Arie-ne Guesthouse - Hostel

I regret staying at this guesthouse. I messaged the owner at 11:52am on June 20th to ask for clear directions from the subway station (see File #0). On June 21st, it was pouring rain, and she didn’t reply until I had reached the station. In Files #3 and #4, the owner acknowledged that she had not answered my questions promptly and that the route from the subway was complicated. I had to work it out myself. When I asked for help, she kept telling me to call a taxi, without seeming to understand that this is difficult for a foreigner in Gwangju because of the language barrier. I was hungry and spent at least 30 minutes in the heavy rain trying to find a taxi driver who could get to the guesthouse. Three drivers who spoke little English turned me down. I eventually messaged the owner that she wasn’t helpful (see File #5). That was an objective comment, not a personal accusation. When I arrived, I didn’t say anything bad to the owner or staff, and I followed the guest rules. I’ve since seen a handful of negative reviews, and now I think they’re fair. Travelers should keep them in mind.

The double-room bed was comfortable, and the owner was lovely. She made sure we had breakfast we could eat and helped make our time in Guangju really enjoyable. The guesthouse has a good vibe, and I highly recommend it.

The staff told me guests need to book at least 4 hours before checking in because cleaning and COVID disinfection take that long. Otherwise, they said guests would be turned away. I think they were just being lazy, and should close the business during this cold season until things improve. They’re not ready to host guests.

We’ve stayed at some really bad hotels, and this was one of the worst. The customer service was horrible. Don’t come here.