SOYU Hotel

The location was good, and the centrally controlled heating worked well, but I wouldn't stay here again. It felt like a motel rather than a hotel. The WiFi didn't work, cleanliness was questionable, and the fresh towels had a strange smell. The bed was hard, the fridge was loud, and I could hear noise from the neighboring rooms. The room was also smaller than the listing suggested.

We stayed for five days, and the staff were super helpful and friendly. They spoke a little English, and if your room was ready, you could check in early. The room was clean and had heated floors, which we appreciated in late winter. It was also quiet, and the TV had a good variety of channels. The location was great, close to Lotte Mart, Jagalci Market, BIFF Square, and Busan Tower. Coffee was free on the first floor, and we could leave our bags after checkout. Definitely recommended.

For two adults, the room was a good size and the price was very reasonable. The hotel is also in a handy spot, about a five-minute walk from BIFF and around five minutes from Jagalji station. Exit 1 is the closest, but I preferred exit 5 because it cuts down the walk through the underground passage. There isn't anything to see down there on that stretch, so I'd rather walk on the street.

The staff were welcoming and friendly, and seemed to care about making guests comfortable. My bed was on the firm side, as some other reviewers mentioned, but I slept really well despite having high standards. The blackout curtains worked well, and the frosted windows helped too. My second-floor WiFi was impeccable. The location is excellent for JungAng and Nampo subway stations and nearby buses, though there’s a slight hill if you arrive on foot from public transport. There’s a bidet, which not many Korean hotels have, plus free filtered water and coffee at reception, umbrellas to borrow, and a microwave by the entrance. The fridge had three free bottles of water and two other drinks. It was acceptable for the price, kind of, but simple fixes could make it much better. A bathroom hook or towel rack can't cost much, and bath towels would be more useful than the hand towels they provide. They could also stop wrapping those towels in personalized hotel paper, or skip the pajamas and bathrobe, and spend that money on bath-sized towels instead. The bathroom has no place to hang a towel, and the sink counter is spacious, but I didn't want to leave a towel on it, especially to dry. Only hand towels were provided. When I entered, there was a damp, musty, moldy smell. It either faded with the air conditioning or I got used to it. The bathroom light runs on a timer and turns off by itself. It stays on a while, but good luck if you're still in the shower. The fridge was tiny, though it was enough for me. There were lots of dirty marks on the walls, and the place felt a bit run-down, like a motel. The photos may be misleading. At least the sheets and hand towels were clean. There was no extra physical lock on the inside of the door, just the mechanical lock that engages when you close it. Still, as a woman traveling alone, I felt safe in South Korea. There was no mosquito screen, and the window was open when I checked in, with a few mosquitoes already inside. I kept it shut for the rest of my stay and gave up the daylight since I was out anyway. I still got bitten on my hands overnight. There was almost no view because wooden panels were nailed over the windows. I don't understand why they haven't acted on the many reviews about these obvious problems.