The Grand Hotel
The Grand Hotel was built in 1952 on the site of a Japanese
Shinto shrine, and opened to the public in 1973. The hotel is
known for its traditional Chinese palace-style architecture. A
landmark of Taipei, the Grand Hotel has witnessed the history of
the Republic of China in Taiwan for more than half a century.
When Taiwan was under the rule of late President Chiang Kai-shek
and later his son Chiang Ching-kuo, the Grand Hotel was
responsible for playing host to foreign dignitaries. In
September of 1986, it was the venue chosen by democracy
activists to formally announce the establishment of the
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). And in November of 2008, the
second cross-strait talks between Taipei and Beijing were held
at the five-star hotel.
Once shrouded in mystery, due to its two secret 180-meter long
underground tunnels, the Grand Hotel is now known for its
Cantonese, Shanghai and Sichuan-Yangtze cuisines. And of all the
luxury hotels in Taipei, its verdant mountain surroundings give
it the best location for taking a hike through nature.
To find about more about the beauty, history and the mystery of
the Grand Hotel, tune into Charlie Storrar’s Occidential Tourist
and Huang Shih-han’s Time Traveler.
