Hotel MU Taoyuan — a small, highly-rated stay for early and late flights
Hotel MU is a small 3-star hotel in Zhongli District, Taoyuan, that's "rated well above its price" — a 9.4 average from nearly a thousand guests. It sits about 23 km from Taoyuan International Airport (TPE), roughly a 25-minute drive, with an airport shuttle service, a varied free breakfast and a snack cafe open late into the night — making it ideal for anyone needing a night before or after an early or late flight.
Hotel MU opened in 2014 in Zhongli District, Taoyuan — an area most travellers pass through rather than stay in, yet Hotel MU makes an overnight near the airport genuinely pleasant. Its 48 rooms are simply furnished in a clean, modern style, and the hotel earns a remarkable 9.4 review average — unusually high for this price level. What guests mention most is the spotless cleanliness and attentive staff: this isn't just a bed for the night, it's a hotel that really looks after its guests.
"Guests say they booked it purely for the airport, but it turned out to be the most impressive hotel of the trip — the room was spotless, the staff helped with everything, and the breakfast was far better than expected."
The heart of Hotel MU is its location near the airport — about 23 km from Taoyuan International Airport (TPE), roughly a 25-minute drive. The hotel runs an airport shuttle service (ask and book ahead with the front desk, as it runs on set times and a charge may apply). For anyone on a 5–6 a.m. departure or a late arrival, this is what makes the hotel worthwhile — no gambling on a midnight taxi or waiting for the first MRT.
Another point guests praise with one voice is the breakfast and snack cafe. The free breakfast buffet covers both Western and Chinese dishes and is served generously from 6:30 to 11:00; if you have to leave earlier, a packed breakfast box is provided to take with you. The snack cafe runs from afternoon into the night (roughly 15:00–23:00) with free instant noodles, drinks and desserts — a small touch that helps a lot when you land hungry late at night.
Other facilities are well suited to an airport hotel: free parking, free Wi-Fi in every room, a self-service laundry room with free detergent, 24-hour luggage storage at the front desk, free bicycle rental, and a small terrace and garden to relax in. Some higher room categories include a compact kitchenette, handy if you want to heat something up late. There's also an in-house restaurant (MU Cafe, Italian-style) if you'd rather not head out for dinner.
An honest note — Hotel MU is not right at the airport within walking distance, nor is it in central Taipei. If your plan is full days of sightseeing in Taipei, this isn't a good base. The Economic rooms are quite small, and some reviews mention a faint woody smell in the corridors and fairly firm beds. But if the brief is "sleep near the airport, one night, clean and reassuring" — Hotel MU is one of the best options in Taoyuan, at a price that's easy to justify.
In short, Hotel MU is best for travellers who need a clean, highly-rated, well-run place to stay the night before or after a flight near Taoyuan Airport. If your trip has a pre-dawn departure or a late arrival and you want a full night's sleep without travel stress — this hits exactly the right spot.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Near Taoyuan Airport — ideal before or after a flight
- ✓ Very clean rooms, kept like new
- ✓ Friendly, genuinely helpful staff
- ✓ Varied breakfast, served long, with boxes for early leavers
- ! Economic rooms are quite small
- ! Not in central Taipei (it's an airport stopover)
- ! Shuttle runs on set times — book ahead
- ✓ Convenient near the airport and Zhongli train station
- ✓ High standard of cleanliness throughout
- ✓ Late-night snack cafe with free noodles and drinks
- ✓ Excellent value for the price
- ! A faint woody smell in some corridors
- ! Beds are quite firm for some guests
- ! Lower-floor rooms have less view and privacy
- 💡If you plan full days in Taipei — this is in Zhongli, not central Taipei → use it as a first/last night by the airport, then move to a hotel in Taipei
- 💡If you're travelling as a group or with big suitcases — Economic rooms are small → choose a roomier Business or Elite category
- 💡If you need the airport shuttle — it runs on set times and a charge may apply → give your flight details and book ahead with the front desk as soon as you reserve