GLAD Gangnam COEX Center

I picked this hotel mainly for its location and price. It's near both the train station and COEX, and the room was clean and modern. The central air conditioning couldn't be adjusted to make the room cooler, and they suggested opening the window. Still, everything else was good.

Room 2002 looked right across at the canon building, with a view of the intersection and COEX atrium. The room was small, but it had spots for personal belongings. Getting to the hanging clothes meant only one person could squeeze through at a time. The door was pretty heavy, and there was an automatic cleaning toilet. Water pressure was good, though the rain shower worked on the first try, so avoid adjusting the temperature too hot or cold right from the start. The lift needs a keycard, the receptionist was friendly, and Wi-Fi was good. There's a coffee shop on the premises Monday to Friday, plus a meeting table and chairs by the front desk. A robotic concierge can take orders from the front desk. You get two bottles of water a day, and there's a hair dryer. The gym is on basement level B2. The location is good near COEX, with 7/11, Starbucks, and restaurants a short walk away. Bring an adapter if you're coming from overseas. The main street can get loud when there's an emergency. Check-in is at 15:00 and check-out at 11:00.

We ended up checking out at midnight and moving to Novotel, which was a much better experience. Staying here was a terrible decision. There was no air conditioning, so we could only crack the window a little for air, and the whole room reeked of fried chicken. It was suffocating. When we raised the AC problem, receptionist Jerome was extremely rude and got pissed off when we asked for a refund. He told us to turn on the air conditioning button as if we were idiots. After we explained it wasn't working, he checked with maintenance and confirmed there was no air con. Avoid this place.

The room was clean, and the hotel is within walking distance of COEX Convention. I was there as an honorary guest, with the stay arranged by the event organizers. But the room was extremely small. There was barely room to open a suitcase except in the foyer, so getting around, especially to the bathroom, was inconvenient. Nearby Shilla Stay is even closer to the convention and has larger rooms, better amenities, and a more comfortable living space. Its nightly price is close to this hotel's, or only a little higher, so it seems like better value.