Hotels near Jongno-Gu, Seoul

Thanks to our butlers Xiaoyue and Ayu for their help during our stay. The first female receptionist at check-in had a fake smile. Even though I told her I didn't like the 14th floor, she insisted that only the room on the 14th floor could meet my request. I was exhausted from a red-eye flight, so I didn't know if it was truly the only available room (on a floor with a 4, which Koreans dislike), or for some other reason. I just didn't want to argue further and reluctantly checked in. Upon entering the room, there was a strong curry smell. I also saw a handwritten welcome letter for a foreign female guest prominently displayed on the bedside table (I'm not sure if this is for all non-Koreans or if this guest was exceptionally special). My mood instantly soured. I didn't know if the housekeeper hadn't cleaned properly or if this guest had moved rooms and they hadn't re-cleaned. I saw creases on the bedding, indicating it was newly changed. I was too tired, so I just forced myself to sleep. During the night, there were rumbling noises. The bathroom still smelled of curry, and I didn't have perfume, so I made a cup of capsule coffee to mask the smell. I still believe it's better to avoid trouble when traveling, so I stuck with the room and didn't ask for a change. The next morning, I was woken up by the strange noises again. Reluctantly, I communicated and got a room change. They offered a voucher for 2 takeaway drinks, but I didn't use it. Anyway, lately, when I go to Seoul, I always feel that their attitude towards Chinese people is much worse than before, in a subtle way. During check-in, I noticed what seemed like Hong Kong or Malaysian Chinese guests next to me who had checked into several rooms hours earlier. But for me, there were no rooms available. However, I couldn't verify if it was differential treatment or just bad luck that there were no rooms exactly when I arrived. Their rule is check-in at 3 PM, so I had to accept it. My offer to pay for early check-in was also declined. Comparing this to those who could check in early instantly dampened my mood. Aside from the hotel's service level, the location is quite good. All the front desk staff speak good English and are communicative. Jacob's English is especially excellent. There are also complimentary snacks and soda in the room. Speaking of complimentary items, there seemed to be a difference here too. The 'special guest' room the day before had two extra large cookies and two sparkling waters. Across the street, there's a BHC and a somewhat expensive but delicious soup restaurant. Exit 9 of Hongdae Line 2 has many small shops. It's not tiring to walk from the subway after finishing errands. There are many good eateries around. The airport bus 6007 to the airport even has a dedicated uncle who helps load your luggage, which is better than some other stops where only the bus driver can help with luggage, hehe. At over 1600 won a night, this hotel is not cheap for Seoul. While the hardware is what it is, the service could definitely be improved. For 800-1000 won, this hotel would be a good option. Beyond that, there are too many other alternatives. Also, don't trust the recommendations on Xiaohongshu; they're all ads. There are many great hotels in Seoul, but I won't tell you, or they'll get more expensive, ha ha ha.

The Stanford Hotel Myeongdong boasts an excellent location. It's just a few minutes' walk to Euljiro 1(il)-ga Subway Station, which is on Line 2 and connects to Line 4 for Myeongdong Station and Seoul Station. Myeongdong Shopping Street is right downstairs, making dining, shopping, and getting around incredibly convenient. The airport limousine bus stop is also close by, located right in front of the Ibis Hotel. The room was clean, tidy, and well-lit, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering city views. The bedding was comfortable. The front desk staff were friendly, and there was even an uncle who spoke Chinese, making communication very smooth. The hotel is well-equipped with amenities like a laundry room and a gym. The only minor drawback is that the room is a bit small; it was a little inconvenient to walk around once we had two 24-inch suitcases open. Overall, it offers great value for money. If you're visiting Seoul and prioritize convenience, I highly recommend staying here.

This SL Hotel in Myeongdong is super convenient, just a few minutes' walk from Myeongdong Night Market. The room facilities are excellent, with a washer and dryer, and the bed is extra large. It's close to the subway station, making transportation very accessible, and the location is fantastic. There's a convenience store downstairs, and it offers great value for money. I highly recommend this hotel for anyone shopping in the Myeongdong area.

