Laile B&B
Relive Tainan’s Former Days with a Paris-like Charm
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Tainan
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Discover the wonder of the lodging.
Three o’clock in the afternoon is probably the most beautiful moment in Tainan. You stroll around Ximen Roundabout, then turn into one of the lanes. Street scenes of modern Tainan dotted with the charms of the former capital city, now are immersed in the warm, golden sunlight. The roads radiating out along the roundabout are reminiscent of the Arc de Triomphe Roundabout in Paris. Walking in the sun-drenched streets, you come to this old row house with a wooden front door and green leaves. Shaped with stylized artistic Chinese characters, the lodging’s name “Laile” (meaning “here I am” in Mandarin) presents a genuinely welcoming demeanor, inviting you to spend a night here.
Let Time Tell Its Story
Turning the ivory-colored handle to open the front door, you enter the placid tea room space with tables lit up by pendant lights. Walking through the room scented with Taiwan fir and into the bright courtyard resembling one from some old Parisian apartment. Surrounded by four walls, a cinnamon tree takes the center stage in the courtyard with abundant greenery. The blue-and-white floral floor tiles lend a sense of coolness like jets of fountain water. Sunlight gleams on the guests’ hair, drinks on the tables, and foliage, dappling the blue wall like a painting of rippling waves on water.
“Here I am.” Stepping into the reception room, you exchange smiles with the butler, while the sweet aroma from someone making pineapple jam in the back kitchen welcomes your arrival. Laile B&B, designed by the renowned interior designer Jimmy, has eight rooms inspired by the lifestyles of eight characters of different professions and ages. Spending a night in one of the rooms would be like walking into the character’s distinctive life. The intimate space also rekindles Tainan’s past when people had close relationships with their neighbors, bringing you the vibe of old days.
Encounter with Eight Lifestyles
Just imagine this: The time is nearly noon, a photographer carrying a single-lens reflex camera just steps out his apartment and bumps into the interior designer who’s heading downstairs for a brunch. They smile and nod to each other, exchanging a quick conversation about what they’ve been up to lately. Downstairs, on the other end of the corridor, the florist who lives on the ground floor just returns from the flower market, while a diving coach with wet hair is holding some diving devices and going upstairs. Eight people form different fields once lived here. Now, you are invited to step inside the rooms and relive the unique moments of their lives.
In the “Florist’s Room,” you draw open the white linen floor-to-ceiling curtain. Surprisingly, the golden sunlight pours in through the glazed extension space. By the windows, there is a single armchair surrounded by plants and a desk facing the green maple in the small yard. Both would make you want to take a book and enjoy a splendid reading time in the daylight.
If desiring the view from a higher floor, in the “Musician’s Attic,” you would enjoy a room with abundant wood elements and a spacious balcony. Sit back on the rocking chair on the balcony and sway as you take in the pleasant sky view. Some melody might just pop into your mind. Sits on the third floor, the “Diving Coach’s Room” also offers another restful hideout. With a wall of French windows to the balcony overlooking the courtyard, you may bathe in streams of sunshine or take a relaxing bath in the bathtub.
The elegant “Dancer’s Room” has a hint of old Shanghai style as the vintage European-style light fixtures shed warm yellow lights on the canopy bed. Walking on the wooden floor with a gorgeous rug, you can’t help but want to make a spin or jump a little barefoot. Both sophisticated “Photographer’s Room” and “Interior Designer’s Room” demonstrate the charming blend of old and new, especially with the leather armchairs that are both classic and chic.
Experiencing a Wonderful Life with Parisian Atmosphere in Tainan
Sunlight pierces into windows and wakes up the day. Stepping downstairs, you may sit in the courtyard as the light plays hide-and-seek with the shadows. Reading some newspaper over savoring hearty breakfast prepared by the butler would put a smile on your face. With a wonderful experience, you continue your journey to the next stop.
From day to night, light and shadow move as time passes by, composing all kinds of scenery on the walls, by the plants, and between tables and chairs. The elegant and peaceful scene is evocative of a snapshot taken from a street café in Paris, only the wine glass and Western cuisine are replaced with the teacup and Chinese dish. You eat with relish, walk with joy, just enjoy the pace of life here.
Many say that Tainan takes after Kyoto, but for Jimmy, its lifestyle and culinary interests are a lot like Paris. Tainan, also known as the “Southern Capital,” has its long history that breeds its people with confidence and unique character. Coming to Laile B&B, you would experience the local daily life and appreciate the city’s character at a placid pace.
Meet the moving story of the host.
A man with dark skin, wearing his salt-and-pepper hair short and some slightly curly beard on his pointed chin, this was Jimmy, a renowned interior designer for accommodations in southern Taiwan. As we first met, he wore simple clothes and with an indomitable yet gentle expression on his face. Speaking in high spirits, he smiled and said: ”Originally I was going to open a B&B in Kenting.” It turned out that he didn’t get his suntan in Tainan, but was an imprint from surfing a lot. So it made us wonder, what would be the twist of fate that brought him to create “Laile” in Tainan.
