Cheongju Dubai Self Check-In Motel

A nice place in a quiet location, with lots of places to eat nearby.

The price is cheap, the rooms are clean, and it's close to Samgyeopsal Street, so the location is good. But the lift smells musty, and the room air freshener is overpowering. Also, the air conditioner controls are hidden at the bottom of the TV remote instead of on the wall panel, which can catch first-time guests out. I booked on Agoda and was unsure what to do at the entrance, since there's a touch panel and the place is described as unmanned. Someone was actually at reception, so that was fine. Still, coming in from the park side felt unsettling: the approach looks like a rural adult movie theater, and you have to pass through a rubber curtain. I wouldn't recommend that entrance.

For two people, 5,000 yen a night on Agoda felt like a bargain. The beds and bathtubs are spacious and clean, and it's only a three-minute walk from a hotteok restaurant and Samgyeopsal Street. They also provide free drinking water on the first floor. At the front desk, a Korean woman speaks fluent Japanese and English. Apparently this used to be a love hotel, but I'd be happy to stay here again.

Right in central Cheongju City, with a park just across the way. The staff are very friendly, and although it's an unmanned motel, someone is on duty 24 hours a day to help with any guest issues. They provide plenty of bottled water for free, too.