Beautifully designed and spotless, but several practical details need improvement Stay And4 is a beautifully designed, newly opened property with a stylish, modern interior. Everything looks carefully considered, from the bathroom fixtures to the refrigerator, microwave and water dispenser. The cleanliness is absolutely exceptional! A big compliment to the housekeeping staff, who clearly do an amazing job. Everything was spotless. I also appreciated the complimentary cup noodles and instant coffee in the communal area. However, despite the beautiful design, several practical details haven’t been thought through properly. Room comfort One important thing to know is that the room has no windows or natural daylight. The decorative curtains are beautifully executed and create a warm, inviting atmosphere, but having no daylight can feel unusual. At night, the standby lights on the TV and especially the water dispenser are extremely distracting. The water dispenser emits so much light that it actually illuminates the room when everything else is switched off. The power outlets next to the bed also don’t hold plugs securely. Even a slight movement of the charging cable can cause the plug to fall out. Bathroom The towels are extremely small, roughly the size of guest towels in the Netherlands rather than proper bath towels. For a relatively upscale property, this is disappointing. I asked the hotel about it and was told this is their standard size. Proper bath towels would be a significant improvement, especially for international guests. There is also no bath mat. The bathroom layout isn’t particularly practical either. There is a bathtub and an open shower, but the shampoo, conditioner and shower gel are in large dispensers fixed to the wall by the shower. They cannot be reached from the bathtub, meaning you have to get out or dispense the products into your hands beforehand. A strange design oversight. Housekeeping I stayed for two nights without any housekeeping. I don’t expect a full cleaning for such a short stay, but the very small trash bin wasn’t emptied, and used glasses and cups weren’t cleaned or replaced. A quick refresh would have been appreciated. Luggage storage The advertised “free luggage storage” is misleading in my opinion. There is no secure storage room, just a rack in a common area where you can attach your suitcase using a lock. Luggage remains accessible to other guests, making this unsuitable for open bags or valuables. I contacted the hotel about this because I wasn’t comfortable leaving my belongings there. The listing should be more transparent about what is actually provided. Carpeting The wall-to-wall carpeting looks beautiful now, but I question how well it will age and how easily it can be kept thoroughly clean. It’s also not ideal for guests sensitive to dust mites. A clear shoes-off policy might help maintain its condition. Entrance and surroundings The approach to the hotel and the entrance itself aren’t particularly inviting. The surroundings feel somewhat run-down, contrasting sharply with the beautiful interior. The stairwell in particular could benefit from refurbishment to create a better first impression. Overall Stay And4 has a lot of potential. The design is beautiful, the facilities are modern, and the cleanliness is genuinely outstanding. However, the many practical shortcomings make the experience less comfortable than the appearance suggests. Since the property is still new, I hope management takes this feedback seriously. Most issues could be resolved relatively easily and would significantly improve the guest experience. Good design should be about functionality and comfort, not just aesthetics.

The location is super convenient, really close to the MTR station and bus stops 🚇. There are also a lot of restaurants nearby 🍴, which makes ordering takeout a breeze 🛵. Plus, the staff are really friendly and respond quickly. It's a great value-for-money option for a short trip. It was raining heavily when I stayed, so the free umbrella service was a very thoughtful and handy touch! ☔

Read all the way. When we first arrived, we were not prepared for the location. We came on the night trash goes out the next day. There was trash everywhere on the street and we stayed in a back alley hotel that (at night) looked sketchy as heck. When we got into the lobby, Lee greeted us with the biggest smile and warmth and brought my concern level down. When we asked for universal adapters, he gladly gave us a few. When we asked for more blankets, they hand delivered to the room. Every day they gave us free bottled water, and the hotel has 2 different floors with public bathrooms, so families traveling together can always have a place to 💩. The hotel has an attached bar that serves food, we enjoyed this as well. Drinks were cheap and good. The location was less than a 1 minute walk to the bus and train station. The best pizza place in the city is around the corner ”Records Pizza”. A must go too, we stuck to plain and pepperoni pizza, their specials are an acquired taste. The hotel is full of unique touches everywhere and exploring it was fun. You can people watch from the balcony on the 2nd floor and soak in the night life on nights you don't feel like going back out. After that first night arriving, we felt safe and at home. Thanks for a wonderful stay!

