How can you go to Starbucks Taipei 101? We’ve made the trip and have the full details on how to soak up the views and get your caffeine fix.
Many tourists to Taiwan seek memorable views by heading up to the lookout on the 101st floor of Taipei 101, a landmark in the city. But, at around $600 NTD a ticket ($19 USD / €17 EUR / $27 AUD) it’s a pretty pricey activity.
Thankfully, some smart souled architect decided they can’t have an office building without a coffee shop to caffeinate all the wary workers, so Starbucks Taipei 101 was born (amen.)
But, there aint no just walking into this Starbucks and ordering a double-foam no-fat vanilla latte. Seeing the best views in Taipei requires a hard-to-get reservation, a doorman, and a minimum spend. But never fear! This guide will tell you everything you need to know to go Starbucks Taipei 101 (and get the best seats!)
Starbucks Taipei 101: How to get a reservation
If Taipei had a beating heart of its business district it would be Taipei 101. But with this kind of office building comes some pretty serious security so walking in to the elevator is out of the question. Instead you need to call ahead to Starbucks Taipei 101 ahead of time for a reservation, show up on time, and be led upstairs in a group. Exclusive, right?
STARBUCKS TAIPEI 101 Phone Number | +886 2 8101 0701
Getting a reservation for Starbucks Taipei 101 isn’t the easiest task. It can only be made by phone and the phone line is almost always busy. We called a grand total of 22 times over five days before we managed to get through to someone. Be persistent and you will get through to someone who can hopefully speak English, but this isn’t guaranteed – try get some help from your accommodation if you can!
You can make a reservation up to one week in advance, and the sooner you call the higher you will be placed on the reservation list. This is very important for later. When choosing a time for a reservation, if you’re flexible you can ask for the time slot when they are the least busy. When booking you will be given a reservation number: take careful note of this as you will need it on the day you arrive.
There are some cases of people just showing up at Taipei 101 and getting in without a reservation but it’s a risky game as they often fill up. Regardless you’ll need to wait in line before being taken up to the 35th floor if you take this option.
Starbucks Taipei 101: How to get there
Being a mammoth office building/shopping centre/tourist attraction, Taipei 101 has many entrances and exits. There is only one way to make your way up to Starbucks 101 once you have arrived, so to make your reservation on time these details will guide you to Starbucks Taipei 101 with no fuss.
By metro:
- Take the red line to the Taipei 101 stop.
- When exiting the station take Exit 4. You will see Taipei 101 above you and some doors straight ahead.
- Enter through the doors into the building. Another Starbucks will be on your left hand side. Turn to the right.
- Once you go through the doorway there will be a bank of elevators. Go from B1 to Level 1.
- When you exit the elevator on Level 1, turn to the right and follow the signs to the Office Lobby.
- And information desk will be on the far side, and the queue for Starbucks will wait just behind it.
By taxi
- Ask the taxi driver to take you to Taipei 101, Exit 7
- Walk straight into Exit 7, you will find yourself in a lobby area.
- To your right will be an information desk, the queue for Starbucks will wait just behind it.
Starbucks Taipei 101: How to get in
Alright, you’ve got your reservation, and you’ve made your way to the lobby. Head to the back of the line until a Starbucks employee comes down and checks everyone off the list. They’ll ask for your reservation number and confirm how many people are in your party. When everyone has arrived you’ll proceed as a group to the elevator.
Do you need to be at the front of the elevator?
I read so many blogs that said to stick to the back of the group when walking to the elevator so you can be first off the elevator and have the first pick of seats. This is no longer the case. Please do not strap on some sweatbands and run over people to get to the best seats first (seriously, it used to be savage!). You will be let into the cafe in the order that you booked – that’s why it’s so important to book as early as possible, or ask for the least busy time slot.
That handy reservation number you received? The digits are actually a code. Ours was 031402 – the first two digits were the day of the month (03 = the 3rd), the next two digits are the time slot (14 = 14:00/2:00pm) and the last two digits were our spot in line (02 = 2nd).
NOTE: Some reservation numbers may have eight characters, including either the month or a reservation time at 14:30 instead of 14:00. Go ahead and crack the code!
There are only so many window seats in the cafe so your best chance is having a low number for the last two digits. There’s no guarantee (the number one spot could have a group of twenty people) but this typically gives you a much better chance. When your number is called by the Starbucks employee you can go in and find where to sit.
Where are the best seats in Starbucks Taipei 101?
If you’re going for those amazing views that Starbucks Taipei 101 is famous for, you want a window seat (duh). These are all bar stools looking out over the amazing views. When entering the coffee shop you can turn immediately to your right and take seats with incredible city views. If you head to the seats on the far side of the shop you will get a combination of city and forest views. Both are excellent, although we preferred the city view option.
What’s the minimum spend at Starbucks Taipei 101?
You need to spend at least $250 NTD ($8 USD, €7 EUR, $11 AUD) per person. This is pretty easily reached by ordering a drink and a food item per person. Prices aren’t overly inflated beyond the standard Starbucks high price. When ordering you will give your reservation number, and the minimum spend needs to be achieved in one order instead of at different times.
Is there a dress code for Starbucks in Taipei 101?
Short answer? Supposedly. Many reports say no shorts or flip-flops. In reality? We, and many others just wore casual clothing (t-shirts, shorts, sandals) and didn’t have a problem. But, it’s always best to play it safe if you can.
How long can you spend inside Starbucks Taipei 101?
You have a ninety-minute time slot, but don’t actually need this long. After we ordered and received our drinks, spent some time gazing at the view, and chilled out a bit we had only reached 60 minutes. You can take the elevator downstairs whenever you’re ready.
Is Starbucks in Taipei 101 worth ot?
Yes! We are definitely not Starbucks fans, but we are fans of saving money while seeing the sights, and Starbucks Taipei 101 is definitely a way to do it! Spending $250 NTD and getting food and drink is much better than spending $600 NTD and being a little higher up. You get some amazing views, it’s a novel experience, and to be honest the coffee isn’t that bad.
What did you think of Starbucks Taipei 101? Have any other tips to get there? Share it in the comments below!
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