A Future Built upon Love
“I’ve been interested in spatial design since I was a kid, but I’d never thought that it would be my lifelong career.” Born in Tainan, after graduating from the Department of Landscape Architecture at Tunghai University, Jimmy came to work on landscape projects for a company. It was when he found that he had been drawn to the spatial design plans made by colleagues, that awakened his passion.
Something of a surfing buff himself, Jimmy once spent a whole year staying in Jinshan, a surfing hot spot in northern Taiwan. Back then, he was either surfing or on the way to the sea. It was also during that period that he met with Ling, his future wife, who was studying dance at the National Taiwan University of Sport. Ling was nine years younger than Jimmy and was attracted to him by his dashing look when surfing, while Jimmy fell for Ling’s kindness that made her even more beautiful. As the two were getting closer and closer, the bond between them grew stronger as time went by.
Upon Ling’s graduation, they had dated for three years and been planning for the future together. As two avid surfers, they dreamed about a life of working on weekdays, going surfing whenever they could, and a house with the sea right in the back would have been even better. Therefore they decided to do job hunting and trying to open a B&B in Kenting, another surfing hot spot in southern Taiwan. But for the first two months, they didn’t get any responses. It was until that Ling finally got a job offer in Tainan, that Jimmy also resigned from the job in Taipei, and both moved to Tainan.
Incorporating the Ideal Life into Spatial Design
The first opportunity for Jimmy to bring his talent into play was to design “Green Atman,” a restaurant converted from an old house in Tainan. At first, the restaurant only hired Jimmy for landscape architecture, but as Jimmy expressed his keen interest in spatial design, they agreed to give him a try. As the result turned out to be successful, it also paved the way for many other projects and built up the reputation of Jimmy’s “PCY studio.” While he has designed spaces for many famous lodgings and restaurants, Jimmy still bore the dream of running a b&b, just waiting for the knock of chance.
“It was the house that came to find us,” Jimmy said. Laile B&B was originally a shabby row house that had been empty for a whole year with no tenants until the landlord came to ask Jimmy to do the renovation. Looking at the dilapidated house, Jimmy’s imagination conjured up a vision for its future. “It was the only preserved row house in this neighborhood of Tainan.” Although he wasn’t sure about how he wanted to do with the house, he decided to rent it and mulled over some ideas. In the 18-month process of refurbishment, through engaging in dialogue with the building, he managed to breathe a new life into the row house and realize the ideal lifestyle here.
The Heartwarming Family Life
“I’m glad that we didn’t end up relocating in Kenting.” Jimmy said with an intriguing smile: “As we stayed in Tainan, we learned more about the local culture and what life means.” Jimmy also confessed that, if Ling hadn’t brought up marriage, he would never have thought of building a family of his own when his career had just begun to take off. Nevertheless, Jimmy has always been dedicated to this relationship. From presenting their plan of moving to Tainan to Ling’s family in Taoyuan, to singing “Can’t Take My Eyes off You” to propose to Ling at “Green Atman,” they have now made a happy family. As we spoke, Jimmy was holding his daughter in one hand and playing with her younger brother in Ling’s arms with another, his eyes not only sparkled with passion for spatial design but also the love for his family.
As Jimmy said, old houses in Tainan represented everyday life in the past. And the scenery composed of corrugated metal structures added on the rooftops, washed clothes getting hot under the sunlight, and food aroma from the neighbor’s kitchen was the “true face” of Tainan, which could only be experienced by really residing here. Upon completion of Laile B&B, Jimmy promised to spend more time with his family and live out the life he pictured through spatial design projects. While he was talking, his tender yet firm expression revealed that the motivation stemmed from the trust and support of his family. Each moment with his family was so brilliant, and that, was the longing of his life.
Room Type
Room A
2 guests
NTD 3,500 ~ 5,800/room
Breakfast included, On the 1st floor, Indoor 33 m2, In-room bathroom, Separate bathroom and toilet, 1 double bed, Extra person is not allowed (more)
Room B
2 guests
NTD 3,500 ~ 5,800/room
Breakfast included, Indoor 36 m2, In-room bathroom, Open-style bathroom, 1 double bed, Single-person bathtub, Extra person is not allowed (more)
Room C
2 guests
NTD 3,150 ~ 5,200/room
Breakfast included, Indoor 33 m2, In-room bathroom, 1 double bed, Single-person bathtub, Up to 1 extra person (with extra bed) (more)
Room D
2 guests
NTD 2,660 ~ 4,500/room
Breakfast included, Indoor 24 m2, In-room bathroom, 1 double bed, Up to 1 extra person (with extra bed) (more)
Room E
2 guests
NTD 1,960 ~ 3,300/room
Breakfast included, Indoor 17 m2, Separate bathroom and toilet, 1 double bed, Extra person is not allowed (more)
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