I actually don’t think 1,800-2,000NT is “really very reasonable”. Maybe it’s “really very reasonable” for Taipei when compared to other places in Taipei, but then I would say Taipei is ridiculously expensive. The reason I say that is that if you look at the hourly rate of an average worker in Taipei, it’s what, 6-10 times what they make? Where I’m from, Melbourne, Australia, the average person probably makes $30/hour (AUD). I actually don’t think people would consider $180-$300 for a hotel room to be “really very reasonable” in Melbourne. How do hotel prices compare to local wages in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., etc.?
Hotels in Taipei seem to be disproportionately when compared to other things such as food or transportation, and especially when compared to those in other parts of Taiwan or in other countries. I’ve found places for a quarter of the price in other cities in Taiwan, yet I don’t think workers in those cities earn a quarter of what those in Taipei do.
Why, then, is Taipei so expensive for hotels?[/quote]
you’re unnecessarily whinging.
your hourly rate comparison is fatally flawed.
the target market of Taipei hotels is not the local population but the typical traveler to Taiwan. And that is more than likely a Mainland package tourist, a Japanese traveler or a business traveler. The price those people are willing to pay falls well in line with what hotels charge. Taipei hotels are pretty reasonable compared with other places (unless you are comparing to SE Asia, but lets hope that you haven’t made that mistake).