While I agree wholeheartedly on all points here (I wondered whether it was just London flights that didn’t line-up nicely at Taipei with Sydney ones), for me that dungeon has positive memories … I managed to come down with a really un-fun cold on the morning we left home, so by the time we got to that lounge the shower was absolute heaven!For me the downside was the extended layovers in Taipei and the lounges there aren't great - you're down in a dungeon for one, and the food range is limited and no real change all day.
Sounds like a more local airline experience to me.the lounges there aren't great - you're down in a dungeon for one, and the food range is limited
The strangest thing about the underground dungeon CI lounge in Taipei is that it’s accessed by walking up a ramp from a walkway which is already a few storeys up in the air … it’s like they’ve gone to a lot of effort to make an elevated room feel like a cave.Sounds like a more local airline experience to me.
IMO this is a very pleasant Scotch (I do not like single malts and only drink blended). I disagree with your assessment. I think finding it in Business Class is amazing, it is normally reserved for in-flight service on intercontinental First Class (IME on other airlines which serve it).… but the fanciest drink they had onboard was a Johnny Walker Blue Label, which is a very mass-market blend & very Nothing Special
CI's main lounge in TPE is the one in Terminal 1.
See here
Review: China Airlines Lounge Taipei Airport Terminal 1
A detailed review of China Airlines' flagship Dynasty Lounge at Taipei Taoyuan Airport Terminal 1. Here's what you can expect from this great lounge.onemileatatime.com
It is much better than the dungeon at T2! But even in T2 there's another one upstairs with the other lounges...
Edit, add the review from omaat.
Agreed the one upstairs in T2 is preferable to the Dungeon. But I didn't know what it was like til after I went in... and CI stamp your pass when you go in - and then won't let you in any of their other lounges on that BP since it's already marked. Again, another oddity compared to other airlines as it's the only time I've experienced that. So I was stuck there.
I don't want to make it sound like the lounge outweighed the rest of the experiences as I'd certainly fly them again and was happy with the overall experience - but the lounge elements were the let down for me.
Flying with CI in September. We have a long layover. Land one day 6am then fly out the next day late in the evening. Has anyone done this and have any tips on the Hotel and day trip we could do while we are there?
Thanks in advance.
Thank you so much I will check out the TR, most helpfulLots of hotels around the airport but only the Novotel is directly connected. Depends on your budget.
I'd stay in Novotel and take the Taoyuan express to Taipei city, lots of things to do there! And great food.
National Palace Museum is fantastic if you like history...or Taipei 101 for the view (and shops)...
Edit, I forgot, there's also a capsule hotel in T2.
My Taipei TR fyi.
Koyo Chasing in Tohoku Japan (#9) and some last minute shenanigans
Didn't book hotel breakfast since I've been wanting to try the Nagoya café breakfast for quite some time now. Basically you order a drink and it comes with free toast and egg. It was not bad.www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au
We definitely didn't have this SYD-TPE in 2018 ... can't recall anything about service speed, but I had plenty of time to toss & turn fruitlessly for at least 5-6 hours then getting a movie in before I-wish-I-hadn't-ordered-the-congee.Service is also slow. The whole dinner took about 2 hours.
The late night flights meant eating after midnight.
And if you wanted to have breakfast as well, you end up only getting like 3 hour sleep.
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Any chance you got some pictures of the wine list?BNE - tpe View attachment 399442
I would rein in your expectations for the food. It was fine. I don’t drink so didn’t pay attention to the alcohol.
Service is also slow. The whole dinner took about 2 hours.
The late night flights meant eating after midnight.
And if you wanted to have breakfast as well, you end up only getting like 3 hour sleep.
Many other passengers just went straight to bed and didn’t bother with the food. I probably would do the same in the future.