TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — One of the oldest hotels in Taipei, the Imperial Hotel Taipei, will close at the end of October, reported UDN on Friday (Aug. 20).
As the Imperial Hotel Taipei predominantly served international travelers, the COVID-19 pandemic and the reduced number of visitors in Taiwan greatly impacted its business. Though the hotel had joined the line of quarantine hotels last year and continued to do well with its food service, it failed to negotiate enough of a reduction in rent with its landlord, Taiwan Life Insurance (台灣人壽).
Both parties eventually agreed to terminate the lease on Oct. 31 after accepting a court proposed 25% rent reduction rate. Taiwan Life Insurance said the original building will go through an urban renewal program and be rebuilt.
According to UDN, the hotel intends to keep its name and continue its restaurant business, assuring patrons that its famous roasted duck will not disappear. It also has plans to open a new hotel in Shilin by the end of 2023, so not all employees will be laid off.
A five-star hotel, the Imperial Hotel Taipei was built in the 1960s, and was the first Taiwan hotel to join the InterContinental Hotels Group plc. It offers 326 European-style guest rooms, and various types of cuisines through several restaurants.
