Hotel Des Arts

Lots of restaurants around, and the hotel is only about 200-300 m from the Metro station.

The room was roomy and had a computer, hairdryer, straightener, and even a bathtub. I stayed for two nights, April 16 and 17, 2025, and the owner was very polite. There was free coffee and water on the first floor, plus Korean BBQ and rice porridge restaurants nearby. A police station is right across from the downstairs bar area, which was reassuring if safety is a concern. Getting around was easy with all the nearby bus routes. For Hongdae shopping, take the 761 or 5714. The subway is nearby too, though the bus ride takes around 20-30 minutes depending on traffic. My one problem was that the AC in my room wouldn't turn on, so I spent the first night sweating. I forgot to ask the front desk about it the next morning.

I never stayed at the hotel, but the booking experience left me uneasy. I missed the cancellation cutoff because I overlooked it, then had to cancel my trip for unexpected reasons. The following day I messaged and emailed the hotel asking if they could waive the fee. I wasn't expecting all my money back, just hoped to talk it through, but got no answer after trying several times. Agoda couldn't get through to me by phone either, and I ended up paying nearly 20,000 yen for a room I never used. I understand they may not be able to accommodate every request, but even one response would have helped. Now I'm a little concerned about how they might handle future bookings. Their free-cancellation window also seems shorter than at other places, so check the terms carefully before booking.