zhongli.
westintashee.com
BEITOU
The smart way to unwind after a conference is a hot spring bath. Onsen culture is alive and thrives in Beitou, after it was introduced by colonial Japan in the late 19th century.
What’s it like? Streams bubble from the volcanically active Hell Valley and provide a limitless supply of superheated water. You could explore, but our advice is take the path of least resistance and pamper yourself at Hotel Royal Beitou’s Kuan Spa, enjoy a sevenfold stress-relief massage and soak in mineral-rich springs. The hotel also offers a multifunctional meeting room, theatre and conference facilities.
Atmosphere The town is lively and has plentiful dining options, while Taiwan’s first public hot spring is now an artfully renovated museum.
hotelroyal.com.tw
TAIPEI
The capital city is one big cultural park these days, with old factories being turned into creative meeting places. Comfortably ensconced within Songshan Cultural Park is Eslite Hotel, with its signature, book-lined Library Suite. Its conference facilities accommodate 80 to 120 people for dinner and are intended to inspire creative brainstorming sessions.
What’s it like? Retro in style, but cutting-edge in outlook, the former tobacco and distillery complex is home to galleries, shops and gardens. Cultured groups will enjoy the Red Dot Design Museum and Taiwan Design Centre. If shopping’s their thing, then there are fashionable stores and boutiques.
Atmosphere The space provides a breather from the frantic hustle of Taipei. There’s always something creative going on, baroque gardens to relax in and an “eco” lake around which teambuilding can be held.
eslitehotel.com
KAOHSIUNG
The southern port city is a graphic example of how a gritty waterfront can be transformed and greened. Just 96 minutes from Taipei on the high-speed train, and a short distance from the gleaming Kaohsiung Exhibition Centre, is the expansive but still growing Pier-2 Art Centre.
What’s it like? Novel spaces for meetings, conferences and events include revamped shipping containers and storehouses. The nearby Banana Warehouse has panoramic views of the port, exhibitions, bars and eating places. Perfect for post-meeting dinners is a branch of the famed Bianyifang Peking-duck restaurant, which started up in business 500 years ago.
Atmosphere It’s a colourful tableau of live music, museums and warehouses with half their roofs ripped off to provide starlit views at night. Kaohsiung’s new light-rail system stops at some installations, while kite flying and ad hoc performances take place.
pier-2.khcc.gov.tw
KENTING
Taiwan’s Riviera is a hop-skip-and-jump away up from Kaohsiung and is an ideal spot to decompress. An added incentive might be staying at the holiday home of nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek, which has been renovated into the tasteful retreat of Gloria Manor.
What’s it like? The personalised conference facilities include full dining options. Find inspiration for that offsite meeting in
the generalissimo’s war room, which has been impeccably preserved. Situated in a national park, the area looks like a Chinese watercolour painting, with wind-cut trees, rare butterflies and deer.
Atmosphere The main beaches can be a bit frantic during the holiday season, but there are plenty of hidden spots and commanding views of the Pacific Ocean. Groups can try an
eco-exploration tour, cycling, or a splash in the pool once used by the Taiwan swimming team.
www.gloriamanor.com
