I am looking for someting slightly above hostel quality. Price is of the essence. Any good suggestions? Trying to help out a young Okinawan couple. Thanks.
A usually reliable source recommended this place:
Taipei House Economic Hostel
Rm 1101, No 293 Songjiang Rd (Btwn Minsheng & Minchuan)
2503 5819
2517 8217
0918 865 102
NT$490/night
Clean and the woman running it seems friendly. Don’t remember if she speaks English.
Is there a particular part of the city that they want to stay in?
I’d not recommend a hostel. Hotel accommodation in Taiwan is quite reasonable for couples because a room for two only costs a fraction more than for one. There are plenty of places at around NT$900 - 1200 a night.
Well, if you know of a hotel in Taipei that costs 1200 NT per night, I would really love to hear about it ASAP. Thanks!
i stayed at Fortune Hotel (PH:2555 1121 Chongqing N) which was very clean, simple, tv, a/c, double room 1200NT. they speak English and the hotel is 5min walk from main station mrt stop.
and my room had a window
The Lonely Planet lists a few cheap hotels. There are many more around - mostly “love hotels” in that the guests are couples going for a shag rather than tourists. Not really a problem, but best avoided on Friday and Saturday nights as you could be next door to a “screamer” 
As mentioned earlier, the Fortune Hotel, 5-10th Fl., 62 Chongqing North Road
Queen Hotel, 2nd Fl., Chang’an West Road (this is in the Zhongshan Road area), doubles from NT$700
2559 0489 Note: no English sign, no English spoken
Keyman’s Hotel, about NT$1,900, www.keymans.com.tw
next door to that is the Royal Hotel, about NT$1,200, 2311-1668
Next to these places is a tea house with wireless Internet access.
Thank you so much. I really appreciate it!
I am postive that you can find a hotel near the train station even cheaper than 1,200NT. There’s at least two hotels a couple streets over from the big shopping mall that is directly across from the train station.
Just go to this mall, and if you are now facing the train station, walk two streets to the left and make another left to the narrow, very busy street there. You’ll soon see a little convenience store (not 7-11). And right beside the little store there’s a hotel for 800-900. Very clean and reliable. I met a few teachers there last year when I stayed there for five days.