Concrete walls and floors, local designer lamps and furnishings and a mannequin dressed in designer sunglasses and clothes – you’ll be forgiven to think that I have just described an artist’s or designer’s work space but this is our room at Play Design Hotel in Taipei where Glenn and I recently spent five nights.

Situated in Zhongshan district, the boutique hotel is run by two design enthusiasts, Daniel and Grace, who share a vision to connect local designers to international market and foreign visitors to local design culture. This is the kind of initiative I always read about in design magazines but never get to experience until now.

Thanks to AirBNB, we find the designer accommodation and are instantly drawn to the listing. Pictures of the room presented a minimal, almost stark interior that is surprisingly soothing and warm. There are a total of 5 rooms and each is furnished with different local designer wares according to the theme of the room.

We arrive at this Taipei hotel just after 830pm and Daniel and Grace check us in and talk through the concept of the hotel and our room. The six-hour travel has taken its toll but it is heartwarming to see such great hospitality and passion from Daniel and Grace as they talk about their brand and products.

You know those modern warehouse conversations you always see featured in Dezeen or Dwell? Play Design Hotel is the kind that you would similarly swoon over. The design pieces and furniture are carefully curated to reflect the thoughtfulness of Daniel and Grace’s vision and the rooms are refurbished such that they can be reconfigured to different settings to suit different lifestyle living spaces.

Whereas most hotels get judged by its fancy amenities, there are no swimming pool, a grand lobby or a restaurant here. Truth be told, we need none of them to complete this holiday. It doesn’t take us long to settle in – in fact, Glenn and I felt like we never left our apartment in Sydney (subtlely hinting what our home is like).

One of the things we look forward to when we travel is sifting through the Internet and picking out the accommodation. Minimal interior design and finish aside, the other factor that determined our decision on Play Design Hotel is the location.

The boutique hotel is an 8-minute walk to Zhongshan station and 15-minute to Taipei Main Station – it’s situated in a convenient location that makes it easy to explore Taipei. Just around the corner is one of the many famous night markets, Ning Xia, where your taste buds can get a healthy workout. Highly recommended: mochi with shaved ice.

Play Design Hotel is one of those rare boutique hotels where its founders use it as a platform to introduce local design, not just provide a bed for the night.