Aria Hotel Seosan

The family park is right across the street, with a lake trail, restaurants, coffee shops, and fast food all a short walk away. There’s ample parking, and nearby quick-stops are open 24/7. There’s no restaurant on-site, though traditional restaurants are also in the area, and the room has a directory for local delivery and takeout. The hotel has changed over the 15 years I’ve been coming to Seosan. It used to be very traditional, but the owners have updated many of the accommodations, including large-screen TVs and computers, and the mattresses are a bit softer. Traditional Korean beds are very stiff, almost like a flat board. Staff don’t speak English at all, but they still try to help with any problems. The owners have added two towers and two deluxe rooms across the parking lot. Those rooms are huge, with a shower and hot tub, and cost about twice as much per night as a regular room. A few things to know: shower water drains across the floor into a floor drain, and the sink drains onto the floor behind the pedestal, also toward the floor drain. Windows open, and rooms have indoor AC units and radiant heated floors, which are great on a cold night. It’s generally quiet, though a few nights I could hear drunk people leaving nearby bars at 3 a.m. For a short stay in Seosan, this is one of the better hotels.

The location makes it easy to find food and shopping nearby. My room was spacious and nice, with a cozy bed, a clean, roomy bathroom, complimentary toiletries, and a Styler machine for clothes.

Good value for the money, and the front desk staff and manager were great.

A good place in a small city on South Korea’s west coast.