I honestly don’t know what to say about this hostel. At first, I was relieved to find a place that was this affordable, but I never expected it to be this disappointing. Let me break everything down. 📍 Location There were two of us traveling, and I booked a room for two people. I was already a little pessimistic about the location because the hostel is located quite deep inside a narrow alley. The area is not exactly clean or well-maintained, although it was still tolerable. There are two pharmacies nearby, and the biggest advantage is that it only takes about a 1-minute walk to reach the Line 5 and Line 6 subway stations. I still couldn’t find many food options nearby. The closest convenient option I found was a 7-Eleven, which takes around 5 minutes to walk to. 🏠 First Impression & Common Area When I first entered, there were a lot of suitcases piled up around the luggage storage area, which made the space feel very cramped, especially with the shoe rack right next to it. In front of the shoe rack, there is a large touchscreen with a camera that you can use for self-check-in. It supports several languages, which is quite convenient. The machine provides your room number, tips and information about the hostel, as well as the password/access information needed to enter your room. The room doors use smart locks. In the middle of the common area, there are two large refrigerators. One is for the staff and the other is for guests. If you want to store food, you simply need to label it with your check-out date. So don’t worry—your food is not supposed to be taken by anyone. Next to the refrigerators, there are four tables and some sofas where guests can sit, eat, or simply wait. The Wi-Fi in this common area worked well. All guest rooms are located upstairs, and unfortunately, there is no elevator. One thing that really bothered me was the lack of a public bathroom. If you need to use the toilet before checking in, don’t expect to be able to use one. I actually asked one of the staff members, “Do you know where the toilet I can use is?” The staff member, who was not very fluent in English, replied, “Yes, there is, but in the room.” I then asked, “Can I use the bathroom, just the bathroom, and then I’ll leave?” The answer was basically that I had to wait until my room was ready at 3 PM. So if you arrive early and really need to use the bathroom, keep this in mind. 🧳 Facilities & Amenities Some basic amenities are provided on top of the shoe rack, including towels, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and earplugs. There is also a small service area next to the shoe rack where you can leave your clothes for laundry. The laundry service costs around 5,000 KRW. The common area also has a small kitchen. There is an electric stove, an oven, a sink for washing dishes, and even an automatic washing machine. The oven was not plugged in when I saw it, so you either need to ask the staff to plug it in or do it yourself. Pots are provided on the counter. There is also a free water dispenser, along with several sachets of coffee and tea. Paper cups and regular cups are available, as well as chopsticks, forks, and spoons. 🍞 Breakfast Breakfast is available from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM. However, don’t expect a hotel-style breakfast. The selection is very basic: bread, instant noodles with the seasoning provided separately, several spreads for the bread, and boiled eggs. There were different spreads available, including strawberry jam, although I can’t remember all of the others. Each person is allowed to take only one boiled egg. For a hostel at this price, the breakfast is understandable, but it is definitely very simple. 🛏️ Room Condition Now, this is where things became disappointing. You can see the condition of the room in the photos I provided. The room was quite worn out, and some of the wallpaper was already damaged. The bathroom is extremely small. You can even see the water heater right next to the toilet. There w

The room was spotless and well-stocked with amenities. The hotel staff at the front desk were very kind. There were some mornings where I'd be woken up by noise or loud conversations in the hallway, but overall it was a comfortable stay. On my last day, as I was about to check out and leave the room, I found my auto-locked door had been opened, and was slightly ajar. This was about an hour and a half before check-out time. Since there was only one door separating my room from the hallway, I had no idea how long it had been open. As a solo traveler, I found this quite frightening.

The hotel's location is absolutely fantastic! 👍 The only downside is that the room is a bit small. The front desk staff speak English, and the cleanliness is decent; I always bring my own disposables anyway. Myeongdong is right downstairs, with large Olive Young beauty stores and CU convenience stores. Shopping and dining are incredibly convenient. If you turn left out of the hotel, Myeongdong Station Exit 5 is a 1-minute walk. If you turn right, Lotte Duty-Free and Shinsegae Duty-Free, along with department stores, are less than a 10-minute walk away. The subway and taxis are also super convenient nearby. The 6015 airport limousine bus goes directly to the hotel! 👍👍👍

The accommodation was exceptionally clean, and the bathroom was very spacious. It's super close to the subway station and incredibly cheap. The front desk staff were also great; different people were on duty each day, some spoke Chinese, and some even spoke Spanish. The service was excellent, and they also offer luggage storage. The only downside is that there's no washing machine, so you have to go out to do laundry. But considering I only paid 72 RMB a night when I booked, not having a washing machine is perfectly acceptable, haha!