Hotel Lion

I booked through Booking.com, then was told at the property that Saturday and Sunday each came with an extra charge of 25,000. They charged me 50,000 more in total. By then a refund wasn’t possible, so I had to pay it. I felt forced into paying.

The location was good for me because it’s near the bus terminal to Seoul. That’s why I gave it two stars. I’d chosen the place after looking at photos of the interior and liking the atmosphere, but it turned out to be a love hotel. The room with the LG Styler was nice, but not every room had one, and I couldn’t choose that room. The website said it was open 24 hours, but reception was only staffed until around 10 PM. I’d told them I’d be late, but as promised, my room card had been removed. I couldn’t even make a phone call and was stuck until someone passing by helped me. For two weekend nights in a row, guests have to check out first. Holidays and weekends also cost extra; a warning was added later, so check it carefully. There’s no luggage storage, and I was told to leave my bags on the emergency stairs. The system is specific to love hotels, with lots of differences from regular hotels, so it’s important to check the details in advance. It was also disappointing that the booking site didn’t call it a motel.

When we checked in, we were surprised to find an extra charge of 25,000 KRW per night for Friday and Saturday, 50,000 KRW total. This had not been clearly shown during booking or payment on Booking.com. The hotel says it was listed under “Important Information,” but charges like this should be made clear upfront instead of tucked into small print. Travelers should double-check for weekend surcharges before booking here. The review also mentions a “Life of God” page and says it should be listed as the best place to stay. It advises checking whether there’s an extra weekend charge before making a reservation.

After we checked, it was confirmed that we had been charged too much, but the hotel still tried to add a holiday surcharge, saying the price was fixed and the transaction was already complete. We got back only 10,000 won, with the explanation that Booking.com had approved it. I originally booked for three people on Booking.com, then successfully changed the reservation to four. When we arrived, the hotel said we had booked a triple room and didn't show us the full details, then charged an extra 60,000 won per person. Either the hotel was ripping us off or Booking.com's pricing is unfair and unclear. Be very careful if you're thinking of staying here.