Folio Daan Taipei — a hotel that's an art museum inside an old building in Da'an
Folio Daan Taipei is a design boutique hotel that does something rare in Taipei — it turned a 1970s bank-staff dormitory awaiting demolition into an "art museum you can sleep in." Run by the Fubon Art Foundation, it kept the original washstone walls and balconies and filled every corner with art, tucked into a quiet lane just 3 minutes' walk behind MRT Daan station.
Folio Daan opened in August 2016 with a brief unlike most hotels — the building was once a 40-year-old staff dormitory of Fubon Bank, sitting in limbo while the area waited for urban renewal. Rather than tear it down, the Fubon Group chose to convert it into a "time-limited" art hotel, preserving almost all of the grey washstone walls and concrete balconies and repairing only what was necessary. The result is a hotel with a genuine sense of old Taipei, not a manufactured imitation.
The heart of the place is its "Art Museum Without Walls" concept, curated by the Fubon Art Foundation. The hotel invites Taiwanese and international artists to display rotating works through the lobby, corridors and nooks, so walking from your room to the lift feels like strolling a small gallery. For travellers tired of chain hotels that look the same the world over, every wall here has a story to tell.
"Not just a place to sleep — it feels like staying inside an artwork. Pink corridors, white brick walls, light through the skylights — every angle is photogenic."
The interior design plays especially well with natural light — skylights and a small interior courtyard keep the common areas bright and airy all day. The lobby is furnished with olive-green velvet sofas, a brass coffee table and floral mosaic-tile floors, while the corridors to the rooms are painted soft pink against whitewashed brick. It's a hotel that photographs beautifully almost anywhere you point the camera.
The 57 rooms range from Voyage Rooms to Superiors and Opus Rooms — minimalist and well-finished, with comfortable beds and some original structural details left exposed. But to be honest, as guest reviews note, the rooms are fairly compact in the typical old-Taipei-building style, with limited luggage space, and some are open-plan, with the bathroom separated only by glass or a curtain. Couples won't mind, but room-mates who aren't close may find it short on privacy.
The location is a strength many overlook — the building sits in a quiet lane behind MRT Daan station, just 3 minutes' walk (Red and Wenhu lines), yet set back from the main road, so it's calmer than the hotels lining Xinyi Road. The surrounding streets are full of restaurants and cafes in a genuine residential neighbourhood, with Daan Forest Park, the famous Yongkang Street food district and Dongmen Night Market all within easy reach. The hotel also has its own restaurant-bar, Port 23, for breakfast and an evening drink.
In short, Folio Daan Taipei is best for design-minded travellers, couples and anyone who wants to stay in a real local neighbourhood rather than a tourist zone. If you value atmosphere, story and art over room size or big-hotel facilities, this is one of the most distinctive stays in Da'an — and genuine value for a 4-star boutique price.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Distinctive design with artworks throughout — very photogenic
- ✓ 3 min walk to MRT Daan, yet on a quiet lane
- ✓ Friendly, attentive staff who speak English
- ✓ Genuine local neighbourhood, lots of cafes, near Yongkang St.
- ! Rooms are fairly small with limited luggage space
- ! Some rooms are open-plan with a semi-open bathroom
- ! Sound can carry between rooms in the old building
- ✓ Beautiful, stylish hotel — like staying in an art gallery
- ✓ Convenient location near the MRT and good restaurants
- ✓ Comfortable beds, spotlessly clean rooms
- ✓ Has an on-site restaurant-bar with a good breakfast
- ! Small rooms in an old building — plan for large suitcases
- ! Some bathrooms are semi-open and not fully private
- ! Only one lift, so there can be a wait at peak times
- 💡If you're travelling as a group or with large suitcases — rooms are compact, in the old-building style, with limited space for bags → choose a larger room type such as the Opus Room, or leave some bags at the front desk
- 💡If you dislike semi-open bathrooms — some rooms are open-plan, with the bathroom divided only by glass or a curtain → ask for a room with an enclosed bathroom when booking, or check the room type before confirming
- 💡If you want full big-hotel facilities — there's no pool or gym here → if facilities matter most, pick a 5-star hotel in Da'an, but for Folio's style and character this is better value