Jongno Hotel Pop Leeds Premier

I spent four nights here and had a pleasant stay. The room was quiet, clean, and huge, with a large TV, Netflix, a good sound system, and a working PC. The receptionist was friendly and polite, and spoke English, Chinese, and Korean. There were plenty of free extras: four towels a day, mineral water, and things like a hair straightener, hair dryer, body lotion, hairspray, rubber bands, and a comb. The toilet was high-tech, with a heated Japanese-style seat. I was impressed by the amenities and the value for money. I'd recommend the hotel and would stay here again on another trip to Seoul.

The room was filthy. The pillowcases, sheets, shower mat, and blanket cover were stained and smelled unwashed. I asked the staff to clean it again, but when I came back, they'd only remade the bed with the same sheets. I only managed to stay three nights because I brought my own bedding. Bottled water was provided, but the few other amenities seemed too dirty to use. There was no natural light. Above the bed was one dirty pane of glass that couldn't be opened, and the whole building felt dark, stuffy, cheap, and run-down. It's divided into small rooms without proper windows. The wifi barely worked, and the walls were so thin that noise from other rooms carried clearly. You could hear people having sex at all hours. It felt like some guests might be renting rooms by the hour, and this place is absolutely unsuitable for families or children. When I decided to leave after a few nights and find another hotel, the staff wouldn't help me call a taxi and just made an X sign with their hands. The staff seemed not to care. This was honestly the worst hotel experience I've ever had. There is no place called “Leads Premier Hotel,” as far as I could tell. It's actually called Pop Hotel, with two more nearby named “Pop 2” and “Pop 3.” They keep changing the names on Google Maps and Naver, apparently to hide bad reviews and avoid responsibility. If you're considering staying here, please don't. It'll ruin your trip. Wait longer, save a bit more, or go somewhere else. Anything would be better.

I appreciated the free popcorn in the lobby, but the stay was disappointing. We paid a lot after booking online, and the amenities were more limited than we'd expected. The staff felt awkward, and the wifi didn't work. We complained, but it was never fixed. The cleaning staff member walked into our room while we were still in bed, even though our shoes were by the door and should have been visible before he opened it. When we raised that, they just said it was a mistake.

The location is great, but that was about it. The bathroom was rusty and very dirty, the sheets weren't clean, and the bathtub had standing water from a faucet that kept leaking. Noise carries both ways: you can hear people in the hallway from your room, and people in the hall can hear what's going on in the rooms.