Every room, checked.

The fourth floor of an old office building, reached by a lift that still has an operator.

A silent room with eleven desks, lamps, and a rule against conversation.

A rooftop with twelve seats and a view of the towers, open only in the evening.

A single window in a wall, serving coffee to a courtyard with no door.

An old house kept exactly as it was, tiles and all, with a bar built into the kitchen.

A two-square-metre counter with a three-group machine that does not fit the room.

Two resident cats, eight tables, and a strict no-lifting policy.

A roadside room on the way to Wulai, with parking for four cars and a view up the valley.

A stall in the covered market, three stools, and a queue of vendors.