Martini of the Week 8: Woobar, W Hotel Taipei


Triple P's companion had already drunk most of it before we took our picture!


The W in Taipei is one of those self-consciously "cool" hotels run by some of the major companies (in this case Starwood) in an effort to be seen as hip and trendy.  This means that things like the labels in the lift need some deciphering.  For example, during my short stay, we decided that "wet" written by a floor button meant the bar.  Indeed it was the right floor but it actually meant the pool.  You get the idea.  Horrendous.




When Triple P was there it had only be open a few weeks and, like most newly opened hotels some things weren't right.  The main problem Triple P had was trying to get anyone in the bar to understand what a Vodka Martini was.  The waitress didn't even understand the word "Martini" on its own.  She had to go and get a colleague to help.  Not really good enough for a five star hotel that is touting itself as the best in the city.


The view from the bar

 
The bar itself overlooked the pool and was rather too high ceilinged to be intimate.  It also blended in to a shop and a lobby so it was a bit like sitting in a corridor and the nasty plastic tables made it feel like a sixties company canteen.  Cosy it wasn't.



 
When Triple P's Martini came it was in a chilled (but not cold) glass with no less than four olives.  Given it was a rather small glass to start with putting in four olives definitely made a small drink appear much bigger than it actually was.  It was made with Stolichnaya but tasted rather weak to Triple P.  Not brilliant so we can only give it 5/10