Hotel The Castle Jamsil

The room was lovely and spacious, including the bathroom, and taking a bath was relaxing. There's a mini fridge hidden in the closet, easy to miss at first. If you want the room cleaned during your stay, you need to request it at the lobby. It's a great choice for a couple of nights, though for a longer stay, bear in mind the 14-minute walk to Jamsil metro station. I booked the “One Bedroom Suite” through Booking and was placed on floor 8. The hotel is near Lotte World Tower, and I recommend Aqua Garden Cafe and the Seoul Sky observatory. There are two entrances, one for #1 and one for #2, leading to different buildings, so make sure you use the right one. On the 17th floor, there's free cereal, instant noodles, milkbread, cupcakes, and drinks, mostly water and korean sprite. I included a picture of the view from the window there.

The hotel room was okay, and the staff were nice and helpful. Location worked well for us, about a five-minute walk to Lottow world countdow and not far from the bus stop or Subway. Plenty of minimarts and restaurants are just 10 steps away. At the 17th Floor Bar, you can get free food and drinks, including lots of cub noodle, egg, milk, cereal, and canned softdrink. The shower room wasn't my favorite, since water sprays all over and gets the whole area wet. There are lots of people smoking at nearby hotels. The bar view can catch fireworks, even with some buildings next to it.

The rooms were dirty and smelled awful, and the staff were rude and no help from the moment we arrived. I travel a lot, and this was the worst hotel I’ve ever stayed in. The whole stay was so unwelcoming it spoiled my time in Korea, especially since everyone else in the city was so nice. Avoid it.

The 17th-floor cafeteria was a bright spot. I liked the morning stone-roasted eggs and the free water, though it only opens from 7 a.m. to midnight. Keeping it open all night would help guests dealing with the noise outside. I was on the 12th floor of the Hotel the Castle #1, and loud music from nearby commercial buildings went on late and into the early morning, making it hard to sleep. That noise is why I wouldn’t stay here again. The location and service are excellent, but the room needs general renovation: some wallpaper is peeling, and the bathroom fan doesn’t seem to work properly. Moisture lingers after showers and has left rusty areas.