Hotel Irene Myeongdong

We booked seven nights, but the first one was disgusting: the sheets were unclean and had yellow stains, and there was no soundproofing at all. The staff were rude and seemed not to want to deal with us. That was especially difficult because we don’t speak Korean, though we were trying our best to communicate. We asked to switch hotels and offered to pay for the first night and get a refund for the other six. They agreed, then told us to contact the booking site. When we spoke to its customer service, the owner denied the request despite having agreed to it. We should have gotten that agreement in writing, but they lied to us, and we never got any money back for the disgusting stay. Basically a scam hotel.

The desk service was terrible, and loud neighbors made an already bad stay worse. The rooms were dirty, the outlets didn’t work properly and were badly placed for charging, and the towels were tiny, so I needed at least three to dry off. The light switch was an LED display that stayed on like a night light and kept me awake. A poor experience all around. Don’t stay here, it’s just bad.

There are lots of restaurants around the hotel, and the room was small but had all the basics. Room cleaning has to be booked a day ahead. There’s a water dispenser in the dining area, so you need to go there for water. Toothpaste, a toothbrush, and towels are also things you have to fetch yourself.

The location is very central, within walking distance of the city area and some tourist spots. What really disappointed me was the reception staff. There was a misunderstanding with both women at the desk. One told me I could check out before 3 p.m. because we were moving to another room. Then the other kept shouting, knocked on the door disrespectfully, and repeatedly demanded, “give me the key.” She walked out suddenly and didn’t speak to me properly or listen when I tried to explain the room transfer. The stay had already been settled and paid for two days earlier. Management or the owner needs to address this serious issue. The staff need more patience and better hospitality, since their job is to serve people.