Inside La Casa del Habano at the Grand Hyatt Taipei

Some cigar shops you visit. Others you want to stay in. The La Casa del Habano inside the Grand Hyatt Taipei is the second kind.

It sits in the lobby of the Grand Hyatt, one of Taipei’s landmark hotels, next to Taipei 101 in the Xinyi District. That location matters. Xinyi is the wealthiest, most cosmopolitan part of the city, and the store fits it. Like most Pacific Cigar Company venues, it knows exactly what it is.

The humidor is the heart of it, and it’s well stocked. There’s the good stuff, including the Diplomáticos No. 2, that classic Cuban pirámide, alongside a solid wall of vintage and regional cigars. Taiwan has its own Cuban regional edition history, so this is the sort of place worth a proper look for something you won’t find at home. The humidity is what stands out. The store holds some of the most stable conditions around, which is why a number of collectors keep their own cigars here in the private lockers. That tells you something.

The lounge itself is the reason to linger. Twelve seats, and the details are considered, the lighting, the artwork on the walls, the way the room comes together. The mural is hand-painted, which is worth pointing out in a world of prints and wallpaper. It’s one of the better boutique lounges in the city.

There’s also a private VIP area, five seats and more artwork, for when you want to disappear for an hour.

You can take the full tour in the video below.