Pan-green Taipei City councilors and a small group of residents yesterday gathered outside the Grand Hotel to protest the hotel’s new parking fee policy, which has forced hundreds of people who hike a trail built by the Taipei City Government to pay higher parking fees.
The Jiantan Trail, located at the back of the hotel, is one of several trails established and maintained by the city government to promote physical exercise. The hotel increased its parking fee to NT$80 per hour last month despite failing to apply with the city government for this year’s parking lot license.
“Thousands of people hike the trail each day and they have to pay more than NT$300 to park on the hotel’s parking lot if their hike last more than four hours. It’s more expensive than going to see a movie,” Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City Councilor Chien Yu-yen (簡余晏) said.
The hotel rents the land from the government to use as a parking lot and until last month had charged a flat parking fee.
“The hotel has already violated regulations as it failed to renew the parking lot license with the city government. It is ridiculous that the city government did not take any action over this,” she said.
Independent Taipei City Councilor Chen Chien-ming (陳建銘) joined Chien in condemning the city government for allowing the hotel to charge hikers “exorbitant” parking fees when it should instead set up a friendly environment and encourage hiking.
Taipei City’s Parking Management Office said the hotel had violated regulations by failing to obtain a new license and the office would fine the hotel between NT$3,000 and NT$15,000.
The hotel acknowledged its negligence and said it would apply for the new license as soon as possible. Those who were charged parking fees last month can take their receipts and ask for a refund at the hotel, it said.
The hotel said it had made a friendly gesture to hikers by offering free parking between 4am and 9:30am, and insisted that its parking fees were lower than at other five-star hotels.
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