Hostel Korea 11th-Chang Deok Gung

The accommodation cancelled our reservation a month before the trip and gave us no reason or way to rebook with them. We'd booked 20 days many months ahead because we were travelling with a baby and needed to secure suitable accommodation. When we got in touch, they just told us to book again through Booking.com or another platform. By then the price had gone up significantly, and the same room wasn't available. I can only assume they cancelled so they could sell it to someone else. They also refused to give me contact details for anyone I could complain to. Very poor service and hospitality.

The place was clean, including the rooms, and the people were so kind. When I forgot to take my key card from my friends, they helped me without hesitation. Getting around was easy too, with the palaces and metro close by. We took a bus to Myeongdong, just four stops away. They also have umbrellas to share and free water refills. We'd definitely pick this hostel again if we returned to Korea.

There's no dining service at the hotel anymore, but there's a 7-Eleven on the ground floor. If reception is empty, you can use the phone on the desk to reach someone. The hotel is only a few steps from Jongno Station, and the rooms are spacious and well equipped. Towels are quite small. Staff don't clean your room during your stay, so you have to manage that yourself, though stays longer than seven days include one free cleaning. For fresh small towels, leave the used ones in the lobby box and take replacements from the shelf beside it.

I liked the rooms. I stayed in both a double and a single, and the double was nicer and warm even while it was snowing. The place is close to Gwangjang Market and cafes, though Hondae st is 10k away. Check-in and checkout are very strict: I had to wait until 4pm despite being exhausted, and at 11am a woman knocked to make sure I left right on time. It'd feel more like a holiday if they were a bit more relaxed. Staff are serious, don't talk much, and often no one is at the desk.