Bangrang Hostel

The room was small, as expected, and the building and rooms both feel old. The AC was ice cold, and there’s a useful mini fridge, kettle, microwave, and hair dryer. Shared areas on the floors have a sink, bathroom, and rubbish bin, though they were very average. The shower was a letdown: the door looked mouldy and like it might fall off, the water pressure was awful, and the cramped shower had just one tiny, mouldy window for ventilation. The walls are paper thin, so you can hear neighboring conversations even when people are speaking at a normal volume. Getting to the hostel means going up a bit of a hill along a side street. It’s around a 10-15 minute walk from Seoul station and right by Chungjeongno station on lines 5 and 2, which is a good location. But once you open the door, there are at least one and often two flights of very steep, narrow stairs, and no elevator. The stairwell is pitch black until a delayed sensor light comes on, so coming or going late can be a bit hazardous. For what seems like a cheap price in that location, it probably isn’t worth it. There are lots of hotels and hostels for similar money that aren’t as old or hard to reach. Spend an extra 10 quid a night and get somewhere better.

I usually sleep fine, but the rooms have no real soundproofing and I couldn’t sleep at all. The housekeepers were extremely noisy too. This was probably the worst experience I’ve had on a trip. I really wouldn’t recommend this hostel. It felt like a nightmare where getting any sleep was impossible.

The location is fantastic for seeing seoul, almost right outside a metro line and just five minutes from seoul Station. The rooms are small and the beds uncomfortable, but they’re very clean and have AC. Good value for the money.

The walls are pretty thin, but I got lucky with considerate neighbours, so it wasn't a problem. I had a great time at this cosy, affordable hostel near Seoul Station. The rooms were comfortable enough, and the location was a real plus. I'd recommend it!